As Mr.Shiftlet drove away from The Hot Spot his mind set shifted, and O’Connor narrates the thoughts that were flowing through his head. As Mr.Shiftlet thinks to himself while driving away he quotes, “[I feel] that a man with a car [has] a responsibility to others, [so I] will keep [my] eyes out for hitchhikers” (5). This text displays the concealed feelings of guilt that Mr. Shiftlet has towards his irrational decision. He keeps his eyes out for hitchhikers because he feels obligated to help them. This leads to him doing a good deed of picking up the little boy off the side of the road. Mr.Shiftlet also claims, “[I feel] that the rottenness of the world [is] about to engulf [me]” (5). The thoughts and actions O’Connor narrates about Mr.Shiftlet proves that he feels guilty for leaving Lucynell. He wants to appear as a considerate man so he does not want feel included with the rottenness of the world.
Throughout the short story, “The Life You Save May Be Your Own”, O’Connor expresses manipulation, irrational decisions or choice, and guilt motivate an individual to proceed with bad intentions. This message shows the consequences that one may encounter while carrying out a risky