Orleanna’s House of Guilt In Barbara Kingsolver’s novel The Poisonwood Bible, Nathan Price, the father to four daughters and husband to Orleanna Price, brings his family on a missionary trip to the Congo. Their daily routines of residing in the Congo require hard work for survival, whereas in Georgia, life necessities like water and food are easily given. Although the Price family has left their home in Georgia, it is Orleanna who believes that as long as she is able to care for her family, she is at “home.” However, her idea of “home” eventually becomes her weakness, for the increasing dangers of the Congo forces Orleanna to put everyone’s lives before hers. “Home” to Orleanna holds the idea that she is able to take care of her family, including
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During Nathan’s early life, he becomes an extreme devote to God. However, he misinterprets God’s ways of compassion and selflessness; instead, he demonstrates self-righteousness and selfishness. He strongly believes that women, including his daughters, are not meant to go to college, for they are needed to cook and clean, as Orleanna does for Nathan and the children. Regardless of Nathan’s behavior, Orleanna chooses to stay with him for over 20 years. If Orleanna’s idea of “home” is putting her family first, why did she not think that Nathan was a threat to her children? As her husband, Nathan is also apart of her family, whom has known her for so long that she does not know a life without him. This regular treatment from Nathan is what she is used to and she could not imagine her “home” with him missing. She states that she has “no influence, no friends, [and] … no way to overrule the powers that governed [their] lives” (Kingsolver 191-192). Near the end of the novel, Orleanna states that had it not been for her relationship with Nathan, Ruth May would still be alive, which is why she feels guilty. In the beginning of the novel, Orleanna poses her reasoning for the story: “There’s only one question worth asking now: How do we aim to live with [guilt]?” (Kingsolver 9). It is not until Ruth May’s death, that Orleanna expresses how she …show more content…
After Orleanna finally decides to leave Nathan behind, she starts her life anew back in Georgia. She resumes her gardening hobby and participates in civil rights rallies. Despite her actions to move on, Orleanna constantly asks Ruth May for forgiveness. However, what Orleanna will never know is that Ruth May’s voice has spoken again: “Mother, you can still hold on but forgive, forgive and give for long as long as we both shall live I forgive you” (Kingsolver 543). Because Orleanna does not forgive herself, her guilt can never vanish. It is hard for her to let go because she still wants to believe that she is able to take care of Ruth May, or believe that she is “home” again. Orleanna’s reasoning for the story is how to live with guilt; whereas, Ruth May’s message expresses that if one is able to forgive oneself, then one does not have to live with
During Nathan’s early life, he becomes an extreme devote to God. However, he misinterprets God’s ways of compassion and selflessness; instead, he demonstrates self-righteousness and selfishness. He strongly believes that women, including his daughters, are not meant to go to college, for they are needed to cook and clean, as Orleanna does for Nathan and the children. Regardless of Nathan’s behavior, Orleanna chooses to stay with him for over 20 years. If Orleanna’s idea of “home” is putting her family first, why did she not think that Nathan was a threat to her children? As her husband, Nathan is also apart of her family, whom has known her for so long that she does not know a life without him. This regular treatment from Nathan is what she is used to and she could not imagine her “home” with him missing. She states that she has “no influence, no friends, [and] … no way to overrule the powers that governed [their] lives” (Kingsolver 191-192). Near the end of the novel, Orleanna states that had it not been for her relationship with Nathan, Ruth May would still be alive, which is why she feels guilty. In the beginning of the novel, Orleanna poses her reasoning for the story: “There’s only one question worth asking now: How do we aim to live with [guilt]?” (Kingsolver 9). It is not until Ruth May’s death, that Orleanna expresses how she …show more content…
After Orleanna finally decides to leave Nathan behind, she starts her life anew back in Georgia. She resumes her gardening hobby and participates in civil rights rallies. Despite her actions to move on, Orleanna constantly asks Ruth May for forgiveness. However, what Orleanna will never know is that Ruth May’s voice has spoken again: “Mother, you can still hold on but forgive, forgive and give for long as long as we both shall live I forgive you” (Kingsolver 543). Because Orleanna does not forgive herself, her guilt can never vanish. It is hard for her to let go because she still wants to believe that she is able to take care of Ruth May, or believe that she is “home” again. Orleanna’s reasoning for the story is how to live with guilt; whereas, Ruth May’s message expresses that if one is able to forgive oneself, then one does not have to live with