I plan to argue that although many people view humanity with great optimism, Flannery O’Connor’s “A Good Man is Hard to Find” and Ralph Ellison’s “Battle Royal” remind us that man can be incredibly inhumane towards other members of society. This is the thesis statement for my argument which I will support by comparing the characters, conflict, and setting of the two stories. I will also incorporate two essays found from academic journals that were written about each of these two works that strengthen my argument. In “A Good Man is Hard to Find,” the characters portray the evil nature of man. For example, the Misfit is an individual who deliberately harms others, seemingly with reason as he says, “‘...and if He didn't, then it's nothing for
