You might not expect spirituality to come up in a novel about revenge and murder, but somehow it does. In fact, Surrender uses a lot of spiritual language and concepts to get its point across. Don't believe us? Think about the fact that Anwell chooses Gabriel as his name because of the Biblical character. Or the idea that Evangeline is holy because that's how her name sounds. Whether we expect it or not, spirituality is a big part of Gabriel's journey. It helps him explain himself to us, and allows him to connect with people in a way that he couldn't otherwise.
Questions About Spirituality
- Try to identify all of the spiritual references in the novel. Are they used at specific times or by certain characters?
- Why do you think Gabriel turns to spirituality when he doesn't care about church? What's the difference to him?
- How do other characters treat Gabriel's spirituality? How does Finnigan's notion of the earth and the trees tie in with Gabriel's idea of life?
Chew on This
Gabriel appropriates spiritual language in order to seem more appropriate and good. In reality, though, this is just another way he fools people into believing he's someone he's not.
Finnigan connects with Gabriel through spirituality because both of them have an understanding about souls and bodies that no one else shares around them.