Theological Content - Flannery O'Connor

Through imagery and dialogue Flannery O'Connor explores the theme of religion in her short story "The Life You Save May Be Your Own." Some recurring images and symbols include Christ, nature, physical ailments, and the automobile. O'Connor's writing is not presented in such a way that it is preachy, but rather is presented in a way that makes the reader think about the truth in religion specifically the honorable and honest aspects of faith itself. …

…woman's offer for permanent place to live and the most innocent girl in the world to marry. His double standards and under-handedness can be seen as a representation of the Christian faith. It is clear to the reader O'Connor shows that Mr. Shiflet considers himself a man of God with characterization as a Christ figure and his submission to greed and malice shows a gap between one's religious perceived intent and the more disturbing reality.