Comparison of OConnor's A Good Man Is Hard to Find in 1953 Story and Abagnales Catch Me if You Can - Essay Example

However, given that the Misfit is given a lot of focus, majority describe him as the protagonist in A Good Man Is Hard to Find. If this is the case, then it is apparent that both protagonists- Frank and The Misfit live as villains at the formative and medial stages of the two literary works (O’Connor, 6). At the same time, as the movie and the story approach denouement, the characters switch to different ways of dealing with their problems.

For instance, The Misfit switches to an internal monologue when the grandmother presents the message of the Gospel to him. He debates inwardly, the existence of Jesus Christ since he thinks that Christ had not made physical manifestations of Himself to prove His exit stance on one hand. On the other hand, he is concerned that he may be displeasing Christ if it turns out that He exists. All these happen in The Misfit’s mind as he decides also, whether he should shoot the grandmother or not.

According to Price, this is not the case with Frank who has to make split-second decisions when he is being trailed by an FBI agent, Carl. He hurriedly leaves Brenda, hoping that they can unite later. When their place of meeting is invaded by FBI agents, he leaves immediately (5). Both Frank and The Misfit show bitterness and recoil when confronted with the pain of being abandoned by their parents. When the grandmother tries to preach to The Misfit, he retorts that life has no pleasure but meanness.

When the grandmother attempts to inquire some more and approach The Misfit, he recoils and shoots three times. When Frank happens upon his mother, her mother’s lover and stepsister, he gets agitated and turns himself up to be handed a 12-year prison sentence. This shows that like The Misfit, Frank rejects his parental figures (mothers) because of the pain of the past. The implication of the foregoing is that the act of Frank’s mother leaving his father for another man was a disappointing betrayal to Frank.

Frank turns down any relationship with their mother and he would rather he goes to prison than live in the atmosphere his mother is in. For The Misfit, the ravages of life and poor parenting were too bitter that he could not bring himself to accept parental love. When confronted with problems, Frank takes challenges head-on. He is the one who turns himself into the police, to serve the 12-year sentence. When the job offered to him by the FBI seems to stand in the way of his passion (aviation), he abandons the job, seemingly, temporarily.