Flannery O Connor The Life You May Be Your Own Analysis

It is common for people to do anything in their power to get what they want or deserve. This desire of what they want can motivate them to have bad intentions. In the short story, “The Life You May Be Your Own”, Flannery O'Connor suggests that bad intentions can motivate an individual to become manipulative, make irrational decisions or choices, and to feel guilty. As the short story progresses Mr.Shiftlet communicates more and more with the Mrs.Crater about himself and his personal views of the world. Throughout the dialogue between the two, O’Connor expressed the mulative side of Mr.Shiftlet. O’Connor states, “Mr. Shiftlet said that the trouble with the world was that nobody cared, or stopped [to take] any trouble. He said he never would …show more content…
As Mr.Shiftlet drove away from The Hot Spot his mind set shifted, and O’Connor narrates the thoughts that were flowing through his head. As Mr.Shiftlet thinks to himself while driving away he quotes, “[I feel] that a man with a car [has] a responsibility to others, [so I] will keep [my] eyes out for hitchhikers” (5). This text displays the concealed feelings of guilt that Mr. Shiftlet has towards his irrational decision. He keeps his eyes out for hitchhikers because he feels obligated to help them. This leads to him doing a good deed of picking up the little boy off the side of the road. Mr.Shiftlet also claims, “[I feel] that the rottenness of the world [is] about to engulf [me]” (5). The thoughts and actions O’Connor narrates about Mr.Shiftlet proves that he feels guilty for leaving Lucynell. He wants to appear as a considerate man so he does not want feel included with the rottenness of the world.
Throughout the short story, “The Life You Save May Be Your Own”, O’Connor expresses manipulation, irrational decisions or choice, and guilt motivate an individual to proceed with bad intentions. This message shows the consequences that one may encounter while carrying out a risky