Insanity in godless takes the form of a character having faith to the extreme. Shin believes in the ludicrous—that the town's water tower is god—partly because it can't be proven to be untrue. He's an obsessive character in general, the kind of guy who throws himself into things wholeheartedly, and he does with same with the CTG. Madness manifests itself as voices, when he "channels" the ocean god and its tower avatars; and it also comes through as a single-minded obsession, with Shin's new passion overshadowing his old to the degree that he neglects the creatures that are dependent upon him.
Jason might concoct the CTG, but it's Shin who drinks the Kool-Aid.
Questions About Madness
- Do you think Shin's belief in the Ten-legged One's deity grew over time, or that he already believed when he started "quantifying" god?
- Henry has a "history of sudden, unprovoked violence" (1.7), but his mental health doesn't seem to be in question. Should it be?
- Does Jason bear responsibility for Shin's break with reality by recklessly creating a false reality, knowing Shin's tendency toward obsession?
- Do you think Shin's going to move past his obsession with water towers and be okay?
Chew on This
Shin would not have had a break with reality if it weren't for Chutengodianism.
By nature Shin is obsessive and out of touch. He was bound to have a break with reality sooner or later, regardless of the whole Church of the Ten-legged God thing.