On the surface, it seems as though Mrs. Crater is simply using her daughter to have a full time caretaker on her property. She is not shy about using Lucynell, who is deaf and dumb, to fulfill the need for a man to take care of the various chores on the property. It seems morally bankrupt to use her daughter in such a shameful way. Nevertheless, it could also be argued that Mrs. Crater is...
On the surface, it seems as though Mrs. Crater is simply using her daughter to have a full time caretaker on her property. She is not shy about using Lucynell, who is deaf and dumb, to fulfill the need for a man to take care of the various chores on the property. It seems morally bankrupt to use her daughter in such a shameful way. Nevertheless, it could also be argued that Mrs. Crater is attempting to assure that her daughter has a positive future; by securing a husband, Lucynell will be taken care of after Mrs. Crater dies. Mrs. Crater has been making decisions for her daughter since she was born and, so the idea of marrying her off to someone who would stay on the property probably feels like an extension of her love for Lucynell. Her choice, however, is poor. Mr. Shiftlet, as suggested by his name, is unreliable and a wanderer. O'Connor writes that Mrs. Crater was "ravenous" for a son-in-law. Obviously, she didn't understand Shiftlet was not the type of man to settle down in one place for very long and that he cared more about Mrs. Crater's car than her daughter. Hopefully, the fact that the boy in the roadside cafe seemed to take an interest in Lucynell suggests she will ultimately be safe.
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