"When I tamped down the little chicken’s grave with my own black boot, I thought of those babies and those poor girls, and the savagery of the Catholic Church came flooding in once again."
This quote occurs when the protagonist buries a small chick that was killed by the cold. The physical act of tamping down the earth over the chick triggers a memory of mass graves associated with the cruel history of the Catholic Church. It connects a mundane and gentle act—burying a dead chick—with the weight of historical trauma. The juxtaposition of these two events creates a sharp critique of the institution. Despite its surface veneer of compassion and religious sanctity, it has been responsible for widespread cruelty. The use of the word “savagery” stresses the brutal reality behind institutional power. This quote highlights the novel’s recurring theme of reckoning with the past, especially the failures and hypocrisies of religious authority.
"It would be impossible to explain to anyone from my old life why or how this—whatever it is; servitude?—fills me with such peace."
The protagonist reflects on the contentment she finds in her new life within the monastic community. It captures the paradox of finding peace in what might appear to outsiders as a form of subjugation. The protagonist reveals her awareness of how her current life might seem restrictive or burdensome to others. Yet, what might seem like a loss of freedom to outsiders is a source of deep fulfillment for her. This quote reflects a central tension in the novel—the idea of surrendering one’s former identity or societal roles to embrace a more contemplative existence. It also speaks to the protagonist’s ongoing internal struggle to reconcile the external perceptions of her life with her own experience of it.
"I wonder what she is telling the bones, and what they are saying back to her."
This line is spoken when the protagonist observes another nun, Helen Parry, leaving the room where the remains of Sister Jenny are. This quote taps into one of the novel’s more haunting elements—the presence of Sister Jenny’s remains and their effect on the living. Her curiosity about what might be “said” between Helen and the bones highlights the novel’s exploration of death, memory, and the sacred. The bones serve as a symbol of the unresolved past and the weight of history. There is a sense that these remains still have something to communicate and that the living are engaged in a constant dialogue with the dead. This adds a layer of spiritual inquiry to the story, which prompts questions about the nature of legacy and reconciliation.
