How we cite our quotes: The main text of the story is cited (Chapter.Paragraph). The date headers are not counted as paragraphs. The verses in the chapters with a single passage from the narrator's religious texts are cited (Chapter.Verse.Line#). In chapters with multiple passages, the verses are cited (Chapter.Verse#.Line#). The four section pages with the years and passages are cited (Year.Verse).
Quote #7
We are Earthseed. We are flesh—self aware, questing, problem-solving flesh. We are that aspect of Earthlife best able to shape God knowingly. We are Earthlife maturing. Earthlife preparing to fall away from the parent world. We are Earthlife preparing to take root in new ground, Earthlife fulfilling its purpose, its promise, its Destiny. (2027.Verse)
This verse passage introduces the year 2027, which is when Lauren's home of Robledo gets destroyed and she has to head north to put her dreams, hopes, and plans into action. She's going to learn a whole lot in the process of doing this—to take root in new ground and migrate across the country is a huge Earthlife maturing experience.
Quote #8
God is neither good
nor evil,
neither loving
nor hating.
God is Power.
God is Change.
We must find the rest of what we need
within ourselves,
in one another,
in our Destiny. (20.Verse.1-10)
This verse passage reminds followers of Earthseed that God isn't a figure who takes sides and helps people out. People have to look within themselves and each other to find answers. They also need to look to the Destiny, the final goal of settling on other planets: that's another source of inspiration, according to Lauren. The Destiny is physically possible; it's something people could actually do; and yet in the context of the migration north, it's also just kind of an imaginative image...kind of like a piece of art. So Lauren draws inspiration from the Destiny almost as if it's a piece of art or an inspiring movie.