Good Country People Summary Essays

Good Country People Summary Essays Good Country People Summary Paper Good Country People Summary Paper A Salesman’s Deception Hulga Hopewell was a thirty-two year old woman who still lived at home with her mother, Mrs. Hopewell. She did not enjoy her mother’s company nor did she enjoy the company of the neighbor, Mrs. Freeman, or Mrs. Freeman’s two daughters, Glynese and Carramae. In her mind, Hulga referred to them frequently as Glycerin and Caramel. She did find joy in the company of a young man named Manley Pointer, though, who taught Hulga that he was not the boy he seemed to be and that she never should have trusted him. Hulga Hopewell was a very intelligent woman who was involved in an unfortunate hunting accident at the age of ten. During this accident, her leg was shot off and she was never quite the same. She had a degree in philosophy, which her mother was not proud of. Her mother would have preferred her to be an English teacher or a nurse or even a chemical engineer. Mrs. Hopewell was not particularly fond of her daughter at all. This was because Hulga was very unpleasant to be around – she frequently stomped around the house – and she resented the fact that Hulga had changed the name she had bestowed upon her at birth. : Hulga was originally named Joy, but she felt that she did not deserve the happy or beautiful name of Joy, so she chose the ugliest, foulest name her mind could muster. Her mother would only refer to her by the name of Joy and refused to call her Hulga. Mrs. Hopewell loved what she referred to as good country people; she thought they were the salt of the earth. That is why she allowed Mr. and Mrs. Freeman and their two daughters to live in their tenant house, even though Mrs. Freeman was a very nosey neighbor. So when a polite, young country gentleman named Manley Pointer came by one day selling bibles, she could never have known that he was in fact the scum of the earth. He took an instant interest in Hulga and quickly accepted the invite to stay for dinner. At dinner Manley did what he was expected to do, which was to talk about the lord, his church, himself, and also of a heart condition that was similar to Hulga’s. Mrs. Hopewell was touched by this young man and extended him an invitation to come back any time he wished, which he kindly accepted. As he was leaving, he stopped to talk to Hulga. Their conversation began with a lousy joke about a chicken and he asked her how old she was. Her response was a lie; she claimed she was only seventeen. He then told her that he noticed she had a wooden leg and that he found her very brave and sweet and that they were destined to meet. He also asked her to meet him on Saturday at her gate and go on a picnic with him, to which she agreed. Mrs. Freeman saw their encounter, but did not think much of it. The next morning she only gave Hulga a side-long glance as if they shared some small secret. Hulga went to their agreed meeting place at exactly ten o’clock and waited for a short period of time until he emerged from behind some bushes across the street. He wore a new looking hat and still carried the briefcase that held his bibles. They quickly set off through the pasture to the woods. During this time she told him that she did not believe in a God; he found this unusual and surprising. Hulga continued trekking along until they came to the end of the woods. Here he kissed her, but she felt no real feeling behind it even though it was her first kiss. The two spoke no words for some time after their kiss and soon came to a barn. Manley insulted Hulga by insinuating that she could not climb up the ladder to the loft because of her bum leg. She swiftly proved him wrong and skillfully ascended the ladder’s rungs. Once both were safely up the ladder, they laid down in a pile of straw. Manley did not waste any time before he began to kiss her once more and she was reluctant to return any of his affections at all, though she eventually gave in. Soon he was confessing his love for her and how he had loved her from the moment he set eyes upon her. He told her many sweet things; she was smart, unique, brave, and sweet. When Hulga did not say that she loved him also, he pestered her until she did. Manley then asked her to show him her false leg and how she puts it on and takes it off. Naturally, Hulga was appalled and refused for some time, though she once more gave in. Hulga agreed to allow Manley take off her leg, which he did with excitement. After removing the artificial leg, he did not reattach the limb as Hulga had expected. Instead he opened the case that contained his bibles and pulled out three items: a pocket-sized flask of whiskey, a pack of playing cards, and a small pill case that read, â€Å"This product to be used only for the prevention of disease. † Hulga was blatantly shocked and confused. She had honestly thought Manley Pointer was simply good country people. Hulga insisted that her leg be returned to her right away, but Manley refused. He told her that they would have themselves a good time, since there was nothing left to do. Once more, Hulga was awestruck. She exclaimed that he was a supposed to be a fine Christian, to which he took great offense to. Manley fervently expressed that he was not and quickly gathered his few items and his one newfound prize, Hulga’s leg. As he climbed down the ladder, Manley looked at Hulga one last time as she pathetically in the hay before him and admitted that she was not his first victim. He also admitted Manley Pointer was not his real name and how he changed it after visiting any house before he descended down the remaining steps and out of Hulga’s life forever. Mrs. Hopewell and Mrs. Freeman saw Manley leaving and could have easily stopped him, but of course they had no idea as to what had just transpired. The two women merely assumed he was selling bibles to the Negros who lived farther back and continued to dig up onions. Mrs. Hopewell expressed how she wished she could be a simple person like Manley Pointer. She never could have known that he was the opposite of everything he seemed and that only Hulga and his other victims would know the fiend that he really was.