Although White and Black get pretty deep into arguing about religion in The Sunset Limited, they also transcend specific religious ideas in their arguments, getting broader and more philosophical than specifically religious.
For instance, White doesn't think anything happens for a reason, whereas Black is pretty sure that White landed in his arms while trying to commit suicide for a very definite reason: so Black could help him. Their views on existence continuously clash, with White arguing for an intellectual take on things, and Black digging deep into his heart.
Questions About Life, Consciousness, and Existence
- Do you agree with Black that there's such a thing as common humanity—some kind of "forever thing" (95) that exists in all people? What are your reasons for believing this or not?
- Is the intellect a better guide than feelings or emotions, as White says? Or are there cases where a feeling—like love—might be a better guide than reason? Use the text to support your answer.
- Do you agree with Black or White about things happening for a reason? Is there such a thing as destiny, fate, or serendipity?
- Do humans stand a chance of knowing the way the universe really works, or is it beyond the capacity of our minds? Turn to the text to support your claim.
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
Logic can only get you so far, but the heart can take you farther.
The heart has its own form of reason—it isn't illogical, then, just uses different logic than our minds.