Littell 1
Name________________
Littell
English____ Block______
Date_________________
Southern Gothic – Flannery O’Connor
Part I: Read Flannery O’Connor’s biography on page 541. Take notes only from the “Biting Humor”
section, which would influence her writing style the most.
Part II: “The Life You Save May Be Your Own” by Flannery O’Connor
While reading the short story, keep in mind that O’Connor liked to deal with the themes of innocence
and corruption within people. O’Connor especially liked to provide “opportunities for redemption in
lives of characters who are spiritually adrift in a realistic yet symbolic world” (Flaig). This short story
was part of a collection called A Good Man is Hard to Find, published in 1955, which used irony,
violence, and the grotesque to portray her themes.
Read the story beginning on 529. Pay particular attention to the character development in the first
few pages. Some of the information is filled in below in the charts for you. Add any notes as you
read.
Character/Symbol
Description
Insight
Lucynell Crater (mother)
Lucynell Crater (daughter)
“eyes as a blue as a peacock’s
neck” (530
Mr. Shiftlet
symbol for unrecognized
beauty & mystery of grace
name alone is shifty/shiftless
“the trigger that moved up and
down his neck” (532)
“trigger” = dangerous?
Turnip cloud
A cloud “had descended over
the sun…continued slowly to
descend” (538)
symbol of grime he hopes to
escape
Raindrops
“fantastic” (538)
is Shiftlet the grime?
Car
Littell 2
After reading, answer the following questions in complete sentences providing textual support for
your answers.
1. Choose one of the three major characters. How would you characterize them? What
conclusions must you come to about him/her?
2. Is Shiftlet an entirely heartless character? Why or why not? (In your response, acknowledge
the entirety of the story from when he arrives, to when he marries, to when he abandons, to
when he is driving to Mobile).
3. How do you interpret the story’s title?