If Twilight teaches us anything, it's that living forever isn't all it's cracked up to be. True, you can experience more, but you also have to deal with more pain and suffering. No one knows that better than Kiriel in Repossessed, who—for a living—watches people torment themselves. Yep, we can see how that would get old after a few thousand years. Kiriel wants to experience the life of a human, and the only way he can is by creating or snatching a body. The one defining characteristic that's different in humans is the fact that they can't live forever—which just might be a good thing.
Questions About Immortality
- Do you think Kiriel views his immortality as a good or a bad thing? What would be his reaction to his job if he only did it for as long as humans did?
- How does Kiriel's immortality help him? How does it hurt him? Turn to the text to support your claims.
- Why does Shaun get to live after Kiriel is done with his body? What does that tell us about the Creator?
Chew on This
Shaun's carefree attitude hurts him because he is not immortal like Kiriel.
Kiriel can afford to make dumb mistakes because he is immortal and already living a sad existence.