The Irony of Human Nature The world can be harsh and unforgiving. Humans have grown accustomed to the cheating, lying, and scandalous members of society. O’Connor creates a parallel representation of how society is full of corrupted morals to a romantic parody. Nowadays, many people do not see the effect of their actions on others. The short story titled “The Life You Save May Be Your Own” written by Flannery O’Connor, gives the perfect view of the kind of society that we live in today. The main character Tom Shiftlet, a tramp, arrives at a widow’s home. After being offered a place to stay in exchange for various repairs and completing them successfully, Lucynell, the widow, offers her daughter up for marriage. Shiftlet agrees to getting married …show more content…
as long as he receives money for the honeymoon. After departing with the widow’s daughter, he drops her off at a roadside diner and continues on his journey.
This parodical sequence of events depicts how a relationship turned into a ironic parody through a false charming prince, a nurturing mother, and an innocent young women. In the beginning of the story, Tom Shiftlet is revealed as a false prince, with an ability to charm and please. Whenever he first walked up to a widow’s home and was amazed at the outstanding view. As he was watching the sunset, he told the widow that he would “give a fortune to live where he could see him a sun do that every evening” (O’Connor 605). The irony of a romance begins whenever the “charming prince,” a representation of Tom Shiftlet, is offered a place to stay. Although Lucynell is greatly intrigued by the character of Shiftlet, the reader begins to realize that he is not who he seems to be. O’Connor …show more content…
foreshadows the character of Tom Shiftlet in a simple, yet defining way. Whenever he came up to the widow’s home and turned toward the sunset, “his figure formed a crooked cross” (O’Connor 605). The representation of Shiftlet’s shadow forming a “crooked cross” symbolizes and foreshadows that he is of low character. The author uses this image in order to reveal the true intentions of Shiftlet. After meeting the widow, he begins by talking about his life saying that, " He was twenty‑eight years old and had lived a varied life. He had been a gospel singer, a foreman on the railroad, an assistant in an undertaking parlor, and he had come over the radio for three months with Uncle Roy and his Red Creek Wranglers” (O’Connor 606). By building up his image, he was looking more and more impressive the the old widow. More than likely, Tom Shiftlet did not accomplish all that he claimed he had done. He was trying to make himself seem more magnificent than he really was. This act of pretending to be a false “prince” was paradoxical of an actual romance where the prince is noble and honest. Another characteristic that was parodicized in this short story was the nurturing mother. In a romance, a mother strives to provide the best life for their daughter. The goal of the mother is to make the life of the daughter perfect. In this story, O’Connor reveals the mother’s feelings toward the daughter with her saying, “I wouldn't give her up for nothing on earth. She's smart too. She can sweep the floor, cook, wash, feed the chickens, and hoe. I wouldn't give her up for a casket of jewels" (O’Connor 606). After this statement, the reader begins to think that the mother actually has good intentions and sincerely wants the absolute best for her daughter. The mother claims that there would be no way she would give her up. The reader comes to realize that Lucynell was in fact trying to convince Mr. Shiftlet to marry her daughter. She begins by asking Shiftlet, "Are you married or are you single?” (O’Connor 606), and then whenever Tom Shiftlet was teaching the daughter to speak, the author reveals that, “The old woman watched from a distance, secretly pleased. She was ravenous for a son‑in‑law” (O’Connor 606). Even though it seemed like the nurturing mother wanted the best for her daughter, in reality she just wanted the best for herself. She did not care how her daughter was affected. This event ties back to how society is lacking of decent moral behavior and the common nature of greed and selfishness in human beings. Many people do not stop to think about how their actions will affect others. The author used the parody of the nurturing mother to show what the mother’s real intentions were and to reveal the reality of selfishness in human nature, even between a motherly bond to her own daughter. The last characteristic that represented a parody of a romance was the innocent daughter.
In a romance, the daughter is young, innocent, and awaiting her perfect prince charming. During the story, the mother of Lucynell decides her future by convincing Tom Shiftlet to marry her. Shiftlet asks the mother of Lucynell, "where would you find you an innocent woman today'? I wouldn't have any of this trash I could just pick up" (O’Connor 606). In return the mother asks Tom Shiftlet if he is married, and he replies that he is not because all he desires is an innocent women. She replies with, “I wouldn't pass up a chance to live in a permanent place and get the sweetest girl in the world myself. You ain't no fool,' I would say” (O’Connor 607). She uses this to convince Shiftlet to marry her daughter. It is a parody of a typical romance because the daughter and the prince fall in love, not having the mother arrange the relationship. Even though the mother seems to want the best for her daughter, the reader eventually comes to a realization that she just wants a son in law. She does not take into account the feelings and emotions of her own daughter. This allows the reader to see the real side of human nature, one of selfishness and greed. Lucynell, the daughter, is just an innocent and unknowing women that is being subjected to her mother’s greedy decisions. The author writes saying, “The girl was nearly thirty but because of her innocence it was impossible to guess” (O’Connor 607).
