Why is Gideon unable to form relationships with other people?
He is unable to feel normal human emotions
His struggle with mental illness makes bonding with people difficult
He is not well-liked
In what way is Gideon a dishonest person?
He lies about seeing the stone
He lies about meeting the Devil
He lies about his belief in God and about his love for Jenny
How can Gideon’s religious beliefs be summed up?
Throughout his life he is convinced that God exists
Throughout his life he is convinced that God does not exist
Throughout his life he feels religious doubt, confusion and uncertainty
How is the Devil portrayed in the novel?
He is demonic, cruel and evil
He looks and behaves like a normal man
He is angelic and loving
In what way are Gideon and his father surprisingly similar?
They both hate American culture
They both love their wives dearly
They both work as ministers but lack religious faith
According to Gideon, why does his affair with Elsie come to an end?
John Moffat finds out about it
Elsie insists that it can never happen again
Gideon falls in love with Lorna Sprott
Why do some people disapprove of Gideon’s friendship with Catherine Craigie?
She is known to detest organised religion and its representatives
They believe they are having an affair
She smokes cannabis to help her cope with her arthritis
What kind of relationship does Gideon have with his mother?
They remain completely separate after his father’s death
There is no affection or bond between them
They have always been very close
In what way is Lorna Sprott a loyal friend to Gideon?
She desperately tries to stop him from telling people about the Devil and she defends him after his death
She supports Gideon when he decides to tell everyone he met the Devil
She refuses to believe that he is suffering from mental illness
Why does John Moffat come to detest Gideon?
He believes that Gideon is trying to ruin his marriage and his life with Elsie
He finds out that Katie is Gideon’s daughter, not his
He is ashamed of his friendship with someone who with mental illness