Life You Save May Be Your Own Grotesque Analysis

In the text “The Life You Save May Be Your Own” by Flannery O’Connor, a common mood emerges from the somewhat humorous yet unfortunate work. A mood of grotesqueness among the characters and overall story as it presents itself, generally, making the audience feel quite uneasy and uncomfortable while reading it. Grotesque is a literary style, which comically and somewhat repulsively represents a distorted character or a series of twisted actions or thoughts that embody a character. The text creates a grotesque mood simply because the actions carried out by the characters resemble an extreme sense of despair and uneasiness, yet the way in which it is executed is somewhat funny and jocular to the reader, therefore creating an awkward overall mood

and feeling. In the work “The Life You Save May Be Your Own” a general mood of grotesqueness often appears through character development, the growth of Mr. Shiftlet’s persona throughout the text, character action, the abnormally comical yet apprehensive behavior of Shiftet, and character dialogue, which includes different aspects of certain conversations between Shiftlet and the other surrounding characters.
Tom Shiftlet, the shifty main character-conman, uses his duplicitous and grotesque characteristics to con his way into peoples’ lives, gains their most sincerest trust, then proceeds to abandon them and take all of their possessions.

He is made known to be a static character, because his first intention was solely to swindle the vulnerable characters Lucynell, mother, and Lucynell, daughter, and he takes that intention and puts it into play by the end of the text. Though Shiftlet is a static character, his character development is something to consider when discussing how his disposition makes him grotesque. In the beginning of the novel, the audience may believe that he is a character of good will, but through his development it is made apparent to the reader that he is nothing but a con. Upon his arrival, Ms. Crater explains she does not have enough to pay him Shiftlet for his services. In response, O’Conner says, ‘“Lady, there's some men that some things mean more to them than money.”” This indicting to the reader the man is willing to do the job for free because he is of good character. Despite this, a basis for a grotesque mood is laid down once the reader discovers, through his character development, that his only character is one of a

conman.
Character action is an essential part to discovering a character’s past, how a character’s thought process works, and what the reason is for those particular actions of a character. Shiftlet’s actions provide the most concrete evidence that he is a grotesque character. The newly weds, Shiftlet and Lucynell, arrive at a diner midway through the text. Since Lucynell is unable to speak, Shiftlet presumes she may be getting hungry. Lucynell is handicap, and though she is really almost thirty years old, she appears to have the underdeveloped mind of a young child. The author says, ““Give it to her when she wakes up,” Mr. Shiftlet said. “I'll pay for it now”…and Mr. Shiftlet left. He was more depressed than ever as he drove on by himself” These actions create a grotesque mood for the audience because they feel uneasy and unsatisfied. Shiftlet leaves a vulnerable and defenseless handicapped person to fend for herself, which is horrific, but the way in which he does it is quite comical.
Another significant way to achieve the mood of a story is through character conversations and dialogue. This informs the reader of the character’s mood and feelings, through word choice, expression of words and the place the character is in when they are speaking. The author says, “Tears began to seep sideways out of her eyes and run along the dirty creases in her face. “I ain't ever been parted with her for two days before,” she said. Mr. Shiftlet started the motor.” This conversation between Ms. Crater and Mr. Shiftlet reveal certain aspects about both of their personalities. Again, the grotesque Shiftlet humorously yet rudely starts the car to drive away, while his new wife’s mother grips onto the car crying in sadness to see her daughter go. His character really shows through his act at this point, his lack of sympathy and his eagerness to kick his plan into action.
To conclude, the mood of grotesque is shown quite clearly continuously throughout the text by character development, character action and character dialogue. The reader is able to identify Shiftlet’s true intention through these literary techniques. His development from the inception of the work to the very end is crucial to understanding his grotesque features; along with his actions and conversations with other characters. Shiftlet’s comic and repulsive actions correlate with the audience’s overall mood directly, which is why the common mood of this text is grotesqueness.