This statement shows how innocent Lucynell was, and her mother ended up taking advantage her purity and naivety. All of these details that the author includes greatly contrast with an actual romance in a parody that allows the reader to see the reality of human nature. A romance encompasses a loving and nurturing relationship between two people, and has a positive ending, both emotional and on a positive note. In the short story, “The Life You Save May Be Your Own”, the author used many aspects as a parody of romance including, a deceiving prince, a caring mother, and an innocent daughter. These components lead to an eventual conclusion of an unhappy ending where the daughter was abandoned by the false prince. Tom Shiftlet, was used as a parody of a representation of the false prince in the story with his deceiving character. His intentions were malevolent from the beginning. The nurturing mother also was parodicized in this story with the mother only wanting the best for herself. She made a decision for her daughter’s future based off her own selfishness and greed of wanting a son in law. The last component that was shown as a parody of a romance was the innocent daughter. A romance encompasses an innocent women that herself decides to fall in love with her beloved prince. In the story, the daughter was forced into marriage, without knowledge and understanding of her situation. In the end, all of these events were in a way, a parody of an actual romance. These events revealed the selfish, deceiving and greed of human nature.
Good Afternoon Ms. McCafferty, I made this appointment because I passionately believe that the book, Life is so good written by George Dawson and Richard Glaubman should be on the Carey booklist for Year 9 students. Life is so good is a magnificent part biography, part autobiography of a 103 year old black man named George Dawson who went to school to learn to read and write when he was 98 years old.
After a basketball game, four kids, Andrew Jackson, Tyrone Mills, Robert Washington and B.J. Carson, celebrate a win by going out drinking and driving. Andrew lost control of his car and crashed into a retaining wall on I-75. Andy, Tyrone, and B.J. escaped from the four-door Chevy right after the accident. Teen basketball star and Hazelwood high team captain was sitting in the passenger's side with his feet on the dashboard. When the crash happened, his feet went through the windshield and he was unable to escape. The gas tank then exploded and burned Robbie to death while the three unharmed kids tried to save him.
“I never found myself needing that piece of paper,” is a remark actor Johnny Depp made back in 2010 about his relationship with longtime partner Vanessa Paradis. Depp and Paradis have been in a relationship since 1998 and have two children together, Lily Rose and Jack. Another member of Hollywood’s elite, Latin singer Shakira, shares a similar view saying that marriage is like a contract, and that is unromantic. However, celebrities living like Shakira and Depp are also committing fornication and already view themselves as being married; the marriage is just not official. This draws comparisons to Ernest Gaines’ novel 'A Lesson Before Dying'. Two of the novel’s main characters, Grant and Vivian, have sex outside of marriage because they cannot be married since Vivian is still legally married to another man (Gaines 29). Even though of Vivian’s situation differs slightly from that of Depp’s, the act is still the same. These adults are conducting the act of sex outside of marriage; they are either ignoring what their religion teaches on the subject or do not care what religion has to say.
The drama, Mission of Mercy, by Esther Lipnick is a very inspiring read. It tells about a girl who doesn’t want to be like her proper, fancy family at all. Instead she wants to become a nurse. She leaves her home and becomes a nurse. It inspires me because both of my parents, and other family members of mine, are teachers, although I’m not going to be one. Mission of Mercy is a drama that could inspire many people to go for what they want, even if other people don’t always approve of it. Florence changes throughout all of the the scenes 1, 2, and 3.
I enjoyed reading Disciplined Hearts by Theresa O'Nell because i find that many people today do not know a lot about the Native American culture and what they have been through. Their cultures history is not talked about as much the African American or Hispanic's are. Most Americans know about the hardships that the African American and Hispanics had to overcome to assimilate to the level that they are today. I think O'Nell is trying to talk about the history of the Native American culture because, she believes that the reason that their culture is not well-known because of the fact that they have chosen to keep living like their ancestors and not assimilate to the American culture.
Summary and Response to Barbara Kingsolver’s “Called Home” In “Called Home”, the first chapter of the book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year in Food Life, Barbara Kingsolver presents her concerns about America's lack of food knowledge, sustainable practices, and food culture. Kingsolver introduces her argument for the benefits of adopting a local food culture by using statistics, witty anecdotal evidence, and logic to appeal to a wide casual reading audience. Her friendly tone and trenchant criticism of America's current food practices combine to deliver a convincing argument that a food culture would improve conditions concerning health and sustainability.
