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The Nature of a Crime · Theme
Morality and Debauchery
How The Nature of a Crime develops Morality and Debauchery.
The book explores the idea that true debauchery comes not from indulgence but from the moral agonizing and self-consciousness that accompany it, as seen in Edward Burden's confession and the narrator's judgments.
Where it surfaces
- The Nature of a Crime
The narrator's embezzlement and contemplation of suicide highlight his moral decline, as he sacrifices his integrity for his passion.
- II
The narrator's moral conflict over his actions and his indulgence in risky behavior reflect this theme.
- IV
The narrator redefines debauchery as the joy derived from moral conflict, using Burden's confession as an example.