The Life You Save May Be Your Own Analysis

Besar Limani

Essay #2

“The Life You Save May Be Your Own” The story “The Life You Save May Be Your Own” is written by the writer and essayist Flannery O’Connor, who is an important figure for the American literature. The origin of the author is from the Southern States of USA and most of the time she uses the so called Southern Gothic style. Very often she depicts grotesque characters, just like Mr. Shiftlet in this story, which is typical for the Southern Gothic style. The author describes the protagonist as a humorous character, although he tries to look as a grandiloquent, smart guy with his southern accent but the words he says make no sense those qualities turn him into the humorous character he is.

The author’s humor is the eye-catching point of the story which allures the readers. The title alone, “The Life You Save May Be Your Own”, indicates the author’s using symbolism and her southern jocularity. There is a sign in the story with the exact same phrase as the title, which shows us that the protagonist could save his own life by saving the life of his just married wife. He is a tramp and his best skill is to deceive people, he is such a fine liar and trickster that even believes himself and thinks that the world is a harmful and unpleasant place. The story

Shiftlet is a tramp and his untrustworthiness are the reason that this earth isn’t a really good place to live after all. The whole build up of the story how he acts as a good man and a trustworthy person, create an illusion in his mind that he does nothing wrong. He could have saved his life if he decides not to leave Lucynell in the restaurant while she is asleep, but all he does is that he takes the car and leave. Sooner or later he still has to deceive other people in order to be able to live, since the best thing he knows is to lie and his life is going to be full of fake acting. After all he is the grotesque character, which the author depicts with her Southern Gothic