Good Country People

The phrase "good country people" from the title is repeated a number of times throughout the story. What is the effect of this repetition? How does this phrase become ironic in the story?

I guess I'm a little weird but I really liked this story. It started out kinda of slow, setting up the characters and all, but once Hulga/Joy got involved with "Manley Pointer" I couldn't wait to see what happened next, I knew it wasn't going to be good. Given the theme of the stange stories we've read this far, I thought he'd probably end up killing her...

I think the repetition of the phrase "good country people" is to lure the reader into thinking that this boy, "Manley", really is a good Christian boy, and that everything between him and Hulga is going to turn out good, seeing as she's never had her a fella and has a disease that'll kill her by the time she's 45 or so. But, not the case. The irony of the story is that "Manley" just has a weird obsession/fetish with collecting odd inanimate objects after getting people/women to believe he is a bible salesman. He seems to find a weak spot in his victims and targets in on them to really get into his victim's head so he can get his way. Kind of a twisted story, but a good'n.

Peace.