How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
The word "paradise" came out of my mouth, without thinking. The woman looked at me strange. It's a hobby with me, studying words. I looked at the three walls surrounding the lot. Then at a garden coming up beautiful, planted there close to the sidewalk. "Paradise" comes from a Persian word. It means "walled park." I told the woman that. This time she gave me a little smile. I smiled back. (6.1)
Remember how Wendell and Kim communicate with smiles back in Chapter 3? Well, we're thinking smiles are a pretty important mode of communication in Seedfolks. When Sam mentions "paradise" to another woman watching the garden, both of them speak English. But even though they speak the same language, the smile they share seems to be what really has them communicating.
Quote #5
Each group kept to itself, spoke its own language, and grew its own special crops. (6.5)
When Sam looks around the garden, he sees each ethnic group in its own space, and each group speaks "its own language." Sounds like even though the garden brings people together, it doesn't necessarily mean they're talking to each other just yet.
Quote #6
Neither of us knew anything about plants. This wrinkled old man in a straw hat tried to show me something when I poured out the water. He spoke some language, but it sure wasn't English. I didn't get what he was babbling about, till the lettuce finally came up in wavy lines and bunches instead of straight rows. I'd washed the seeds out of their places. (7.15)
Virgil is having a tough time growing his lettuce, and it looks like he's also having a tough time communicating with his fellow gardeners. If Virgil had been able to understand the helpful old man, his lettuce might be growing a bit better. Turns out that speaking different languages isn't just making it difficult to talk, but it's also having a negative impact on the plants.