Devil on the Cross

In Devil on the Cross, the title itself functions as a central symbol of the work. This image inverts traditional Christian imagery, which places Jesus upon the cross, to instead place the Devil there, which serves to represent a world in which evil is celebrated rather than condemned. This reverence for a traditional Christian symbol of pervasive evil is a paradox central to the worldviews of the thieves and robbers at the Devil’s Feast. However, the image of the Devil on the cross indicates not just reverence, but also a victim mindset. The Devil placed on the cross is still a literal representation of the Devil going through a tortuous experience resulting in redemption. This victim mindset is how the people in the cave like to portray themselves, as the victims themselves of the working masses, who desire to take away their hard-stolen wealth. This mirrors how colonial and neo-colonial exploitation is often rationalized as bringing “civilization” or “development” to colonized nations.

The cross also implies an element of sacrifice, as well as victimization. By putting the Devil on the cross, the narrative explores how moral values are sacrificed in pursuit of wealth and power.