What role do “sin” and “forgiveness” play in guiding characters’ thoughts and actions?

1. “Good People” (Wallace 157): Lane Dean worries that he is a hypocrite and lacks true faith. He condemns himself as a liar. Is it odd that Lane Dean does not condemn himself for engaging in premarital sex? What role do “sin” and “forgiveness” play in guiding the characters’ thoughts and actions? Use at least one citation to support your claim.

2. “The Birth-Mark” (Hawthorne 219): In what ways do you find the characters and events in this story realistic or unrealistic? If you don’t find them particularly realistic, what effect does that view have on how you read the story? Does it matter in what way the characters and events are unrealistic? Use at least one citation to support your claim.

Textbook

Mays, Kelly J. The Norton Introduction to Literature: Portable 12th Edition. New York: Norton, 2017.