How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
Pray, Halmoni says. Pray to God and everything will be better. Put your hands together tight like a closed book. Good. Then say what I taught you, Young Ju. Remember? Dear Father who art in heaven. (3.1)
Young Ju is really into prayer and God for a lot of the book, which makes sense if you think about where her faith comes from. If your dear beloved grandmother taught you all about God and how to pray, you'd probably be pretty devout too.
Quote #2
Halmoni, where is heaven?
Heaven is where your Harabugi is. He is with God in a place where there is only goodness and love.
Can I go there?
Someday. If you pray and love God. Do you love God.
Yes, I say, even though at church the picture of his face with the dark round money eyes makes me hide behind the bench. But I want to see heaven and Harabugi, so I try to love him. (3.2-6)
Halmoni's explanation sounds completely logical right? Of course heaven is wherever Young Ju's dead grandfather is and of course heaven has to be a place that's only about "goodness and love." We'll just point out though that heaven seems kind of like a really exclusive club; you can't just die to get there, which seems like it could be a little intimidating for a little kid. Couple all that with a picture of God and his "dark round money eyes" and you've got a religion that doesn't seem all that simple or easy.
Quote #3
Halmoni is rocking and reading her Good Book with all the stories about how God came down to be with us. Only when he got here, he said his name was Jesus. I wonder, why did he make up a new name? I wish I could make up a new name, but Halmoni says, Do not be foolish. (3.11)
We know what you're thinking: why is it so foolish to make up a new name? Madonna did it. And we all know Lady Gaga isn't actually Lady Gaga's real name. Why should only God get the chance to rename and recreate himself?