The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver Essay - 851 Words

What Is The True Religion? The realities of Congo rescued her from the mental enslavement of her father, Nathan Price. Nathan, a Baptist evangelist journeyed with his four daughters and wife to the Belgian Congo with his mission to save the unenlightened souls of the Congolese people. His aim was to accomplish this through his strict biblical sanctions and his firm belief in his Christian faith. As a child who respects their parents religion and belief, Leah was compassionate and genuine about her fathers faith and his outlook on life. For this reason, she and her other sisters were slaves to his doctrine. They believed that his words were always true and his idea of saving the Congolese people would be a success. However, as time†¦show more content†¦Nathans quest to save the souls of the Congolese people was a very arduous task. He had to deal with people who were of different faiths and beliefs. Nathan being rigid and insular to the Congolese people beliefs and customs he refuses to understand and respect the beliefs of these people. Instead, he imposed his doctrines unto them and demanding that they become Christians and for them to believe that his religion is correct and that no other religion follows. This egomaniac behavior was demonstrated during one of his encounter with Tata Ndu, the chief of Kikango when he was told that the people of Congo were not Christians, Nathan was outraged because he thought that they were committing an act of sin since they did not believe in Jesus Christ. As Leah listened to her father she began to realize how ignorant her father was towards the Congolese people and their beliefs. It was during this time she began to question her faith. Leahs lost for her faith was truly established when her father decided to stay in the Congo during the period of war when Congo was gaining their independence. Although her father was told that it would be unsafe for him and his family he decided to stay because he wanted to fulfill his is mission which was to Americanize and Christianize the people of Congo. As Leah watched the Underdowns, who were also firm believers of the ChristianShow MoreRelatedThe Poisonwood Bible By Barbara Kingsolver1124 Words   |  5 PagesIn the novel The Poisonwood Bible, written by Barbara Kingsolver, the reader is introduced to the Price family, Baptist missionaries who are attempting to â€Å"Christianize† the country of Congo, more specifically the village of Kilanga. As the story progresses, the family realizes that they are not changing the Congo; instead, the Congo is changing them. The development of the characters within the novel is due to the instrument of cruelty. Although distasteful to regard it as such, cruelty motivatesRead MoreThe Poisonwood Bible By Barbara Kingsolver1352 Words   |  6 Pagessuccessful. In the beginning of The Poisonwood Bible, Orleanna introduces to the readers in a third person’s point of view, â€Å"The daughters march behind her, each one tensed to fire off a woman’s heart on a different path to glory or damnation† (5). Orleanna, a mother who lives throughout the story of The Poisonwood Bible, acknowledges how women, in great numbers, are found walking down the path of trying to be successful. The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver, involves the Price family of 6, whichRead MoreThe Poisonwood Bible By Barbara Kingsolver1142 Words   |  5 PagesThe Poisonwood Bible Nowadays, in today’s society, survival is considered the basic instinct of all humans. Commonly defined as the state of â€Å"continuing to live or exist, in spite of an accident, ordeal or difficult circumstance,†(Dictionary) survival teaches us the will to succeed and face adversity despite the challenges and obstacles we may encounter along the way. In Barbara Kingsolver’s novel â€Å" The Poisonwood Bible,† there is a central theme of survival. Whether it includes finding suppliesRead MoreThe Poisonwood Bible By Barbara Kingsolver1198 Words   |  5 PagesPeriod 2 Part I Title: The Poisonwood Bible Author: Barbara Kingsolver Date of Original Publication: 1998 Biographical information about the author (five facts): -Kingslover was born in 1955 - Throughout her life, she has lived in England, France, and the Canary Islands, and has worked in Europe, Africa, Asia, Mexico, and South America. - Kingsolver was named one the most important writers of the 20th Century by Writers Digest. - Her work, The Poisonwood Bible, was a finalist for the PulitzerRead MoreThe Poisonwood Bible By Barbara Kingsolver1241 Words   |  5 Pagespast and present known society, women have not been treated as the full equals of men. A woman s main value is to support a man, bear children, and housekeeping duties. This is how it has always been in most cultures. The novel, The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver, shows the paternalistic society in which the Price family lives in. In 1959 an obstinate Baptist minister named Nathan Price drags his wife and four daughters deep into the heart of the Congo on a mission to save the unenlightenedRead MoreThe Poisonwood Bible By Barbara Kingsolver1807 Words   |  8 Pageshalf of humanity, for the benefit of all†. Feminism, the act of advocating for female rights in order for them to be equal to those of men, has been an issue for hundreds of years that is sadly lacking present-day progression. In The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingso lver, five females narrate their experiences in Congo during the sixties under not only the Belgian’s rule, but more terribly, under the tyranny of Nathan Price, a Baptist preacher on a mission to convert â€Å"arrogant† Congolese people intoRead MoreThe Poisonwood Bible By Barbara Kingsolver1295 Words   |  6 Pages Imperialism has been a strong and long lasting force, oppressing societies for generations on end. The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver, demonstrates how the Congo is continuously affected by this concept and ideology. Throughout this story, Kingsolver manipulates each family member and individual within the book, to better show Western and European ideas and attitudes, to convey the large amount of hypocrisy, in foreigner’s actions. No one shows the oppression, inflicted upon the Congo’sRead MoreThe Poisonwood Bible By Barbara Kingsolver1732 Words   |  7 PagesThe Poisonwood Bible 1998 Historical Fiction Characteristics: Unique location, Primitivism, different ways of speaking and racial views Barbara Kingsolver Barbara Kingsolver, born in 1955, grew up in Kentucky and lived in many different countries such as : England, France, and Canary Islands. She attended Debauw University and University of Arizona where she earned a biology degree. Kingsolver now is a beloved author of eleven books and has been named the most important author of the twentieth centuryRead MoreThe Poisonwood Bible By Barbara Kingsolver1961 Words   |  8 PagesThe poisonwood Bible is a book about identity, growing up and family. The main characters throughout the book grow and learn to become new people through new relationships they develop while in the Congo as well as through struggles they face while in the Congo. Barbara Kingsolver uses the literary elements of plot, the characters, and point of view to develop the characterization and relationships between the Price family in the Poisonwood Bible. Throughout the book Kingsolver uses different aspectsRead MoreEssay on The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver919 Words   |  4 Pagesa sure sense of self. But along with all these great things come regret, guilt, and shame of past events. Everyone deals with these in different ways, sometimes turning to religion and denial as coping mechanisms. In the novel The Poisonwood Bible, By Barbara Kingsolver, each member of the Price family deals with a personal guilt either gained while on their mission in the Congo or long before. This novel exemplifies the different types of guilt the Price family experienced throughout their stay in