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Having a good understanding of the The Seven Deadly Sins is exceedingly helpful in figuring out the theme(s) of a book (song, story, poem, whatever), the author's worldview, and the traits of various characters. Most lasting pieces of literature will address, at some level, The Seven Deadly Sins either from a Christian or a humanistic worldview presupposition.
| Lust (I want what I want when I want it) |
| Pride (vanity) |
| Sloth (laziness, idleness) |
| Envy (covetousness) |
| Greed (Avarice) |
| Unrighteous Anger |
| Gluttony (over concern with food) |
A fast way to determine if this is from a Christian worldview is to briefly review The Apostles' Creed.
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The Apostles' Creed *catholic means universal |
Comparing and contrasting various elements in any work against the The Seven Deadly Sins and The Apostles' Creed is a very fast and helpful way in obeying 2 Corinthians 10:5, "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." The theme, how the characters relate to one another, and how they react to various situations reflect the author's worldview presuppositions.
First, go through the characters (primarily, the protagonist and the antagonist; however, reviewing minor characters can be very revealing as well !) and compare/contrast against The Seven Deadly Sins and The Apostles' Creed. Are these behaviors God honoring or God despising? Do they obey God's Law-Word or break it? Is there true repentance? (This holds even when a story is an allegory.)
Next, review the events in the story (song, poem, whatever) and compare/contrast against The Seven Deadly Sins and The Apostles' Creed. Do you see God's providential care (even if the author did not intend it)? Are these situations self-fulfilling prophesies? Did the character set up their own failures? Did the character rely or is it implied that he/she relied on God's providential care (even if it is NOT stated) as exemplified by the character traits of loyalty, steadfastness, industry, etc.?
For the theme(s) look at the whole picture --- characters and events --- and compare/contrast against The Seven Deadly Sins and The Apostles' Creed. Look for common denominators. Do you see a pattern in one or more areas? What? Can you see this theme in today's current events? If you say yes to the last question, chances are this is a verity ... God's Law-Word applies to all people in all places at all times everywhere.
The author's worldview can be seen in the characters, the events of the story, and the theme of the book. Even if this story is an allegory, going through this process can help you grasp the author's intent and worldview presuppositions. Compare/contrast against The Seven Deadly Sins and The Apostles' Creed. To help assess if the author's worldview is Christian or humanistic utilize The Apostles' Creed.
You might also enjoy using the Seven Gifts.