But if you eat this chap who's God,' said Llewelyn stoutly, 'how can it be horrible? If it's alright to eat God why is it horrible to eat Jim Whittle?' 'Because,' said Dymphna reasonably, ' if you eat God there's always plenty left. You can't eat God up because God just goes on and on and on and God can't ever be finished...
In Anthony Burgess's novel "The Wanting Seed," a dialogue between Llewelyn and Dymphna highlights a philosophical discussion about consumption and divinity. Llewelyn argues that eating God shouldn’t be considered terrible since God is infinite, suggesting that consuming such a being would have no harmful consequences. This presents the idea that divine essence can be sustained without depletion.
Dymphna counters Llewelyn's argument by pointing out the inherent difference between consuming a divine entity and a mortal being like Jim Whittle. She emphasizes that while God's essence is infinite and unending, human life is not, leading to moral and ethical considerations regarding the consumption of human flesh. This exchange reflects deeper themes of existence, morality, and the nature of the divine in Burgess's work.
