The Sins of the Fathers story
A man (Richard Thomas) must cleanse himself of his father's sins by feasting in front of the father's corpse. Note: Based on a short story of the same title by Christianna Brand Directed by: Jeannot Szwarc. Story by: Halsted Welles.
13 total · 7 major · 6 minor
| Theme | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| compromising one's ethical principles vs. self-preservation | major | Should the sin eater eater the ritual meal and risk eternal damnation? |
| coping with starvation | major | The sin eater's family was desperate and starving or they would never have risked eternal damnation. |
| desperation | major | The sin eater's family was desperate and starving or they would never have risked damnation. |
| funeral rite | major | The sin eating ritual. |
| mother and son | major | A mother, Mrs. Evans, send her son Ian off to take on sins in order not to starve. |
| sacrifice for a loved one | major | Ian took on his father's sins. |
| sin | major | The concept of sin and eternal damnation was prominently featured. The story concluded with Ian eating a ritual meal for the purpose of inheriting his fathers sins. |
| exercising self-control | minor | Ian had to exercise self-control to not eat in front of the corpse. |
| father and son | minor | Ian Evans' and his father, whose corpse was seen only, were a father and son pair of sin eaters. |
| greed for riches | minor | The viewer is led to believe that Mrs. Evans was willing to sacrifice her son Ian to eternal damnation for some dainty victuals and three pieces of gold. |