In Flannery O’Connor’s short story “Good Country People,” the conflict is resolved through a dramatic confrontation between Hulga Hopewell and Manley Pointer. Hulga, who prides herself on her intellect and believes she has seen through the facade of goodness that others display, finds herself vulnerable and deceived by Manley, who initially appears to be a simple, good-natured country boy.
The resolution unfolds when Manley, revealing his true nature as a con artist, tricks Hulga into a moment of weakness. He takes advantage of her trust and her skepticism about the world around her, ultimately stealing her wooden leg—a symbol of her identity and a physical manifestation of her emotional and psychological struggles.
This act not only highlights Hulga’s naivety despite her self-proclaimed intelligence but also serves as a form of poetic justice. Manley’s betrayal forces Hulga to confront the reality of her existence and the limitations of her worldview. The story concludes with her feeling a mixture of horror and vulnerability, stripped of her defenses and confronted with the realization that she has underestimated others and overestimated herself.
In essence, the conflict resolves through the dynamic between deception and self-deception, ultimately leaving Hulga in a state of existential crisis that challenges her previous beliefs and understandings of ‘good country people.’