How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
Tendai had heard Praise Singing described many ways. It was an ancient custom meant to call forth the powers of the seen and unseen worlds. It was music. It was poetry. But most of all, it was medicine for the soul. (1.42)
Hey, we're not against someone telling us we're super smart and awesome. (Don't believe us? Send us an email singing our praises. You will make our day.) We can't help but notice that Tendai describes the praise as more of a tradition that involves spirits and the supernatural than a feel-good activity, though. Huh.
Quote #2
Tendai walked along the hall that led to the library. […] Shelves reaching to the ceiling were filled with old books that gave a leathery, dusty scent to the air. Persian carpets covered the floor. Lamps with stained-glass shades cast a warm glow quite unlike the light in the rest of the house. (2.20)
Is it just us, or does this library sound like something out of a Disney movie? It's beautiful and definitely full of old traditions. It's one of the first descriptions we get of something at Tendai's house that isn't all modernized (we're looking at you, robots). The contrast between the programmable chef (a.k.a. pantry) and the old-school library shows off just how treasured tradition is.
Quote #3
His ancestors waited in the shadows of the walled garden. One of them raised the hollowed horn of a kudu bull to his lips and blew, to give courage to the hunters. (3.71)
Ancestors giving courage to modern warriors sounds pretty traditional to us. It's not just that the warriors need to be brave; it's also that they get it from something in the past. The fact that the ancestors are the ones to help out shows just how important the past is to the characters in the novel.