Good Country People: Setting 1 key example

O’Connor juxtaposes these characters in order to highlight their similarities rather than their differences, undermining commonly held beliefs in the South at the time. She does this by highlighting how condescending and self-satisfied every character is, regardless of their class position. Mrs. Hopewell, for instance, believes the she is superior because of her wealth and her kindness toward “good country people,” while Hulga believes she is superior because she is highly educated and therefore smarter than everyone else (including Mrs. Hopewell, her mother). Mrs. Freeman believes she’s superior because she is more in touch with reality than the wealthy Mrs. Hopewell and Hulga, and the Bible Salesman sees himself as superior because he successfully manipulates the three women into believing he is an earnest Christian salesman (when really he is a nefarious con artist).

Another important element of the setting is the fact that Mrs. Hopewell was not alarmed when a man showed up at her door claiming to sell Bibles out of a valise. This is because, at the time, traveling salesman were a regular part of American culture, particularly in rural areas.