Although the circumstances in front of the people may deserve more attention. This self-gratification may stem from an event that occurred in the past. Furthermore, this event is so traumatic that it makes people want to hide from their past. As a result, all they want is self-gratification. O'Connor could have used this tale to reveal to people how selfish they could be when all they focus on is self-gratification. Another point he made was that people are stuck in the past. This causes them to make decisions in the present time based on the past. Both the General and Sally show this. Although Wesley did not display the same selfishness as the General and Sally, he could take small steps towards seeking self-gratification just like his elders. In conclusion, General Sash and Sally let their self-gratification take over their lives. Everything they did was all so they could show off and brag about their accomplishments. John Wesley appears to be vulnerable to the life of self-gratification. O'Connor could have used the short story to show people exactly how selfish they are