Skip to content

And what a story. The first thing that drew me in was…

“And what a story. The first thing that drew me in was disbelief. What? Humanity sins but it's God's Son who pays the price? I tried to imagine Father saying to me, 'Piscine, a lion slipped into the llama pen today and killed two llamas. Yesterday another one killed a black buck. Last week two of…” quote by Yann Martel
Download Open image
““And what a story. The first thing that drew me in was disbelief. What? Humanity sins but it's God's Son who pays the price? I tried to imagine Father saying to me, 'Piscine, a lion slipped into the llama pen today and killed two llamas. Yesterday another one killed a black buck. Last week two of them ate a camel. The situation has become intolerable. Something must be done. I have decided that the only way the lions can atone for their sins is if I feed them you.' ... 'Yes, Father, that would be the right and logical thing to do. Give me a moment to wash up'. What a downright weird story. What a peculiar psychology.””

Yann Martel

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The narrator uses a bizarre animal allegory to explore how people rationalize divine sacrifice and moral paradoxes.

In simple terms: A strange story highlights how we justify suffering and divine justice.

Key Takeaway

Question assumptions about moral logic.

Themes

faith paradox psychology myth morality

Mood

conflicted inquisitive thoughtful

Type

analytical philosophical

When to use this quote

  • discussing religious narratives
  • teaching ethics
  • writing fiction
  • analyzing myth
  • debating theology

Key Concepts

theodicy symbolism cognitive dissonance

Questions to Reflect On

  • How do we reconcile divine sacrifice with human suffering?
  • What does the lion‑llama story reveal about our moral reasoning?
A Different Perspective

The allegory may oversimplify complex theological debates.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet

More by Yann Martel

Explore all 570 Yann Martel quotes

More Parenting quotes

Browse all 55,672 Parenting quotes