The Life You Save May Be Your Own

God and Religion

Closely related to the moral corruption of Shiftlet and Mrs. Crater is their inability to embrace everyday manifestations of God's grace. Indeed, both surrender Lucynell, who is referred to as an "angel of Gawd." In doing so, each trades a symbol of God's presence for material comfort. It is this very absence of religious redemption that has led to Shiftlet's nomadic life and Mrs. Crater's lack of compassion. A road sign warns Shiftlet, "the life you save may be your own." Embracing Lucynell would have offered him an opportunity to grasp at some form of salvation or atonement—one that Mrs. Crater has apparently already yielded. Shiftlet even makes one final desperate attempt by offering a ride to a young boy. But the boy scolds Shiftlet, who is bluntly reminded of the lack of a religious presence in his rootless existence.