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Stranger in a Strange Land Transformation Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #4

At this point the being sprung from human genes and shaped by Martian thought, who could never be either, completed one stage of his growth, burst out and ceased to be a nestling. (24.124)

One sentence, sure, but a key point in Mike's transformation. His human genes and Martian thought seem to blend during this coming-of-age in a unique and individual way. And after all, it's the blending of individual and culture that cause many of the transformations in the novel.

Quote #5

"[Foster] borrowed from Freemasonry, Catholicism, the Communist Party, and Madison Avenue just as he borrowed from earlier scriptures in composing his New Revelation." (27.124)

The growth of a Fosterism comes from the sampling of various other religions and institutions and transforming them to fit into a cohesive whole. Mike's Church of All Worlds takes a similar stance, drawing from Mike's experiences on Earth. Read carefully and tell us: which of Mike's experiences combine to form the basis of the Church?

Quote #6

The Man from Mars kissed his new brother first on her mouth, then kissed the spot Foster had kissed. He pondered, briefly by Earth time, picked a corresponding spot on the other side where George's design could be match—kissed her there […] Mrs. Paiwonski looked down. Marked on her, paired stigmata in blood red, were his lips. (27.209-211)

Pat's tattoos are a physical representation of the transformations she undergoes as a person. Each one depicts an event or experience that changed her. In a way, they parallel the way Mike's body transforms from boyish to manly as his world experiences change him, too.