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"The Life You Save May Be Your Own- By Flannery O'Connor

            I was very impressed by the thoughtfulness of the writer to create such a moving story. Shiftlet, a 28 years old poor carpenter, coming to the house of an old lady (Mrs. Crater) and her speech impaired daughter Lucynell. The house need many repayments done on it and Mr. Shiftlet offers to fix everything even though Mrs. Crater reminds him over and over that he cannot expect her to pay for his work. His intention of offering such a gesture is unclear till the very end of the story. Response that he gave at the beginning stands that to some people there are more important things than money. Also, Mr. Shiftlet uses the opportunity to emphasize that in today's world it is very hard to find an innocent woman for potential marriage. This makes him good in Mrs. Crater's eyes and she immediately thinks that this is the right man for her daughter Lucynell. The end of the story turns out very unpredictable though we sense that Mr. Shiftlet and Lucynell are moving way too quickly toward marriage. Feelings they feel for each other almost do not exist at all and their marriage was actually the idea of Lucynell's mother. This tells us that something is going to go wrong sooner or later in the story. Mr. Shiftlet's overstressed interest in the old lady's car makes us think that there is more to it than just his good will to fix the car. These are some of the hints that trough out the reading could give us a sense that something is not right. Mr. Shiftlet ends up marrying Lucynell but under one condition; that after they get married he would take Lucynell to hotel over weekend and feed her with all the good food. For this trip he borrows money from Mrs. Crater since he is poor and unable to pay it himself. The ending turns out to be surprising to us. The writer in the story makes us believe that Mr. Shiftlet is a good guy till the end where he leaves his wife Laucynell sleeping at an eating place called The Hot Spot and he continues the trip by himself.


Essays Related to "The Life You Save May Be Your Own- By Flannery O'Connor

1. The Life You Save Maybe Your Own

In the short story, "the Life You Save May Be Your Own", by Flannery O"Connor the author takes the reader down into the depths of a desolate area, symbolically described as a crater that is filled with the innocence of an old woman and her daughter, Mrs. ... In modern society the weak, helpless, and innocent are constantly preyed upon, and within the story of, "The Life You Save May Be Your Own" the essence of true innocence is portrayed through the character of the daughter, Miss. ... You ain't no fool," I would say."" ... This realist view used by Flannery O"Connor can be seen today in ...

  • Word Count: 1041
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: High School

2. Internal evidence 2 stories are by Flannery O'Connor

May, Mrs. ... In A Good Man is Hard to Find, the strongest character, the grandmother, in attempts to save her own life and those of her family urges the Misfit to pray. ... May's own "bull- ends up finally taking her life. ... In her own words O'Connor said, " when you have to assume [your audience] does not [hold the same beliefs], then you have to make our vision apparent by shock "to the hard of hearing you shout, and for the almost-blind you draw large and startling figures. ... May and the Misfit. ...

  • Word Count: 724
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  • Grade Level: High School

3. Flannery O'Connor

You're one of my own children!'" ... With ending up her story with violent killing, Flannery O"Connor shows to readers more about her redemption. ... At the moment of Rufus's arrest, Sheppard finally sees his blindness and selfishness as he fails to save Rufus. ... By the way, the story may end with the realization of Sheppard as a father. ... Therefore, Flannery O"Connor uses Norton's death as a vehicle to move Sheppard to the reality. ...

  • Word Count: 749
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

4. Flannery O

Flannery O" Connor is thought by many to be in a league of her own. ... While she was in Milledgeville to undergo treatment, Flannery began to write (Charters, 1116). ... Setting is defined as: "The place and time in which a story's action takes place; also, in a broader sense, the culture and the ways of life of the characters and the shared beliefs and assumptions that guide their lives" (Charters, 1781). ... You get the manners from the texture of experience that surrounds you and the sense of mystery is the authors own"(Milder, 1). ... Milder discovered that t...

  • Word Count: 443
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

5. Commentary on Flannery O'Connor's short stories

(Baumgaertner, 24) Flannery remained devoted to Catholicism throughout her life, and this along with the consciousness of her own imminent mortality gives worthy insight into what was compiled in the thirty-two short stories and the two novels: a bitter perception of salvation, a confident view of violence as an oblige for good, and a therapeutic liberation of hostility. ... (Baumgaertner, 24) Students may question how her writing, as bizarre and cruel as it is, would be deemed Christian literature. ... Within O'Connor is an intense coldness that is accredited to her knowledge of her ...

  • Word Count: 1784
  • Approx Pages: 7
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  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

6. Racial discrimination

"Oppressed for over three-hundred years, discrimination is a major part of the African American experience" (Oconnor 1). ... It is estimated that "about 10 million (or 33% of) African Americans fit the definition of "poor"" (Oconnor 1). ... So Hoppe 3 much money is being spent each year to put on these different events and it could all be saved. This money could be saved and used for other problems that need attention in our country. ... Many people do not see or hear about the severe cases of racial discrimination and therefore may not understand just how bad of a problem it is. ...

  • Word Count: 1070
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: High School

7. Flannery O'Connor

Flannery O"connor Biography Flannery was born in Savannah, Georgia on March 25, 1925. ... Flannery and her family were Catholic, but Catholics suffered in Georgia. Savannah had a charter that banned Catholicism, making life very difficult. Flannery believed strongly in her Catholic religion. ... In her life she was already becoming a young prodigy. ...

  • Word Count: 491
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: High School

8. Moral Structure in a Good Man is Hard to Find

The Morals of Life Throughout life we are all faced with issues that, in one way or another, pertain to morals and ethics. ... The grandmother tries to use her ethical values on The Misfit to save her life. ... O"Conner, Flannery. ... I learned from the reading that you should value your morals while keeping others moral values I mind. ... Please don't miss my annotated bibliography; I may have got it right this time. ...

  • Word Count: 1516
  • Approx Pages: 6
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9. Moral Structure

The Morals of Life Throughout life we are all faced with issues that, in one way or another, pertain to morals and ethics. ... The grandmother tries to use her ethical values on The Misfit to save her life. ... O"Conner, Flannery. ... I learned from the reading that you should value your morals while keeping others moral values I mind. ... Please don't miss my annotated bibliography; I may have got it right this time. ...

  • Word Count: 1570
  • Approx Pages: 6
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10. Flannery O'Connor and Southern Racism

You hear stories about how bad racism is and the rich history the South has. ... What would you do? In this time period it would be going against the grain for what we know in the present era as the right moral thing to do in which we treat everyone as equal, and in life or do you stick with the majority of people to still be a race focused voter. ... He is a man who has an outdated look on life and black people, especially when Tanner tells the black man he thinks that he's a preacher from South Alabama. ... A good writer does no less" (Flannery O'Connor's Religious and Ra...

  • Word Count: 2519
  • Approx Pages: 10
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

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