Leading him to believe that Paul was the bad son, the one who had been led astray. “There's only one way… Paul has a lazy soul. We must help him make it work, God only loves working souls” (Gee, 15). It was this attitude and presumption of Paul that caused Andrew to think so low of his older brother. Andrews' obsession with his mother, his desire to fulfill her memory and live up to her expectations, lead him to misinterpret her belief in killing. “The demon of pity would not let her rest” (Gee, 20). This raises questions about the power of religion and its ability to influence the lives of individuals. In the novel Andrew cannot understand what Paul has "become". He believes that Paul needs to be saved and this becomes his soul's mission even after Celia's murder. She could not accept the fact that Paul had chosen to abandon his religion and equally she could not accept the unusual relationship Paul had with his student, Celia, because his religious beliefs did not allow it.