Mr Shiftlet Character Analysis

Akiesha Blackfox
English Lit
Mrs. Straub
May 3, 2017

The life you save maybe your own
Flannery O’Connor

The symbolism that Flannery O'Connor uses in “The Life You Save May Be Your Own”, illustrates the spiritual struggles between good and evil that we face today. The main character, Mr. Shiftlet, faces on a journey of spiritual means by walking on both the paths of salvation and damnation. Mr. Shiftlet is given countless opportunities to turn himself around and to proceed in the right direction, on the path of salvation. As in the story, these moments that give us a chance for salvation surround our own lives. Unfortunately, Mr. Shiftlet does not stay on the right path for very long. He finds himself, time and time again,
There are symbols throughout the story that lead one to believe that Mr. Shiftlet is doomed. Mr. Shiftlet's acquired characteristics symbolize this, "His left coat sleeve was folded up to show there was only half an arm in it" , Mr. Shiftlet's arm, or rather stump, is a physical deformity that represents a manifestation of his soul. Mr. Shiftlet proves to be flawed by making poor choices and only wanting to achieve his own pleasure. "Mr. Shiftlet swung both his whole and his short arm up slowly so that they indicated an stretch to the sky and his figure formed a “crooked cross". This "crooked cross" is a perversion of religion that is a clue to the future damnation that Mr. Shiftlet will soon face. Mrs. Crater directly advises Mr. Shiftlet that "there ain't any place in the world for a poor, disabled, friendless drifting man”. This symbolizes the fate of Mr. Shiftlet and he does realize the truth behind the cruel words. "The ugly
When he is standing on the porch talking to Mrs Crater there is a beautiful sunset and Shiftlet’s shadow takes the shape of a crooked cross. He is also a carpenter and agrees to become Mrs Crater’s handyman in return for food and lodgings and the chance to fix Mr Crater’s old car. The car is important because it is something that Shiftlet has always wanted. He imagines that a car can define a man and later when it is painted the reader will get a closer insight into the significance of the colors that Shiftlet uses to paint the car, again O’Connor playing on the idea of imagery through colorsas she did when describing Lucynell. The car is painted green which suggests life or charity and has a yellow band which some observers have suggested represents betrayal or deceit. The car is important for another reason. It is through it that Shiftlet has the possibility to ‘rise from the dead’ O’Connor telling the reader that when Shiftlet does manage to get it started he sat in the driver’s seat and ‘he had an expression of serious modesty on his face as if he had just raised the