Faith and Miracles

The novel shows how religious and spiritual faith is a necessary, vital part of human existence. At the same time, the novel shows how easily this faith can be practiced in damaging excess. A wide range of religions and cults form throughout this novel. When Batista discovers how to use pigeons for message delivery, a neighborhood group begins to coalesce around his apartment, waiting anxiously for the next message to be delivered. This group forms organically out of innocent neighborhood curiosity about Batista’s new project. The cult grows, and when one of the messages predicts that a Japanese person will be very lucky, the novel describes how everyone goes out to hug one of their Japanese friends. Indeed, the message’s prediction is correct, as Kazumasa does in fact win lots of money. Through this early example about the forming of a spontaneous...