Doing What It Takes

Doing What it Takes “The Life You Save Mat Be Your Own,” the story of a drifting man who meets an old woman and her daughter, is a very interesting piece by Flannery O’Connor. The old woman, Lucynell Crater and her daughter, also Lucynell Crater, live by themselves, and one day Mr. Shiftlet, the drifter, appears on their front porch. This story tells about how their relationship grows all together and very effectively uses …

…a surprise. Perhaps the hasty moral judgment in which Mr.Shiftlet blocked the meaningful relationship he was creating helped him cope with his decision to take advantage of the Craters. O’Connor used Mr. Shiftlet’s arm, the car, Lucynell’s deafness and the mother’s desire for something better, to show us that deep down everyone has a plan for what they want. It’s all just a matter of doing what it takes…