Priest

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of sexual content.

The story draws much of its tension from the conflict between Tyler’s sexual desires and the restrictive sexual morality of his church. Not only does the Catholic Church forbid sex outside of marriage, but Tyler’s role as a priest comes with an expectation of celibacy. Tyler explains, “I was sworn to God not to know another’s body while I lived—not even to know my own body, if we were getting technical about it” (35). In pushing back against this vow, Poppy emphasizes the dual meaning of the word “know” in this context. By forbidding “knowledge” of the body—a usage found in English translations of the Bible as well—the Church seeks to deprive Tyler not only of physical pleasure but also of the knowledge he would need in order to make an informed decision. To forbid knowledge is to take away agency. Poppy points out that he already “knows” his body and hers and cannot now unknow them. Tyler genuinely loves Poppy and God, and he struggles to figure out whether these two loves are compatible or whether he must choose one and dismiss the other.