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 #10
"But tell me, what do people have to do to be good members of an Earthseed Community?"
[...] "The essentials," I answered, "are to learn to shape God with forethought, care, and work; to educate and benefit their community, their families, and themselves; and to contribute to the fulfillment of the Destiny."
"And why should people bother about the Destiny, farfetched as it is? What's in it for them?"
"A unifying, purposeful life here on Earth, and the hope of heaven for themselves and their children. A real heaven, not mythology or philosophy. A heaven that will be theirs to shape." (21.21-24)
This is Bankole quizzing Lauren on Earthseed. Bankole wants to know why the Destiny is so important, and why people would benefit from working toward it. Lauren says it gives everyone purpose and an achievable heaven rather than a fairy-tale, make-believe heaven. You'll have to check out the novel's sequel, Parable of the Talents, to see how all this turns out, but it does seem true a lot of the time that people need big goals to work toward in order to make any progress at all.