The Lame Shall Enter First | Themes

Good Versus Evil and Faith Versus Reason
Rufus frankly and repeatedly admits that he is evil, but Sheppard refuses to believe him, reasoning he can “reform” Rufus by giving him a greater purpose in life. Sheppard might mean well, but his denial of evil indicates an arrogance that prizes the intellect over simple faith. Rufus, on the other hand, in spite of being very intelligent, rejects intellectual reasoning and believes there is no greater sin than not having something to believe in—an absolute by which life can be assessed. Thus, Rufus knows that he will...

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