To the 21st-century American Shmooper, 2194 Zimbabwe (or Resthaven) might seem like a pretty strange place. The people practice traditions and customs that we just don't follow. But, hey, every culture has its own share of traditions. We see this pretty clearly when Tendai and Rita notice big differences in the ancient world of Resthaven. Fried mouse, anyone?
Yet, even Tendai's life before his kidnapping his full of traditions that are unusual to us. For example, his family has a full-time brown-noser (ahem, the Mellower). As much as we love to have someone sing our praises, it's not something we see every day. But The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm is brimming with things we don't see every day. That's part of the fun of reading it.
Questions About Tradition and Customs
- What traditions and customs does Tendai rebel against in his family? What is his beef with the Mellower? What do these resistances reveal about Tendai's character?
- What is Rita's reaction to Resthaven? Why is her experience different than her brother's? Which traditions does she think are wrong or unfair?
- What comment might the city of Resthaven make on the practice of ancient customs? How might we understand Resthaven as preserving the past or refusing to progress into the future?
Chew on This
Resthaven shows us that in order to make progress, we must break with tradition.
Traditions and customs are important to our understanding of the past. Resthaven happily preserves ancient customs so they are never lost.