In Flannery O'Connor's short story "Greenleaf," the author depicts an embittered and self-centered old woman who lives a false life; she wanted to make this outer shell to fit a certain class she wanted to be in. She thinks that if she behaves respectably, she is blameless in the eyes of God; she thinks that one's social standing has something to do with one's degree of righteousness. Through the story O'Connor uses a sense of dramatic irony to make a point to show us what the actual important values in life are all about.
             Religion plays a big part in showing the dramatic irony in the story. Mrs. May's vision of religion was quite the opposite of Mrs. Greenleaf. Mrs. May wanted to keep religion in church. It was not something that you talk about outside; she thought it very improper. She believed that Mrs. Greenleaf had an inappropriate relationship with god. The ironic sense of the story is that in criticizing Mrs. Greenleaf, Mrs. May was not seeing her own fallacies. Thus O'Connor brings forth the idea that one has to let go and actually experience ones true beliefs. Mrs. Greenleaf does this by not caring what Mrs. May thinks about her religious extremities. They are not extreme at all to her.
             Mrs. May would criticize the Greenleaf's lifestyle that was brought about by their social standing. She raised her two boys very well educated however they were lacking a sense of family unity. Even as grown boys they still used their mother and at times mocked and taunted her; one goes so far as to tell her that he "wouldn't milk a cow to save your soul from hell." Showing how unappreciative they are. O'Connor shows us that just because you have less money doesn't make you poor. You can be rich in so many other ways. The Greenleaf's weren't rich with money but rich with values and morality.
             In the end the entire story is wrapped up in the ultimate form of irony. Just as Mrs. ...