- This story starts with the grandmother not wanting to go to Florida. She began trying to convince her son, Bailey, to go to Tennessee instead, using tactics like the fact that there was a criminal on the loose. After this convincing failed, she began to try to convince the children’s mother. She failed again, and in the process was called out by the children. The next morning she was the first ready to go. There was John Wesley on one side and June Star on the other side of her in the back seat. The grandmother snuck the cat into the car to join them on the trip. She made sure to wear a dress, with a nice hat, gloves, and even cloth violets pinned on, so in case she died on the car trip, her self-image would be upheld. The children’s mother sat in the front holding the baby, with Bailey driving. They drove admiring the scenery for a while, the grandmother lectured the children about manners and respect for their home state. The grandmother pointed out a little black child, and they discussed this for a bit. The grandmother then offered to hold the baby and did so telling him about what she saw out the windows. After the children finished their comic books, they ate the lunches they had packed. They then played a game with the clouds and started arguing. The grandmother broke it up, by offering to tell a story. She told the story about Mr. Edgar Atkins Teagarden. She explained how he used to leave watermelons every Saturday with his initials engraved on the melon for her. One afternoon, no one was home to accept it, so, with E. A. T. written on it the melon got eaten by a little black boy. John Wesley laughed, but June Star didn’t find it that interesting. They stopped at The Tower for food. There, June Star tap danced and responded rudely to a compliment about her. The grandmother was mortified. Red Sam came in, and grandmother began to talk to him. They spoke about dishonest men, how different the world is now, and good ol’ times. After leaving The Tower they were driving, and the grandmother woke up from one of her many naps and recalled a house in the area. She could remember the turn off to get to the house, and the more she thought, the more she wanted to go there. She told the kids stories about a secret panel in the walls, with hidden silver in it, to get the children on her side. The children were very interested in this secret panel and started begging Bailey to go. After he refused, they threw fits until he stopped the car and agreed. They turned the car around to find the turn-off. After turning, and going up the road a bit the grandmother realized something and became red in the face, and she jerked, alerting the cat, that jumped out, and caused an accident. The car rolled and ejected the mother and baby. She realized the house they were looking for was in a different state entirely. They got out in the ditch and sat waiting for help to come by. The children were almost excited about the accident adventure. Soon a car came by, they waved it down, and after waiting at the top of the ditch, three people got out. They came down and talked, two of them assessed the crashed car, and reported back to the one in charge. All three had guns on them, and then the grandmother recognized the head one as that criminal on the loose, the Misfit. After this, Bailey stood up to something the misfit said to his mother and corrected him. After a bit, the two men took Bailey and John Wesley into the woods leaving the Misfit with the rest. The women talked to the Misfit more. The grandmother was talking and trying to convince him that he was good, and had a good heart. She kept him talking about himself, and that he could be honest and a good man. She started talking to him about praying, and then they heard two gunshots from the woods. The misfit though continues talking like nothing had happened. The two men emerge from the woods without the father and son they took in. The two gave Bailey’s shirt to the Misfit to wear. Pretty soon, they took the mother and June Star into the woods as well. The misfit continued talking about his life, and past. The grandmother began to beg and plead with the Misfit to reconsider, to pray, to be a good man because he had good blood. They heard screams and pistol fires. They talked more about faith, the Misfit staying eerily calm while doing so. The grandmother called the Misfit one of her own Children. She touched him on the shoulder and startled he shot her three times. The two men again emerged from the woods and saw her. The Misfit said how she would have been a good woman, and that killing her wasn’t a pleasure of life.
- The Misfit at the beginning of the story is only introduced as a hypothetical danger to convince Bailey and his wife to go to Tennessee instead of Florida. He is a rough and from his language, seemingly uneducated man, which juxtaposes his look. O’Conner describes him in the story by saying, “… he wore silver-rimmed spectacles that gave him a scholarly look”(373). We as readers only get to know him more after the crash, when he joins the family in the ditch. He talks to the grandmother more than anyone else in this story. One of the first things that he said to the women was, “‘but it would have been better for all of you, lady, if you hadn’t of recognized me”(374). He must have said this in a rude/ disrespectful way, because Bailey stood up to him, speaking to his mother on the Misfits behalf. He explained how sometimes men say things they don’t mean, discrediting the Misfits words. Near the end of their long conversation, however, it seems like he changes his perspective of the grandmother. They have deep conversations, that no criminal would normally have with his victim, “‘Jesus, Jesus,’ meaning, Jesus will help you… ‘Yes’m,’ The Misfit said as if he agreed. ‘Jesus thown everything off balance…’”(377). Along with talking about religion they also talked about his life. He went into detail about his family and childhood. He even got emotional at the end, “‘if I had of been there I would have known and I wouldn’t be like I am now.’ His voice seemed about to crack…’Why you’re one of my babies.’”(377). The Misfit probably didn’t always talk to his victims in this way, this was a turning point for him in the story. I think that if she hadn’t startled him with her hand on his shoulder he might not have shot her at all. It was almost like he started to see her as a mother figure, he even yelled at Bobby for disrespecting her in a way, “‘Some fun!’ Bobby Lee said. ‘Shut up, Bobby Lee,” The Misfit said. ‘It’s not real pleasure in life.’”(378). I think that if the Misfit even had a few more minutes talking to the old women he just met, he might have changed his mind. It was, however, clear to see that even in the little time they had, he began to rethink his actions and regret his life choices.
- I really enjoyed reading this story, it got me, as the reader, engaged, and kept my attention. The imagery was very important in my opinion. It is hard to describe a road trip interestingly, but O’Connor did it beautifully. The end of the story is not what I was expecting at all, and it was interesting to read and re-read, and see something new that I didn’t notice before about the characters. I like how the Misfits character was developed, even down to his name. By the end of the story, we understand him so much more, and his name makes more sense to us because we are able to hear a lot of his honest thoughts. I would like to know what might have happened if the grandmother had not touched his shoulder. I think it is important to always remember that even those who don’t make the best choices are human, and have a sensitive side, no matter how good they are at hiding it.
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The Prayer Of A Stories Heart 