Principles are a rare commodity in Everneath. Nikki's constantly trying to figure out if she's doing the right thing, while Cole seems to have no trouble ditching his principles to manipulate a situation to his favor. We see Nikki struggling with whether she's making the right choices during her Return, and analyzing her actions in the past to try to figure out if she was acting ethically or not. Cole seems to not really care how manipulative and abusive he's being, though, leading us to see Nikki and Cole as occupying opposite ends of the principles spectrum.
Both approaches have their merits, though Nikki's obsession with doing the right thing comes with a bunch of heartache.
Questions About Principles
- Where do you think Nikki's drive to do the right thing comes from?
- After Nikki, who would you say is the most principled character in the book?
- Why does Nikki feel like becoming an Everliving will compromise her principles?
- When is Nikki at her most and least principled in the book?
Chew on This
Nikki and Cole illustrate two opposite approaches to living a principled life, though neither extreme is realistic.
Nikki's draw toward doing the right thing is the most important character trait she possesses.