I'll admit that the end was BETTER than the middle, but like I said, I thought Christian was believably in character the entire time, and it was a marvel to watch him sink to farther and farther depths and sell his soul for gold.
The key to the whole thing is the 5-day taste he got of it. It doesn't work as well if he still had never had it and lost it so soon, under such questionable circumstances.
EDIT: If you want another literary parallel, think Gollum.
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Thank you, Eddie Guerrero.
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