Religion continually reveals itself as the most resilient institution in existence today; men live in his shadow, die in his honor and torture in his name. More often than adherents would like to admit, many churches are known to persecute individuals with different mentalities, sexual and social behaviors. Despite the injustice, a flower of hope continues to sprout in this freezing environment. Individuals belonging to religious factions realize that it is faith and acceptance, not conformity, that makes their institution strong. Flannery O'Connor was a woman who saw the hatred and intolerance of certain religious practices and sought to change them. His short story, “A Good Man is Hard to Find” is a call to action for society as it conveys the importance of acceptance through its characters and resolution. In addition to demonstrating the value of tolerance, the grandmother is the first character who serves as a warning to the audience in "A Good Man is Hard to Find." Throughout the story, the grandmother attempts to present herself as the archetype of the “good” spiritual old woman. Ironically, he is a particularly loathsome human being. She is stuck in her archaic, pretentious and selfish mentalities. At first, her selfishness becomes evident when she rejects her family's desire to go to Florida and insists on going to Tennessee, where she could "visit some of her relations" (O'Connor 61). Irving Malin, professor and literary critic, also notes that the grandmother is unpleasant because she “…forces her family to obey her…[and] she sees them as an extension of herself…” (Bloom 21) . Even though she shows blatant disregard for others, she still holds herself in high regard. In addition, grandmother is also...... middle of paper ... not just religion. Not only are good men hard to find, they are also impossible to find. Within each individual, both benevolent and malevolent concepts are embedded. Humanity can help facilitate everyone's development, in a negative or positive way. Works Cited Bloom, Harold and Aaron Tillman. Bloom's main short story writers: Flannery O'Connor. Broomall: Chelsea House, 1999. Print. Krakowiak, K. Maja and Mary Beth Oliver. “When Good Characters Do Bad Things: Examining the Effect of Moral Ambiguity on Pleasure.” Journal of Communication 62.1 (2012): 117-135. Communication and mass media completed. Internet. April 16, 2014. May, Charles E., ed. Critical Insights: Flannery O'Connor. Pasadena: Salem Press, 2012. Print. Piotrowski, Nancy A. Salem Health: Psychology and mental health. Pasadena, CA: Salem Press, 2010. Academic eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Internet. April 16. 2014.