For many, religion plays a very important role in everyday life. However, a countless number of people live their lives disregarding the importance of religion and instead live their lives with an obsession with money and possessions. In Flannery O’Connor’s story “The Life You Save May Be Your Own,” Tom Shiftlet, the protagonist in the story, struggles to find a balance between religion and his materialistic desires. Through religious symbols and imagery Flannery O’Connor is able to criticize society's materialism. “The Life You Save May Be Your Own” focuses on how Tom Shiftlet gave up his chance at redemption because of his dream of owning a car. At first, Mr. Shiftlet arrived at Mrs. Crater’s house and is given a chance to stay and redeem
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Crater and her daughter and driving into Mobile alone. O’Connor’s use of religious symbols in “The Life You Save May Be Your Own” reveals the materialistic and greedy mindset of people in society. Flannery O’Connor reveals Mr. Shiftlet's true intentions through the use of religious symbolism and imagery at Mrs. Crater’s house.
There is no shortage of religious symbolism in Flannery O’Connor’s work. Because she is a devout Catholic, much of her work is dedicated to criticizing the materialistic ways of people in society (Deignan). In “The Life You Save May Be Your Own,” O’Connor chooses to show materialism through Tom Shiftlet and Mrs.Crater. When Mrs. Crater tells Mr. Shiftlet he can sleep in the car, he replies with a grin on his face, “the monks of old slept in their coffins!” (O’Connor). By inserting the image of noble monks, Flannery O’Connor appears to be contrasting their lives of devotion to Mr.Shiftlet’s and Mrs.Crater’s lives of greediness (Deignan). Despite being friendly towards each other, Mr.Shiftlet and Mrs. Crater both have their own agendas. On the one hand, Mr.Shiftlet is only using Mrs. Crater to obtain the car, and on the other hand Mrs.Crater is using …show more content…
Shiftlet and his journey towards redemption, “The Life You Save May Be Your Own” also reveals a certain disgust with the world. For example, after the hitchhiker leaps from his moving car, and a giant cloud forms above him, Mr. Shiftlet prays that the slime be washed from the Earth, because he is disgusted with what the world has become (Kirk). Throughout the story, Mr. Shiftlet expresses his disgust with the world. In this situation, his disgust extends from the feeling that the rottenness of the world is about to engulf him. Mr. Shiftlet seems to be regretful as he prays that the slime be washed from the Earth. The slime refers to him. Despite becoming obsessed with the car, earlier on in story, Mr. Shiftlet discusses how “nothing is like it used be,” and that “the world is almost rotten” (O’Connor). He explains how cars are now made piece by piece. Companies have to pay every one of the workers involved in the construction of the car. This process makes price of the car increase. Also, he explains how money means more to some men than any other thing. Mr. Shiftlet’s broken Christ figure makes him look of composed dissatisfaction as if he understood life thoroughly (O’Connor). He is also described as having a strong moral intelligence, one that would resemble Christ’s. His appearance explains why he is able to the see wrongdoings of the world, but yet he is “broken” so, his moral intelligence is broken. Even though he preaches
Crater and her daughter and driving into Mobile alone. O’Connor’s use of religious symbols in “The Life You Save May Be Your Own” reveals the materialistic and greedy mindset of people in society. Flannery O’Connor reveals Mr. Shiftlet's true intentions through the use of religious symbolism and imagery at Mrs. Crater’s house.
There is no shortage of religious symbolism in Flannery O’Connor’s work. Because she is a devout Catholic, much of her work is dedicated to criticizing the materialistic ways of people in society (Deignan). In “The Life You Save May Be Your Own,” O’Connor chooses to show materialism through Tom Shiftlet and Mrs.Crater. When Mrs. Crater tells Mr. Shiftlet he can sleep in the car, he replies with a grin on his face, “the monks of old slept in their coffins!” (O’Connor). By inserting the image of noble monks, Flannery O’Connor appears to be contrasting their lives of devotion to Mr.Shiftlet’s and Mrs.Crater’s lives of greediness (Deignan). Despite being friendly towards each other, Mr.Shiftlet and Mrs. Crater both have their own agendas. On the one hand, Mr.Shiftlet is only using Mrs. Crater to obtain the car, and on the other hand Mrs.Crater is using …show more content…
Shiftlet and his journey towards redemption, “The Life You Save May Be Your Own” also reveals a certain disgust with the world. For example, after the hitchhiker leaps from his moving car, and a giant cloud forms above him, Mr. Shiftlet prays that the slime be washed from the Earth, because he is disgusted with what the world has become (Kirk). Throughout the story, Mr. Shiftlet expresses his disgust with the world. In this situation, his disgust extends from the feeling that the rottenness of the world is about to engulf him. Mr. Shiftlet seems to be regretful as he prays that the slime be washed from the Earth. The slime refers to him. Despite becoming obsessed with the car, earlier on in story, Mr. Shiftlet discusses how “nothing is like it used be,” and that “the world is almost rotten” (O’Connor). He explains how cars are now made piece by piece. Companies have to pay every one of the workers involved in the construction of the car. This process makes price of the car increase. Also, he explains how money means more to some men than any other thing. Mr. Shiftlet’s broken Christ figure makes him look of composed dissatisfaction as if he understood life thoroughly (O’Connor). He is also described as having a strong moral intelligence, one that would resemble Christ’s. His appearance explains why he is able to the see wrongdoings of the world, but yet he is “broken” so, his moral intelligence is broken. Even though he preaches