The Poisonwood Bible tells follows a missionary family named the Prices. In 1959, the Prices move from their home in Georgia to a village named Kilanga in the Belgian Congo, a colony of Belgium. Their story, is told through multiple female narrators. The narrator's, being female gives the story a feminine curveball as most epics of survival are told through a man’s point of view. The story is told through the Prices female characters. Their names are as follow: Orleanna, wife of the Nathan whom sent the price family on the baptize mission trip. Their four daughters: Ada, Leah, Ruth May, and Rachel, all follow in tow. Each daughter is unique in the voice they are given to represent themselves and to convey their experiences to the audience.
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She arrived in the Congo as open minded and passionate, taking in the sights of the jungle and its inhabitants. Upon Leah’s arrival in the Congo, her initial thoughts were "It’s a heavenly paradise in the Congo, and sometimes I want to live here forever."(Kingsolver, 104) Being open minded, the Congo began to slowly wear away her baptist beliefs, as seen with the death of Ruth May. “I can’t say that Ruth May was even there with us, in that instant. Just for the moment it was as if she’d disappeared, and her voice was thrown into the trees. Then she returned to us, but all that was left of her was an awful silence.” (Kingsolver, 318). Her loyal nature does stay with her as the mission goes on, the loyalty only changes persons. Her devotion to her father changes to her husband Anatole. She adopts the Congolese culture and religion in replace of her own. she never complains about hardships of life in the Congo and stays by Anatole’s side, having four kids. She is a loyal and devoted partner who develops her own life, but never forgets her mother or sisters. Her loyalty and religion change throughout the mission. “I felt the breath of God go cold on my skin”(Kingsolver, 301). Leah’s one downfall is that she can be rash and takes matters into her own hands, in an effort to show her loyalty and compassion. Such example being the big hunt to help ward off starvation. Half the village was in an uproar for allowing Leah to participate,since she is both female and white, many of her decisions go against the cultural traditions set before them. Although her father had to say “ It’s nonsense for you to hunt with the men. You’re only causing trouble, and I forbid it.”(Kingsolver, 332). Although she herself has started to learn to adhere to the culture, she will do what is necessary for survival and for the sake of her family and Anatole. Leah is willing to take matters into her own hands.“The Death of something
She arrived in the Congo as open minded and passionate, taking in the sights of the jungle and its inhabitants. Upon Leah’s arrival in the Congo, her initial thoughts were "It’s a heavenly paradise in the Congo, and sometimes I want to live here forever."(Kingsolver, 104) Being open minded, the Congo began to slowly wear away her baptist beliefs, as seen with the death of Ruth May. “I can’t say that Ruth May was even there with us, in that instant. Just for the moment it was as if she’d disappeared, and her voice was thrown into the trees. Then she returned to us, but all that was left of her was an awful silence.” (Kingsolver, 318). Her loyal nature does stay with her as the mission goes on, the loyalty only changes persons. Her devotion to her father changes to her husband Anatole. She adopts the Congolese culture and religion in replace of her own. she never complains about hardships of life in the Congo and stays by Anatole’s side, having four kids. She is a loyal and devoted partner who develops her own life, but never forgets her mother or sisters. Her loyalty and religion change throughout the mission. “I felt the breath of God go cold on my skin”(Kingsolver, 301). Leah’s one downfall is that she can be rash and takes matters into her own hands, in an effort to show her loyalty and compassion. Such example being the big hunt to help ward off starvation. Half the village was in an uproar for allowing Leah to participate,since she is both female and white, many of her decisions go against the cultural traditions set before them. Although her father had to say “ It’s nonsense for you to hunt with the men. You’re only causing trouble, and I forbid it.”(Kingsolver, 332). Although she herself has started to learn to adhere to the culture, she will do what is necessary for survival and for the sake of her family and Anatole. Leah is willing to take matters into her own hands.“The Death of something