How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
The feudal lord has unlimited power over his people, much more than any king in a Christian country. (4.10)
And that's saying something, people. This authoritarian power structure is an important aspect of the novel, as it shows why Japanese peasants flock so readily to the Church. When you live an existence as perilous as this, you'll take all the help you can get.
Quote #5
"A tree which flourishes in one kind of soil may wither if the soil is changed [...] Father have you never thought of the difference in the soil, in difference in the water?" (6.49)
Actually, this has never once crossed Rodrigues's mind. The priest believes that Catholicism is a one-size-fits-allkind of deal, conveniently forgetting that the religion is steeped in European culture and tradition. Instead of learning about Japanese culture in order to better deliver his message, Rodrigues just tries to brute force it.
Quote #6
"In Japan our God is just like that butterfly caught in the spider's web: only the exterior form of God remains, but it has already become a skeleton." (7.237)
The Christianity that exists in Japan today is not the same as that which was brought to its shores by the missionaries. Instead, the same thing happened in Japan that has happened in countless other places touched by Christianity: Christian traditions have been blended with local belief systems to create something new.