Preview

The Live You Save May Be Your Own Character Analysis

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
213 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
The Live You Save May Be Your Own Character Analysis
In Flannery O’Conner’s “The Live You Save May Be Your Own”, the character of Mr. Shifter ironically experiences moments of guilt or despair when he see’s the injustice in the world, yet he unapologetically robs an old woman and kidnaps her daughter leaving her stranded 100’s of miles away. From the very beginning we are introduced to him with skepticism yet we slowly build up sympathy towards him as he does help the old lady out. Mr. Shiftlet continuously attempts to win the old woman trust by explaining what “a real man” is
It isn’t until, “In the darkness, Mr. Shiftlet's smile stretched like a weary snake waking up by a fire. After a second he recalled himself and said, "I'm only saying a man's spirit means more to him than anything else.
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    A Lesson Before Dying Character Analysis
    • 74 Words
    • 1 Page

    A Lesson Before Dying Character Analysis

    Grant Wiggins, the protagonist African-American main character in A Lesson Before Dying, has a tone that develops dramatically beginning with his initial malleable attitude, developing into serious intrigue in formerly-charged-to-death inmate, Jefferson. Scout Finch, protagonist Caucasian main character in To Kill a Mockingbird, seems to have generally a consistent spunky and energetic tone throughout the novel, with a coming of age spin. Both characters face their personality and race in effect with their tone.…

    • 74 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Commentary On Complacency: Flannery O Connor
    • 1585 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Commentary On Complacency: Flannery O Connor

    For example, “pride, intellectualism, [and] materialism” are all traits represented in characters in order to make a point. In one of O’Connor’s well-known stories, “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”, a grandma is smug and self-complacent. In “Revelation”, Mrs. Turpin is very judgmental of other people, which is hypocritical of a “church-going woman” (Michael). This shows that Mrs. Turpin is ignorant in her beliefs because everyone is equal in God’s eyes. By revealing certain traits and aspects in her characters, Flannery O’Connor uses this as a mean to attack. By showing what happens to her characters, O’Connor shows what is wrong with these aspects and how her characters are afflicted by them. For example, Mrs. Turpin is hit in the face with a book and an unnamed grandmother is killed by a…

    • 1585 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Symbolism and Religious Subtext in Flannery O'Connor’s A Good Man is Hard to Find

    • 1485 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Symbolism and Religious Subtext in Flannery O'Connor’s A Good Man is Hard to Find

    Flannery O’Conner’s short story, A Good Man is Hard to Find is a modern parable. The story is laced with symbolism and religious subtext. In many ways the piece is similar to classical Greek plays about pride and retribution.…

    • 1485 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Flannery O Connor Writing Style Analysis
    • 1502 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Flannery O Connor Writing Style Analysis

    In “Good Country People,” O’Connor foreshadowed the character’s personalities through their names. Manley Pointer, the bible salesman for example, lured Hulga into the barn and attempted to to advance on her sexually numerous times. His name is Manley Pointer and he is trying to use his manly pointer (penis) on a girl he had recently met, which reveals his true character as he isn’t the innocent bible seller people thought he was. Furthermore O’Connor’s foreshadowing through names is also shown through Mrs. Hopewell, who is a character of hope. In addition to that, O’Connor also foreshadows in “A Good Man is Hard to Find” through mentioning an escaped convict, The Misfit, early on in the story. By mentioning the criminal early on in the story, O’Connor foreshadows the family’s encounter with him. Moreover, O’Connor likewise foreshadows in “The Life You Save May Be Your Own,” Mr. Shiflet's true character through imagery early on within the story. As he greeted Lucynell and her daughter, Mr. Shiflet was depicted as forming a “crooked cross.” By saying that his figure formed a crooked cross, O’Connor foreshadows his facade of character, as he was simply there to get the…

    • 1502 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    “Revelation” and “A Good Man is Hard to Find
    • 220 Words
    • 1 Page

    “Revelation” and “A Good Man is Hard to Find

    In two of Flannery O?Connor?s short stories, ?Revelation? and ?A Good Man is Hard to find? we find a lot of similarities in the author?s portrayal of the characters as well as themes. ?O?Connor?s stories are challenging because her characters, who initially seem radically different from people we know, turn out to be, by the end of each story, somehow familiar- somehow connected to us.? (424) However, each story also depicts it?s own unique tell of spirituality and understanding. O?Connor?s ?Revelation? is a tale of a middle class women, Ruby Turpin, who is certain about her place in society, as well as the rest of the town?s social standing. She judges people instantly and reflects on what kind of person she would be if given a choice between two equally undignified options. ?A Good Man is Hard to Find? tells the story of a family that prepares to go on vacation but before they reach their destination they take a detour prompted by the grandmother and after a car accident come in counter with a serial killer who has recently been released from jail. Both stories take place in the south and take the reader on a journey to a deeper emotional awareness, as well as beg empathy of the reader for both the protagonist as well as the…

    • 220 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    A Good Man Is Hard to Find: Analisys 6
    • 1119 Words
    • 5 Pages

    A Good Man Is Hard to Find: Analisys 6

    You are sitting in your living room at home watching the nightly news. The lead story for the night is about a family of four that were murdered. After seeing and hearing about something like that we often ask ourselves, What could possess a person enough to kill another human being? What is it that drives a person to kill? Will we ever know? Many authors use this unique mentality in short stories. They write about what the killer thinks and how he/she acts on his/her thoughts. One of these stories is "A Good Man Is Hard To Find", by Flannery O'Connor. In this story O'Connor's victim, The Misfit, is an escaped convict. He was in the Federal Penitentiary for killing his father. Throughout the story O'Connor builds up this killers mentality through his words and body language. Like many other murderers, The Misfit could not distinguish the difference between fantasy and reality.…