In Flannery O’Connor’s “Revelation” a woman, as the title implies, who experiences a revelation. Pigs are an important symbol in the protagonist’s, Ruby Turpin’s, revelation. Throughout Ruby’s journey to her revelation, pigs appear frequently in “Revelation” and are important to Ruby’s revelation at the end of the story. Pigs reflect several aspects of Ruby’s life, primarily her perceptions. Ultimately, pigs reflect Ruby’s true character throughout the entire story.
On an ordinary day, Leslie opens the main door of her house, when she walked inside she saw her mom and sister Islla sitting on the coach. Islla was crying, and Leslie ask her “What happened?’ Why you crying?’”. Islla told her that she is pregnant and that she wants to keep the baby even if her boyfriend will be against the baby, but she will need to drop out from her University. In a few minutes of thinking, Leslie decided and told her sister “You don’t need to drop out I will help you to babysit with my nephew.”
Rose Mary is a selfish woman and decides not to go to school some mornings because she does not feel up to it. Jeannette takes the initiative in making sure that her mother is prepared for school each morning because she knows how much her family needs money. Even though Rose Mary starts to go to school every day, she does not do her job properly and thus the family suffers financially again. When Maureen’s birthday approaches, Jeannette takes it upon herself to find a gift for her because she does not think their parents will be able to provide her with one. Jeannette says, “at times I felt like I was failing Maureen, like I wasn’t keeping my promise that I’d protect her - the promise I’d made to her when I held her on the way home from the hospital after she’d been born. I couldn’t get her what she needed most- hot
In the short story “A Kind of Courage” by Ruth Sterling, the protagonist, Davy, is trying to win Ginny’s heart.
After her diagnosis of chronic kidney failure in 2004, psychiatrist Sally Satel lingered in the uncertainty of transplant lists for an entire year, until she finally fell into luck, and received her long-awaited kidney. “Death’s Waiting List”, published on the 5th of May 2006, was the aftermath of Satel’s dreadful experience. The article presents a crucial argument against the current transplant list systems and offers alternative solutions that may or may not be of practicality and reason. Satel’s text handles such a topic at a time where organ availability has never been more demanded, due to the continuous deterioration of the public health. With novel epidemics surfacing everyday, endless carcinogens closing in on our everyday lives, leaving no organ uninflected, and to that, many are suffering, and many more are in desperate request for a new organ, for a renewed chance. Overall, “Death’s Waiting List” follows a slightly bias line of reasoning, with several underlying presumptions that are not necessarily well substantiated.
The introductory sunset and clear blue sky correspond to Shiflet’s opportunity to live a good and moral life. The story begins with Mr. Shiflet appearing before both Crater women as the sun is setting. The women see him approaching as they are sitting on their porch yet they are blinded by the sun light as Shiflet cannot help but notice the beauty. Shiflet “came on, at an amble, up her road, his face turned toward the sun which appeared to be balancing itself on the peak of a small mountain” (Connor 437). After this, Shiflet remarks to Mrs. Crater, “I’d give a fortune to live where I could see me a sun do that every evening” (438). Shiflet arrives at the Crater household as a drifter, someone who has left his old life behind and is searching for a new beginning. Likewise the sunset is the closing of the day’s chapter, which brings about a sense of renewal and anticipation for tomorrow. The glorious image of the sunset between the mountains emphasizes the potential for Tom Shiflet to find peace in this new place. The magnificence of the sunset at the beginning of the stor...
Everyone has foolishly deceived themselves when reading fairy tales. Morgenstern’s satire in The Princess Bride contradicts many fairy tale elements. Prince Charming is non-existent, true love is a made up concept, and nothing ends with a happily ever after.
Anne Sexton’s poem “Cinderella” is filled with literary elements that emphasize her overall purpose and meaning behind this satirical poem. Through the combination of enjambment stanzas, hyperboles, satire, and the overall mocking tone of the poem, Sexton brings to light the impractical nature of the story “Cinderella”. Not only does the author mock every aspect of this fairy tale, Sexton addresses the reader and adds dark, cynical elements throughout. Sexton’s manipulation of the well-known fairy tale “Cinderella” reminds readers that happily ever after’s are meant for storybooks and not real life.
Shiftlet drives to the courthouse and gets married with Lucynell, while the Senior Lucynell is a witness. Mr. Shiftlet is not satisfied with the act of signing of papers, and he mentions again that if they cut his heart out they still wouldn’t know anything about him. He says that he was raised knowing that he should send his wife to a hotel and a nice dinner, but since he had no money to do that, he ‘milked’ the Senior Lucynell for seventeen, fifty dollars for a modest honeymoon. Mr. Shiftlet and the young Lucynell take a trip for their honeymoon and the Senior Lucynell felt pained saying goodbye to her daughter for the first time, but she knew or she thought she knew that they were going to come back in two