“Lies like that are not a sin, they are a sacrifice.”
Mercedes is trying her best to be righteous and prayerful in the hope for Lily’s wellbeing. Hence any act that she deems a sin she has to repent. In this case, she lies to her father in regards to why Frances is not present for the meal, for she has gone to sleep. Thus, in her mind this is a sacrifice in her part rather than a sin hence does not have to seek forgiveness. The quotation reflects the line the women in the Piper household walks because of their devoutness.
“The world should not be organized to require heroines, and when one is required but fails to appear we should not judge.
The statement is directed at Aunt Camille who is considered an hardhearted woman by the people around her. Furthermore, the notion that she could have done something different with her life than she did due to her upbringing. Henceforth, the assertion alludes to the fact that the world should not be molded to need certain individual attributes. So as in their absence society should not be critical towards what is present.
“Hope is a gift. You can't choose to have it. To believe and yet to have no hope is to thirst beside a fountain.”
Mercedes contemplates the way forward following the death of her sister Frances. She feels alone and unsure of who will be her confidant or pray for her for that matter. She wishes to soon also meet her own demise and be able to be with her sister again. Thus, through the statement, the narrator recognizes Mercedes thought-process and on how she is devout but harbors no hope any longer. And now that she is at this juncture she realizes the predicament of her situation.
