He's an unreconstructed sinner, stupid with the burden of having grasped neither Eastern nor Western moral teachings.
-- Ming (Part One: They See Themselves: The Abbess)

Importance: This quote is one that Ming directs towards his brother, Dagou, who seems caught between the world of his parents and his own dreams. By this point, the reader knows that Dagou dreamed of being a musician even though Leo sees the concept of doing something for personal enjoyment instead of necessity as a waste of time. Clearly, Dagou has some sense of responsibility for his family as shown by his willingness to return to Haven to help his father run the restaurant when Winnie was sick. However, Dagou struggles to follow Leo's unreasonable expectations, but also cannot find the courage to step back into the life he wants. Since he is unable to fit in either world, Dagou is left trapped, feeling like an unwanted sinner.

None of us can bear to...
-- Dagou (Part One: They See Themselves: "A Big Fish in a Small Pond")