Because you can't have good without evil, right? And you can't have God up in the mix in such a major way without sin coming into the conversation—we're talking both personally and socially, since we see Edmund struggling with his perceived sins as well as people losing things like hands at the, er, hands of the government over their sins.
Have you read up on religion as a theme in The Book of the Lion yet? If not, now would be a good time to do so. We're totally happy to wait.
Okay, you back? Ready? Let's go.
Questions About Sin
- Are there any ways that sin can be seen as superstition in this story? If so, how and when? And in either case, what does this reveal about the role of sin on both personal and broader social levels?
- Why do you think the characters talk more about being sinful than about being worthy of salvation? Give evidence from the book to back your claim.
- Which is a stronger motivation in the story, fear of sin or desire to do the right thing? What does this reveal about characters' relationships to religion?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
Sin is really the heart of motivation for those who go on the Crusades—you know, since it promises them salvation.
Edmund is the only character who actually expresses the hope that the Crusade will forgive his sins.