Tree of knowledge Quote by Jane Johnson
““Cat wrinkled her nose. "No, thank you." "Take," the rais told her. "Is good." He picked one up and held it out, and when she hesitated, thrust it at her with greater insistence. "With my people, hosbitality important. To refuse is insult." She took a small bite. Sweetness flooded her mouth so that she gasped. It was not in the least what she had expected, for it tasted remarkably like the preserved medlars the cook bottled each autumn from Kenegie's orchard. "Oh..." She took the rest whole, saliva breaking from the corner of her mouth. Al-Andalusi looked on, eyebrow cocked sardonically. "Is fig," he said. "In some tradition it was the friut Eve gave to Adam from the Tree of Knowledge." "In the Bible that was an apple!" "In our tradition, according to the Qu'ran, it was apple also. And when Adam swallowed mouthful od fruit, it stuk in throat and made lump all men have." "The Adam's apple!" Cat cried, astonished. "We call it that as well." "We are, perhaps, not such strangers to each other as you think.””
About This Quote
A cultural exchange reveals unexpected commonalities and misunderstandings between traditions.
In simple terms: Shared customs can bridge differences.
Key Takeaway
Seek common ground in unfamiliar situations.
Themes
cultural exchange
misunderstanding
hospitality
tradition
Mood
curious
reflective
Type
narrative
dialogue
When to use this quote
- dinner parties
- travel encounters
- cross‑cultural negotiations
Key Concepts
anthropology
intercultural communication
mythology
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we recognize hidden assumptions?
- What rituals reveal shared values?
A Different Perspective
Assuming familiarity can lead to offense.
