How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
Stefan shook his head. "It's th' rules—we don't mess in the nobles' fights." (3.129)
Okay, a couple ways to interpret this. On the one hand, it makes Tortall's society look very segregated, as though the nobles and the lower classes never intermingle. Clearly, they do—just not officially. On the other hand, rules like this serve to protect the lower classes. In societies with rigid hierarchies, when it's one person's word against another's, the higher-class person will often be seen as telling the truth. So perhaps the lower classes know better than to get caught up in noble nonsense out of a sense of self-preservation.
Quote #5
Duke Gareth's lecture the day after Alanna fought Ralon was long and impressive. He spoke to her about the duty one noble owes another noble, about keeping the peace on the palace grounds and about people who became bullies. He informed her that fighting with the hands was an undignified pastime taken up by commoners, or an art practiced by Shang warriors—and that she was neither a commoner nor a Shang warrior. (4.1)
Oy, where to start? All this duty business is making us reconsider living the luxe lifestyle. Nobles are constrained by duty more than other social classes—they can't even engage in hand-to-hand fighting. Sheesh. Is there anything nobles can do? Other than be polite to each other?
Quote #6
"I wonder what this is…Probably some back-country boy who thinks he's a noble." (2.37)
Oh, Ralon, you big bully. How we love to hate you. Not only is he mean, he's also a nasty elitist who seems to think being from the country is some terrible crime. We're pretty sure that being from the country doesn't automatically make you not noble, or bad, or whatever Ralon seems to think is going on.