Mona in the Promised Land is turning out to be a fantastic read, mostly as a result of the narrator's humor and style. I find the character of Helen to be an intriguing one, as she at times seems to be both stuck to tradition and at the same time embracing the American Way (TM). Her reaction to Mona's conversion is very interesting as result, as Helen previously explained that she and her husband Ralph were Buddhist Taoist Catholic. The image that struck me most during this scene was the cuckoo clock with the Statue of Liberty chiming as the secret was revealed, with the clock going "cuckoo, cuckoo", as if to say, "Yeah this is America, where ideas, ideology, and identity get confusing and crazy!"
Earlier in the novel, Mona questions why they moved to the neighborhood of Scarshill, understanding that they came here for the schools. Her mother instead states that they moved here for their daughters' education. What is the difference? What exactly do you think Mona is being educated in at this point in the novel?
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