    • 1119 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Compare Essay on "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" and "the Yellow Wallpaper
    • 509 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Compare Essay on "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" and "the Yellow Wallpaper

    Walter Mitty (the protagonist of “the secret life of Walter Mitty”) is basically a normal guy, except for one huge problem. His mind can easily wander. His mind is most prone to wandering when he thinks of his wife. His wife regularly belittles him and does not treat him like a “man”. It is for this reason that whenever Walter Mitty’s mind wanders he goes into a world where he is the hero and the star. He goes into a world where he can be whoever he wants to be and be the best possible at being that person. Much like Walter Mitty, Charlotte (the protagonist of “the yellow wallpaper”), has a husband who persistently tells her what to do and what is best for her. Just like Walter Mitty’s wife, her husband expects her to do what she is told and if she doesn’t then she is just a “silly girl”.…

    • 509 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Frankenstein Dangerous Quotes
    • 2850 Words
    • 12 Pages

    Frankenstein Dangerous Quotes

    "No one can conceive the variety of feelings which bore me onwards, like a hurricane, in the first enthusiasm of success. Life and death appeared to me ideal bounds, which I should first break through, and pour a torrent of light into our dark world." Chapter…

    • 2850 Words
    • 12 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Rules Of The Game Respect Character Analysis
    • 609 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Rules Of The Game Respect Character Analysis

    Respect is a very valuable thing; especially in cultures such as the Chinese. It is one of the aspects in life that must be earned, not taken for granite. Respect is also very difficult to obtain, yet it is so common that nine year old chess prodigies can harness it. One does not have to be as brave a knight or as powerful as a king in order to gain respect, but the use of “invisible strength,” according to Amy Tan’s, “Rules of the Game,” is the power needed to access respect. Waverly, the protagonist in “Rules of the Game,” uses invisible strength to gain respect from others by listening to the teachings of her mother, being knowledgeable about the thing that interests her, and learning to be gracious in losing as well as in winning.…

    • 609 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    A Good Man Is Hard to Find by Flannery O’conner
    • 1619 Words
    • 7 Pages

    A Good Man Is Hard to Find by Flannery O’conner

    The short story A Good Man is Hard to Find by Flannery O’Conner has brought about some interesting views and discussions within my target audience. Many of us found it difficult to read, because of the tragic ending and the way that it was written was a little out of our norm. Even though the southern slang and accents that the writer used in the story added character, it may have taken a second glance to determine what the writer was trying to convey. I know that everyone has taken different meanings from this story, and I am trying to point out that there is no right or wrong meaning. We have all agreed, in one way or another that the story points out morals and religion. In my original paper, I used the thesis there is no gray area in right or wrong and in this analysis I will continue to back that up with what the writing was trying to depict to us. I also will touch on morals and religion to further support my findings and add that morals and ethics do not change people do. Every one of us can find a different part of the story that we can relate to and tie it to our own lives. Whether it is 1950 or 2011 people and time change, but morals should not.…

    • 1619 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    If I Stay Character Analysis
    • 954 Words
    • 4 Pages

    If I Stay Character Analysis

    Both Mia, the protagonist in “If I Stay”, by Gayle Forman, and myself are similar in many ways. I think if we had the chance we’d both end up being very great friends and we’d get along perfectly. The one thing that stands out the most for both of us is our amazing, quiet, shy personalities. And also our talents, though they’re both different, we are both the very best at our talents. Our talents are also within the same category, the fine and performing arts field. Mia, the protagonist of “If I Stay” by Gayle Forman and I are alike in many ways. We both share the same views of the world, are viewed by the world in similar ways and I would respond in a comparable way to the central conflict of the novel. Therefore, I believe given the chance, we could be friends.…

    • 954 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Native Son Analysis
    • 1966 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Native Son Analysis

    Her only stress reliever is drinking. All of Bigger’s friends do not live life to the fullest. They live scared. Bigger’s friends rob their own kind but are scared to disrupt the lives of their “Caucasian superiors”. The entire African American community has been held down for so long that all they know is to work and stay in their lane. Their view on the world and society is limited. They are all products of their environment. The Dalton family has a blend or incorporation of views on life and society. Mr. Dalton is perceived as a rich civil rights advocate. He has given millions to the black community to help better their lives. In reality, Mr. Dalton does not seek to solve major problems that African Americans face. Mrs. Dalton is blind elderly woman. She may lack vision but has a greater perception of the inequalities that African Americans face in America through their everyday lives. Mary Dalton is your typical radical and defiant teen that seeks to make a dramatic change in her environment and the world. She is most like her mother. She is compassionate and desires better for those who struggle regardless of race. She is a communist or a “Red” but this is the only political party that can match her values and…

    • 1966 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Life Save Is Your Own Short Story
    • 440 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The Life Save Is Your Own Short Story

    In the short stories of "The Life You Save is Your Own" and "The Magic Barrel", both of the protagonists share similar and differing characteristics. Both of the protagonists are not reliable narrators, and lie to themselves and others.…

    • 440 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Flannery O'Connor
    • 994 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Flannery O'Connor

    characters of this short story, spot on. In Flannery O’Connor, “The Life You Save May Be Your…

    • 994 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    A Lesson for Life Analysis and Interpretation
    • 732 Words
    • 3 Pages

    A Lesson for Life Analysis and Interpretation

    When we are born, we know nothing and therefore everything we do, we do from scratch. We are bound to have a first time experience with everything. Whether we like it or not. Some of these first times will be memorable. A lot of them will not, but those we do remember have marked us for life. It is not important whether it is your first A grade in school, seeing your mother mourn or realizing that everybody at some point are going to die. It will affect you for the rest of your life - A lesson for life.…

    • 732 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More

Related Topics