Island

Will lunches with Vijaya and his family. He discovers how their custom of saying grace is much different than what Will presumes. Rather than saying grace prior to a meal, the Palanese focus on the details of their food. In this way, they stay connected with the present moment.

Will leaves with Vijaya and goes to a school to witness how the educational system functions. Mary and Tom have joined Will and Vijaya for the car ride over. They will operate the scarecrows, which to Will’s astonishment are puppets of the Buddha and the Christian gods. Each is decorated according to how their cultures interpret them, the Buddha much more joyfully presented than the vengeful-looking Christian god-puppet. This leads to a comparison of religion and god.

Will meets the principal of the school, Mrs. Narayan, and the Under-Secretary of Education, Mr. Menon. Will tours the school, where he witnesses the way the Palanese tackle education. In Pala, the approach is far more holistic than in the West. It balances formal subjects, such as math, with metaphysical objectives, such as meditation, ethics, and helping students develop their spirituality.

Mr. Menon asks Will what boys and girls are for in the West. Will provides a long-winded answer, culminating with: “What are boys and girls for there? For cannon fodder, industry fodder, agriculture fodder, road-building fodder.