"Petrified Man" occurs in a world where appearances can be deceiving. While the setting suggests a focus on outward beauty – with customers seeking haircuts, shampoos, and perms – the story exposes the hidden complexities and contradictions that lie beneath a carefully constructed exterior.

Mrs. Fletcher, for instance, initially presents herself as a refined and proper lady. However, her anxieties and insecurities become evident when the secret of her pregnancy is revealed. Leota embodies a similar duality. Though friendly and chatty, she readily engages in gossip about her clients. She appears to delight in exposing their underlying pettiness and judgment.

This interplay between appearance and reality extends beyond individual characters. The very act of gossip in the salon takes on a performative quality. Casual comments about someone's hairstyle or outfit might reveal deeper anxieties about social standing or beauty standards. 

Welty's use of dark humor further emphasizes the theme. Leota's outlandish stories and Billy Boy's disruptive presence add a layer of comedic absurdity to highlight the ridiculousness of societal expectations and the lengths people go to maintain appearances. "Petrified Man" suggests that the truth, no matter how inconvenient or messy, has a way of revealing itself. Whether through gossip, chaotic outbursts, or unexpected discoveries like the one involving the petrified man, the story reminds readers that facades can only hold up for so long.

In this story, the line between the ordinary and the unsettling blurs, particularly when the petrified man is introduced, and the characters' beliefs in fortune-telling are explored. Such blurring of lines is a hallmark of Southern Gothic literature, and here, it highlights the presence of the grotesque and the uncanny within the otherwise normal world of the beauty salon.

The petrified man embodies the theme perfectly. Transformed into a horrifying parody of a human being, he represents a hidden danger lurking beneath the surface of normalcy. His presence disrupts the salon's comfortable routine and injects a dose of the grotesque into the everyday. 

Similarly, Billy Boy's mischievous behavior further intensifies the sense of unease. His actions disrupt the controlled environment of the salon and serve as a reminder that chaos can exist even in mundane settings. 

The characters' fascination with fortune-telling also plays into this theme. Both Leota and Mrs. Pike find comfort and even a sense of control in predictions about their futures. Leota's belief in Lady Evangeline's pronouncements demonstrates a desire for external forces to shape her life. Mrs. Pike's eagerness to capitalize on the discovery of the petrified man also reflects her willingness to manipulate fate for personal gain. The story does not necessarily endorse these beliefs. Instead, it showcases how the characters' reliance on the supernatural creates a tension between free will and destiny.

Ultimately, the discovery of the petrified man highlights the theme of the uncanny. A simple magazine photo becomes a window into a world of crime and horror. Such an unexpected revelation disrupts the salon's routine and leaves the characters, particularly Leota, grappling with the bizarre reality hidden right in front of her.

By showcasing the coexistence of the grotesque and the uncanny within the familiar, Welty creates an atmosphere of unease to show the unsettling truths that can lie beneath the surface of everyday life.