“a body and a spirit,” he repeated. “the body, lady, is like a house: it don’t go anywhere; but the spirit, lady, is like a automobile: always on the move, always . .” how does the figurative language used by mr. shiftlet develop his character? the imagery reveals that mr. shiftlet is an extremely cruel and inexplicably violent nature. the imagery emphasizes that he is a poorly educated individual from the rural south. the imagery highlights that mr. shiftlet received his disability while fighting overseas during world war ii. the imagery underscores mr. shiftlet’s restlessness and his reluctance to remain in one place.