Let's play the blame game, shall we? In Repossessed, Kiriel's life is rough because the Boss rebelled against a bunch of unrealistic rules the Creator set up—it isn't Kiriel's fault at all. While it might be easy to take Kiriel's side in the story (since it's the only one we get), we have to be careful not to get caught up in the blame game. While Kiriel points out just how unfair the Creator is again and again, he's also all about free will sometimes (which we explore elsewhere in this section). So, yeah, the Creator is tough and the Boss created some chaos… but Kiriel is also in the mix, for sure, when it comes to how his life unfolds.
Questions About Guilt and Blame
- Who does Kiriel blame more: the Boss or the Creator? How can you tell? Do you think his reasons are fair?
- What does Kiriel feel guilty for? Do you think he should blame himself for anything else? Why or why not?
- How does Kiriel's guilt over stealing Shaun's body affect his relationship with others? What does he do once he feels guilty over Shaun?
Chew on This
Kiriel blames the Creator for everything he doesn't like about his life, mainly because he doesn't understand the guy's motives.
Even though Kiriel thinks he deserves a good time, he begins to feel guilty about stealing Shaun's body when he considers how it will affect his family.