In reading "The Life You Save May Be Your Own," I break up the story into two parts. Authors Biography What might happen to Lucynell? Get an answer for 'How would you characterize Mr. Shiftlet and Mrs. Crater and her daughter, Lucynell, in "The Life You Save May Be Your Own"?' The life you save may be your own," Shifilet, feeling that "a man with a car had a responsibility to others," stops and picks up a young boy who is hitchhiking. One-armed drifter Tom Shiftlet wanders onto Mrs. Crater's farm in Alabama. The diner boy also begins to touch her hair as she is sleeping The life you save may be your own." Tom Shiftlet begins to talk to the boy, who is unresponsive at first. I find that students cannot sit for more than 30 minutes to read a story. Additionally, I am constantly checking for understanding and making sure students are paying attention through the use of guided reading questions. Soon, he picks up a boy wearing overalls who is hitchhiking with a suitcase. The Life You Save May Be Your Own Summary. The Life You Save May Be Your Own Flannery O'Connor Characterization Lucynell Crater: Flat Plot Device (Symbol of Innocence or Holiness) Static Mrs Crater: Round (decision Change and View of Shiftlet) Static( No personality Change) Tom T. Shiftlet: Main Character Antagonist i dont understand the story the "The Life You Save May Be Your Own" by Flennery O'connor. Since Lucynell is unable to form coherent sentences and communicate with other people she will have no ability to find her way back home or ask other people for help. Evidently convinced that the boy has run away from home, Shiftlet begins to extol the virtues of his "old mother" whom he supposedly left. This story is realy interesting and all but i dont understand the irony and the forshadowing in the story.