Crispin: Cross of Lead Sin

People in Crispin: The Cross of Lead think about sin a lot, which makes sense in light of their religious worldview, which says that people are inherently sinful and most people will end up in Hell. Heck, Hell even is capitalized in this book—to Crispin and others, it's as real a place as Stromford or Great Wexly. So you know sin's a big deal. And since you can die pretty much any time, due to illness, violence, or some other lurking evil in Medieval England (cough, bad personal hygiene—this only makes sin higher stakes. After all, your day of reckoning could be tomorrow.

Questions About Sin

1. Why does Crispin believe he is being punished for his sins? Does this shift at all? How can you tell, and what does this tell you about Crispin's evolution?
2. Does Crispin ever stop believing he is inherently bad?
3. What new ideas does Bear introduce about sin?
4. What effect does the idea of sin have on Crispin's actions?

Chew on This

Crispin thinks about his sins more than anyone else in the novel.

Sin appears to be the most important component of Crispin's belief system.