If you're a teenager and you haven't had some kind of existential crisis yet, we hate to break it to you, but it's coming. It's just part of growing up, it seems. The Jellicoe Road kids are obviously in various stages of that struggle themselves, asking deep questions about where they come from, why there is evil in the world, and who the heck is running this show anyway.
Beyond that, some crazy spiritual connections go down between some of the characters in dreams as they exchange information that goes on to impact their lives. Taylor meets Webb in a dream and tells him her name, while Jonah saves his and Taylor's life by listening to the call from his father to return to school. Maybe questions of spirituality are tough to answer, but this bunch sure has some experience that make other forces in the universe tough to deny.
Questions About Spirituality
- Why do you think Taylor doesn't believe in God? What about her background and personality might keep her from being drawn to spirituality?
- What role does Raffaela's faith play in the development of her character and relationship with Taylor?
- How do the characters' dreams relate to the theme of spirituality?
- Why does Taylor have a near-death experience during the fire? What role does this play in the story?
Chew on This
The verse Hannah carves on the Prayer Tree speaks not only to her future, but Taylor's as well.
The characters' dreams are spiritual interactions between the living and the dead.