Spoilers! Some lengthy input from a guy that studied in Catholic school throughout their childhood lol
First let's start with what's obvious, the cross in the title, lambs as a significant part of the story, yada yada. There's the guy's warning to Dennis, to not trust anything in the fields. It's typical in religion, constant warnings of sin and temptation, yet never really taking it seriously, almost always reassured the the victim will never be them, that they they would never fall for it, causing them to underestimate it and leaving them unguarded. Really interesting symbolisms! I think there's some biblical implications of temptation too. The devil knows what you wants, and when you're at the most vulnerable, it strikes. For example, Dennis was bored after a month of taking the deal. "Coincidentally", Todd appears, ready to be the spice of his life, the love he's never had. The promises, the allure of having someone permanent to hold, after what seems to be a history of broken relationships (referring to him saying "You're going to leave like everyone else?" or something like that). Also, Dennis had what is typically referred to as angelic traits. Not only appearance-wise, but also personality-wise. Nurturing and loyal, naive and pure. And it's common in BL, but the clashing appearance of the main characters can also play into that(i.e blonde and brunette,. Especially the eyes. You can see so much emotion in Dennis' eyes but Todd's? It's either blank or scheming. It's the abyss, a foreshadowing of what's to come. But of course, Dennis is blind to it, he only sees what he's been promised or perhaps he came to love it as well. ALSO there's Todd's "kill the lamb if you love me, if you're truly devoted" scene. To people who has read the bible, or was in Catholic school(like me lol), it's a familar scene. Abraham, who was commanded by God to kill his son Isaac to prove his faith and devotion. Am I overcooking with this one? Maybe, but it's an interesting allusion if so. And when God saw Abraham really was about to kill Isaac, he provided Abraham a ram to sacrifice instead. But this one showed how the devil would do such a scene, no takebacks, no easy way out. Additionally, it was what sealed the devil's deal, the final nail to the coffin.
The devil isn't always grotesque. It's doesn't always induce fear, instead it seduces you with beauty, with promises of what you deeply desire. And for Dennis, it was someone to love, especially in a world that isn't widely accepting of his preferences. This is obvious by how easily he gave in and how deeply he fell(in love or in depths of hell, you decide.)
Spoilers! Some lengthy input from a guy that studied in Catholic school throughout their childhood lol
First let's start with what's obvious, the cross in the title, lambs as a significant part of the story, yada yada. There's the guy's warning to Dennis, to not trust anything in the fields. It's typical in religion, constant warnings of sin and temptation, yet never really taking it seriously, almost always reassured the the victim will never be them, that they they would never fall for it, causing them to underestimate it and leaving them unguarded.
Really interesting symbolisms! I think there's some biblical implications of temptation too. The devil knows what you wants, and when you're at the most vulnerable, it strikes. For example, Dennis was bored after a month of taking the deal. "Coincidentally", Todd appears, ready to be the spice of his life, the love he's never had. The promises, the allure of having someone permanent to hold, after what seems to be a history of broken relationships (referring to him saying "You're going to leave like everyone else?" or something like that). Also, Dennis had what is typically referred to as angelic traits. Not only appearance-wise, but also personality-wise. Nurturing and loyal, naive and pure. And it's common in BL, but the clashing appearance of the main characters can also play into that(i.e blonde and brunette,. Especially the eyes. You can see so much emotion in Dennis' eyes but Todd's? It's either blank or scheming. It's the abyss, a foreshadowing of what's to come. But of course, Dennis is blind to it, he only sees what he's been promised or perhaps he came to love it as well. ALSO there's Todd's "kill the lamb if you love me, if you're truly devoted" scene. To people who has read the bible, or was in Catholic school(like me lol), it's a familar scene. Abraham, who was commanded by God to kill his son Isaac to prove his faith and devotion. Am I overcooking with this one? Maybe, but it's an interesting allusion if so. And when God saw Abraham really was about to kill Isaac, he provided Abraham a ram to sacrifice instead. But this one showed how the devil would do such a scene, no takebacks, no easy way out. Additionally, it was what sealed the devil's deal, the final nail to the coffin.
The devil isn't always grotesque. It's doesn't always induce fear, instead it seduces you with beauty, with promises of what you deeply desire. And for Dennis, it was someone to love, especially in a world that isn't widely accepting of his preferences. This is obvious by how easily he gave in and how deeply he fell(in love or in depths of hell, you decide.)