"It is the hardest thing in the world to make educated Westerners pull 
together," Miss Matheson went on. "That is the job of people like Miss 
Stricken. We must forgive them their imperfections. She is like an 
avatar—do you children know about avatars? She is the physical 
embodiment of a principle. That principle is that outside the comfortable and 
well-defended borders of our phyle is a hard world that will come and hurt us 
if we are not careful. It is not an easy job to have. We must all feel sorry 
for Miss Stricken."