How we cite our quotes: (Part.Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
She rinsed out the bucket and put it back within his reach. She mopped up the mess on the floor with a towel, then she rinsed the towel out and hung it up to dry. She brought water to his side. She withdrew, wondering how many days it had been since he'd eaten anything. (1.1.20)
When Sister Mary Joseph Praise first meets Dr. Thomas Stone, he's in really bad shape. Most people would run for their lives once they smelled the state of his ship cabin (think your worst flu on steroids), but Sister Mary Joseph Praise is such a compassionate person that she only thinks of how she can help.
Quote #2
"You did more than any human being could do," she said and took his hand in both of hers and held it. She looked into his eyes. "God be with you and bless you." (1.1.62)
Dr. Stone is worried that Sister Mary Joseph Praise will be unhappy with him because he is unable to save her friend, but she forgives him. That forgiveness is what he can't give himself years later when he's unable to save Sister Mary Joseph Praise herself. It will be many decades before he finds a letter that shows that she forgave him for getting her pregnant.
Quote #3
Every maternal instinct in Matron came alive, and she kept vigil. She was there when the young nun woke up in the night, terrified, delirious, clinging to Matron once she knew she was in a safe place. "Child, child, what happened to you? It is all right. You are safe now." With such soothing words, Matron comforted her, but it was a week before the young nun slept alone and another week before the color returned to her face. (1.1.80)
In Cutting for Stone, there is a strong connection between motherhood and compassion, even when we're not talking about technical mother-and-child relationships. Sister Mary Joseph Praise is far from her home, and Matron has no children of her own, but her "maternal instinct" perks up, and she treats Sister Mary with the compassion of a mother. Hey, she's called Matron, after all.