She informs the children that they do not have good manners and that "children were more respectful of their native states and their parents and everything else." when she was a child. She fits the description of an older southern lady who is a bit prejudiced when referring to the African-American race; She said, "Oh look at the cute little picka-ninny!" She speaks of how she could have married Mr. Teagarden; a successful and wealthy businessman. The grandmother always speaks as though she is missing something more by being whom she really is. She enjoys listening to old songs like "The Tennessee Waltz." These thing remind her of the things she believes are more important, even more so than her own family. The grandmother blames other people for negative events that she has experienced throughout her entire life. The grandmother remains self-serving throughout the story. Her reasons for not wanting to go to Florida are purely selfish, even though she pretends that it is to ensure the children's safety. When the grandmother meets up with the Misfit, she tries to use the same techniques on him that she practices on her family. She does not resign herself to death yet, not even when she hears the gunshots coming from the wooded area. She states "Jesus, you've got good blood, I know you wouldn't shoot a lady!" The grandmother's only son, and his entire family are dead and she remains absorbed in her own fear, oblivious to what is going on around her. The grandmother does not change until mere seconds before her life is over, and her head clears for an instant. After she realizes the Misfit is going to kill her, she tries to manipulate for the final time telling the Misfit, "Why you're one of my babies. You're one of my own children!" The grandmother's life ends at this time and she never realized that she held everything dear to her at home. O'Connor leaves the reader to believe that maybe the grandmother wouldn't have changed regardless, a...
