How we cite our quotes: (Section.Paragraph)
Quote #1
"[W]ith all the money we spent to bury your grandfather, and the tithes we've paid to the church, we don't have anything left." (7.12)
This quote, from Pedro's mother, shows that the Páramos are devout and had enough money to participate in religious life… but that the Church took so much of their money that they're now flat broke.
Quote #2
He stopped by the shelf where the picture of the Sacred Heart stood and found twenty-four centavos. (7.17)
This spatial juxtaposition—of a religious image and some pocket change—sets the tone for the love-hate relationship between religion and money for the rest of the novel.
Quote #3
He placed a handful of gold coins on the prie-dieu and got to his feet: "Take this as a gift for your church." (13.14)
Here Pedro shows that he is able to buy everything he wants—both on earth and in heaven. It doesn't matter what evil his son might have committed: It can be remedied with cold, hard cash.