The Life You Save May Be Your Own: Literary Interpretation

The Life You Save May Be Your Own

From the beginning of the story, it is clear what kind of a man Mr. Shiftlet is. Even his name, Shiftlet, sounds very much like shifty, suggesting he is a deceptive person. Mrs. Crater first describes him as a tramp, and he is no one to be afraid of. She also notices that he “listed slightly to the side as if the breeze were pushing him.” He appears to be blown around because he has no morality holding him down. Each of the three main characters in the story has some sort of handicap that is holding them back, and Mr. Shiftlet’s handicap is that he is missing an arm.
The young girl is portrayed as an innocent and helpless girl. She is described with repeated reference to the color blue, which is a symbol of innocence. She is wearing a blue dress and is expressed as having “eyes as blue as a peacock’s neck.” In the opening scene, her hands are described as helpless. Young Lucynell’s handicap is her mental retardation.
The Cra...