Significance of The Name Simon

Simon’s name is a Biblical allusion. In the Bible, Simon had carried the cross of Jesus before his crucifixion. In the English language, “carrying a cross” is a popular idiom referencing this Biblical passage. To carry a cross means to have an unpleasant responsibility that you must accept as the situation deems in necessary. In the context of the novel, Simon’s “cross” was his planning of his sister’s abduction. Although he knew it would lead Lilia and her father into a difficult lifestyle, it was the only way to save Lilia’s life. Putting himself at risk of the law Simon planned the abduction for the good of his sister.