Alvin Miller is clearly a Christ-figure. As such, he is persecuted by his own people as well as pursued by a supernatural being, the "Unmaker."

Religious leaders encourage this persecution, much as the Pharisees in the Bible encouraged the persecution of Christ and his followers. There is also a suggestion that religious fundamentalists often miss the connection between Nature and Religion, a failure of perception that led to the witch hunts of centuries not so long past.

1. What parallels can you draw between Jesus Christ and Alvin?

2. What parallels can you draw between the "Unmaker" and the devil as he appears in the Bible?

3. What parallels between today's social discrimination can you see in the persecution of the Millers and other strong magical talents?

4. The Reverend Thrower wants to be a good man, but he fails because of misperceptions. Explain his misperceptions and discuss what led...