"The Life You Save May Be Your Own" – Flashcards
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author
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Flannery O'Connor
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Where is the O'Connor from?
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Savannah, GA
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What type of writer is O'Connor?
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regionalist
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What type of stories did O'Connor write?
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depressing, deep stories with dark elements
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How do critics describe O'Connor?
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a maker of grotesque
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How did the mother look physically?
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thin
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What did the mother want?
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a son-in-law
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What is the daughter's name?
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Lucynell Crater
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Describe Lucynell Crater.
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large, deaf, mentally ill
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How old does the mother tell Mr. Shiftlet her daughter is?
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16 or 17
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How old is Lucynell?
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early 30's
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What does Lucynell represent?
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innocence
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How does he develop trust with the old woman?
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by using reverse psychology
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What does Mr. Shiftlet think the trouble in the world is due to?
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nobody caring and stopping to take the time to fix a problem
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What is ironic about Mr. Shiftlet saying, "The world is almost rotten"?
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He is rotten himself
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What is the significance of Mr. Shiftlet's name?
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It shows how he is shifty and shady. He does not stay in one place.
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What is Mr. Shiftlet's true object of affection?
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the car
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Why does Mr. Shiftlet pick up the hitchhiker?
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out of guilt
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Describe the color symbolism in the story.
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The cloud was the same color as the boy's hat.
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What does the cloud descending allude to?
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a storm coming
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What does the cloud represent?
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Mr. Shiftlet's guilt
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Describe the symbolism in Mr. Shiftlet standing with his arms out like a cross.
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It makes him appear as a savior. However, the cross has a stump in it, revealing that he is not a perfect, whole savior.
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What does Mr. Shiftlet say about looking at the heart?
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You can't know anyone by looking at their heart
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What does Mr. Shiftlet represent?
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a picture of someone / something taking away a person's innocence
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What dark humor is revealed in this story?
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when Mr. Shiftlet puts his arm around Lucynell while driving
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Describe the significance of the story's title.
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This warning was on a sign on the road. Mr. Shiftlet saved his own life by sacrificing / ending Lucynell's life.
