Grotesque Characters In The Life You Save May Be Your Own

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How the Characters in “The Life You Save May Be Your Own” Change Their Own Fates
(Relating the Grotesque Characteristics of Those in O’Connor’s Short Story to Her Title) “The Life You Save May Be Your Own” is the title of Flannery O’Connor’s short story that is about characters who are living life as they wish it to be. In our textbook, we learn about “grotesque” characters, who are bizarre and twisted. After learning about these literary characters, one would assume that the following text would be a terrifying and/or gruesome plot to read with crazy characters. Once a reader begins reading, they wouldn’t assume that any of the introduced characters are twisted or dark. Later in the short story, one begins to see the decisions the characters are making to create the path for their own …show more content…

Crater’s actions can be connected to the title by the way she finally reacts to her company, Tom, and tries to send off her daughter, Lucynell. At the beginning of Flannery’s short story, the reader meets Lucynell Crater, the old woman of the story. At first, it can easily be assumed that the old woman is a nice, caring lady. This can be assumed by the way she quickly offers Tom Shiftlet a job that is paid by housing and food. Readers also believe that Mrs. Crater is a nice woman because the way she speaks of her daughter, Lucynell. Lucynell’s mother speaks of her in such kind and loving ways, trying to see the best parts of having to take care of her even though she is mentally challenged and deaf. About half-way through the story, the readers are able to see a pattern in Mrs. Crater’s attitude, trying to convince Tom to marry her daughter. Mrs. Crater is taking control of her own fate by successfully convincing Mr. Shiftlet to marry Lucynell because she no longer has to take care of her now that she is Tom’s responsibility. So relating her experiences of the story back to the title, she may have saved herself from living her life for someone else the rest of her own

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