The Life You Save May Be Your Own: Antithesis to a Fairy Tale

Nostalgic finales just seem too good to be real with the quaint happy endings that typically conclude fairy tales; not with Flannery O'Connor's writings, which depict sarcasm with disquieting twists and mordant characters. One of O'Connor's most successful works, "The Life You Save May Be Your Own" epitomizes her writing style that is characteristically seen by many as grotesque and sardonic. This short story represents the antithesis of a fairy tale, ingeniously warping its vital elements--damsel in distress (Lucynell, the daughter), the mother (Mrs. Lucynell Crates), and knight in shining armor (Mr. Shiftlet)--to make its readers see the latent malevolence of all human beings. Utilizing a keen consideration on each fictional component in the story, O'Connor conveys her message effectively by contrasting hideousness against pulchritude. She makes effectual use of liars to demonstrate the truth. O'Connor's deep perspective is evident in the way she inflicts ruthless challenges to the characters in the story.

The damsel in distress of this story in no way exemplifies a charming lady typical of any fairy story. If anyone is asked to delineate the female protagonist of any story, one may picture a girl with long blonde hair with dreamy blue eyes that project an angelic presence. An angelic quality is perhaps the only positive trait that Lucynell possesses. Albeit overall Lucynell does not possess a character that one wishes to be portrayed as, this character remains the only trace of purity and redemption in the story. As adverse as Lucynell's naпvetй may be, one will be culpable of betraying such sort of innocence. This is the reason that Shiftlet's desertion of Lucynell makes him guilty for conning the trust of an innocent woman. Thus, O'Connor attempts to admonish every young naпve lady of her inherent vulnerability that presents an opportunity of being taken advantage of by any deceptive, malicious person. As a message to every woman, O'Connor conveys the unreality of any woman embodying the illusory qualities that is depicted in fairy stories. Albeit not of the same intensity as Lucynell's tribulation, every woman possesses imperfections that set her far apart from the divinity portrayed by maidens in fairy stories. Since no such goddess of beauty actually exists in reality, O'Connor employs the other extreme--the antithesis of an enchantress--to thwart expectations.

The mother of a fairy story is usually categorized into two: either as a wicked stepmother or a fairy god mother. In "The Life You Save May Be Your Own," the character Mrs. Crater does not match any of these canonical classifications. The character is neither absolutely negligent nor nurturing. Nevertheless, Mrs. Crater is the only character in the story that possesses the conscious control to choose between innocence or ambition, and right or wrong. The mother principal objective in mind is to have her daughter marry off her to any chap who will have her. The arrival of Mr. Tom L. Shiftlet at the rugged farm is perceived by Mrs. Crater as an opportunity to finally get her daughter to tie the knot. Notwithstanding the same amount of keenness as Mr. Shiftlet does, Mrs. Crater deliberately disregards the fact she was getting her daughter to marry a man with dubious characteristics. Mrs. Crater's decision to choose "bad" over "good" is a metaphorical evidence of the unreality that the right answer is always the final one. Most mothers usually assure their daughters that, "all I want is your happiness." But in the story, Mrs. Crater's actions and decisions evidently point to the absence of any wish for her daughter's happiness by pairing her up with a conning and deceptive stranger. By satisfying her own selfish ambitions first, Mrs. Crater evidently shows that she