In the following excerpt, Edelstein offers an interpretation of the use of satire in O'Connor's "The Life You Save May Be Your Own." Edelstein also examines the theme of man's perversity in the character of Shiftlet.

Whenever anyone bothers to ask why modern satire is so poor or why there is so little of it, the usual reply is that satire depends upon the general acceptance of certain values or standards of behavior and that contemporary society lacks such values and standards. This explanation is not very satisfying, however, for even if the assumption is correct that the satirist must rely upon widely shared values, the fact is that contemporary men do still hold some values in common, and such values could be used as the basis for satire.

Perhaps one can find a better answer to this question of modern satire by considering Northrup Frye's statement...