This theme presents an interesting counterpoint to the theme of religion in "Good Country People." For Mrs. Hopewell, existence rests in having, as her name suggests, a hopeful outlook on life. Hulga, however, with her doctoral degree in philosophy, sees life as a meaningless illusion. And though Manley is on a similar existential journey, Hulga can't see past his county boy exterior long enough to really listen to him. The story seriously questions the nature of life, while at the same time poking fun at oh-so-serious philosophical discourses.
Questions About Life, Consciousness, and Existence
- If you had to write a one or two sentence description of Hulga's theory of life, what would it look like?
- What does it mean to believe in nothing?
- Does Manley really believe in nothing? Does Hulga?
- What does nothing look like?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
O'Connor's treatment of atheism and nihilism is misleading and ultimately promotes her own Christian moral code.
The story argues that life is a mystery, no matter what you believe.