...The Deep Roots of Colonization in The Poisonwood Bible. In The Poisonwood Bible, Barbara Kingsolver explores the implications of colonial oppression on a colonized population. The story of the Price family serves as a potent political allegory for the broader effects of colonialism on the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kingsolver uses the tool of allegory to explore broader political issues on a more personal level by giving the reader a direct, first-person insight into her characters’ point of view. This choice of narration is paramount to her message, giving the reader multiple lenses through which to view the events of the book. Each lens delves into colonial oppression in a unique way, allowing for the complexity of the topic to shine...
Words: 1338 - Pages: 6
...The Impact of Childhood The Poisonwood Bible ,by Barbara Kingswood, is a remarkable tale that expresses the several political transitions in the Congo through the eyes of a Baptist family. Nathan Price , a cruel and ironically a fiercely religious man, is the head of this family followed by his once effervescent wife, Orleanna, and his four daughters; Rachel the eldest and vainest, Leah, a tomboy who strives for her father's attention, Adah, Leah's disabled and genius twin, and Ruth May the youngest of the family. In the midst of several familial struggles, the conflict between Adah and Nathan Price is one that greatly contributes to the interpretation of this piece. At their birth, Adah and Leah appear to be a healthy set of twins. However, as time passes it is discovered that the left side of Adah's body is paralyzed because of a lack of nutrients in the womb. Due to her condition, she spends her detached from the world and maintains a cynical perspective at a young age which can be seen in her words concerning her twin," But I am a lame gallimaufry and she remains perfect" ( Kingsolver 34). Over the course of her early life, she maintains her position as an observer in the life of others and absorbs much information. Clearly, Adah's disability greatly affects her outlook on life....
Words: 544 - Pages: 3
...Throughout the novel The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver Leah Price, a key character and narrative voice, evolved and progressed through her tone, which changed from optimistic to sadness to anger, and also through her diction, which shifted from using admirable things to describe her father to using words of hatred and resentment towards him, and lastly through her point of view on religion, which changed from being a faithful Christian to truly questioning her belief in God. Leah Price grows all through the novel and the readers get to witness her transformation from a child at fourteen to an adult woman. She changes her country, then her religion, and then her respect and admiration for her father. Leah lost everything all the while gaining...
Words: 1316 - Pages: 6
...mainly on the Congo, and by the anxiousness of Leah to really experience what she was just told about the Congo. The Underdown family was basically in charge of the mission, and told the Prices, what to expect in the Congo, Leah’s feelings seemed to add up intensely when the Underdown family was mentioning every good and bad thing in the Congo. It was almost surreal to me that what the Underdown family had said the Congo would be like, it was, it was definitely full of jungle flowers, and wild beasts. Adah, Leah’s twin even encountered a wild beast, almost....
Words: 546 - Pages: 3
...Many of Leah’s “homes” had their own unique personality which gave Leah a wide variety of personalities that she can adapt for herself until she eventually develops her own personality which is a combination of different aspects of the previous personalities. She seemingly takes the best qualities of each of her “homes” and shapes her own personality based on each of those qualities. For example, Nathan showed intense devotion to “saving souls” and dedicates his life to loving God; Leah took this quality upon herself and showed extreme dedication to the ones closest to her, and learned to stand her ground, “There’s enough of my father in me that I had to stand my ground”(Kingsolver, 401). She aspired to kill an animal during the hunt, and with the ambition that she obtained from her father, she succeeded in slaying a bushbuck. She acquired...
Words: 880 - Pages: 4
...In Book 1, Kingsolver summarizes the beginning phase of the Price’s mission in the Congo to spread the word of God to the Kilanga tribes despite their reluctance. As Nathan Price forms the foundations of his religious work and aims to have complete control over the Congolese and the way they live their life, the section conforms with the quote and the title, Genesis. In Book 2, the quote is applicable to this section of the text in that Anatole urges Nathan and the family to leave the Congo because of the emerging revolution that will take place. However, Nathan refuses to hear Anatole out, especially since he keeps insinuating that his religion is corrupting Kilanga and its people. Nathan instead blocks out all noise and opposition, not hearing...
Words: 4025 - Pages: 17
...own opinion, you must first see a story from many different angles. In the Poisonwood Bible, we get that opportunity. If we had read the entire novel from Rachel’s point of view, we would have the impression that Leah thinks her father is always right. However, we get to read firsthand what she was thinking, and through this we get to see that Leah tends to doubt her father’s choices. This is apparent when she says, “My father says a girl who fails to marry is veering from God’s plan—that’s what he’s got against college for Adah and me, besides the wasted expense—and I’m sure what he says is true. But without college, how will I learn anything of any account to teach others?” Having her stubborn nature and passion for God she doesn’t have it in her to disagree with him, though later on we see her grow into someone that is willing to stand up for her own beliefs. That said, each of the four Price sisters have widely differing personalities and through their narration we get to know them...
Words: 660 - Pages: 3
...Human rights are a set of principles used to bring the world to freedom and equality; consequently, if they are not followed, injustice and imparity plagues the world. In Barbara Kingsolvers’ The Poisonwood Bible, there are key moments where an individual’s freedom of religion, opinion, and expression are denied, suppressing people’s ability to join society openly. This can also be recognized in 1984, a dystopian novel by George Orwell, where the citizens living in its world face restrictions to their right to life and liberty, and freedom from inhumane treatment, all taken by their very own government. The fact is that individuals, or a group of individuals, seek authority by taking the human power of rights and freedoms, ultimately taking...
Words: 3330 - Pages: 14
