Just thinking of her exclusion made Beatrice’s scalp heat. For women, magic was the solitary pursuit of widows and crones, not for the woman whose most noble usefulness was still intact. The inner doors of the chapterhouse were barred to her, while a man with the right connections could elevate himself through admittance and education among his fellow magicians.
-- Narrator (Chapter 1)

Importance: This quote serves to introduce the theme of gender roles along with the central conflict in the novel. The conflict is internal for Beatrice and deals with the tensions between herself and society. Beatrice constantly questions the norms of her time and seeks to change the world for the better. As the quote implies, Beatrice is an advocate for universal access to education. This is a cause she fights for throughout the course of the novel.

If only he’d gotten his way… She ought to have carried a rifle...
-- Narrator (Chapter 1)