Child of God | Themes

Child of God Themes

Pedophilia

Throughout the book, Lester conveys his obsession for younger women and girls. Although McCarthy never makes the age of Lester's victims known, his characters often refer to them as girls. Every time Lester visits the dumpkeeper, he stares at the man's daughters.

He cannot keep his eyes or his mind off of them. He constantly thinks about how they are developing. While visiting, he teases the girls, hoping to entice them into some kind of sexual foreplay or relationship. Lester is obsessed with their sexuality. He is amazed that they run off with local boys and have sex. Because he has never experienced this with someone, he longs to have some type of sexual relationships.

Lester also often sees young girls at the fair or in local shops that he stares at. He watches them in crowds. Lester's obsession with young girls is further validated when he...
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