The grandmother is an intriguingly written character. Superficially, she is dislikable, passive-aggressively trying to change the family’s plans multiple times, and not admitting her ulterior motives. When June Star points out that the grandmother feels she has to be included in family plans despite not liking them, the grandmother attempts to hold something she does for June Star over her head, saying “Just remember that the next time you want me to curl your hair” (O'Connor 2). This fails when June Star says her hair is naturally curly, suggesting the grandmother does not do much to help with the kids. She later tells a racist story after seeing a young Black child on the car ride. She also decides not to admit that she led the family down the wrong road after causing their crash and emphasizes her injuries to avoid responsibility. Finally, she seals the family’s fate by exclaiming to The Misfit that she recognizes him from the wanted photo in the paper.
Looking beyond her superficial likability, it is likely that the grandmother is not named in the story so that she can represent something greater, like demonized women. Throughout the story, she is built up as a borderline antagonist, until The Misfit comes along to show what a true antagonist is. This juxtaposition could show the difference between what society sees as evil in men and women. Female characters and real women are hated for character flaws that could be considered minor whereas male characters and real men are only hated for committing terrible crimes. It is even possible that the grandmother is redeemed in the final scene, finally stepping away from self-righteousness in a moment of compassion for her shared humanity with The Misfit, but this has been left unclear by O’Connor, with only a few pieces of evidence helping the reader to understand the thinking behind the grandmother’s behavior.