Zachary T McCall - Mrs.

Carter Narrative Piece 3/17/2014

Even sweet intentions can become sour endeavors. Nathan Price was called by God to
go down to the Congo and spread Gods word and make them believers. It was a task that had
ever so sweet intentions. But by Barbara Kingsolvers deployment of the 5 narrative views from
the 5 women in the story, we figure out that in fact these sweet intentions leave a sour taste.
Peoples minds have to fill in the blanks of what the 5 narrators left out, Nathan being
the biggest hole in the story. With the 5 women giving their impressions on Nathan, people will
judge him off of what they read. Judging is peoples natural instinct whether they will admit it or
not. By using the 5 different narrators, Kingsolver has the reader putting their interpretations of
Nathan where its needed. This can affect the theme because if the reader interprets Nathan as
the 5 women give their impressions then it becomes obvious that the sweet intentions of
spreading Gods word can become a sour endeavor.
Another aspect that Barbara Kingsolver employees is the way she tells the story. By
splitting the book into 7 different books, the reader must think when reading. The novel last
over a 30 year period where the family spends its time in the Congo for the majority of the
novel. By doing this the reader can feel the wear and tear of what the family is going through
with Nathan leading them.
The sweetest things in the world can always turn sour anytime. Barbara Kingsolver uses
the 5 narrators and splitting the novel up into 7 books to really show the effect of the Congo and
Nathan on the 5 women. The readers mind takes care of filling in for what Nathan is like.
Comment [Z1]: void
Comment [Z2]: point of views
Comment [Z3]: add how
Comment [Z4]: Change to work
Comment [Z5]: Remove
Comment [Z6]: Say where its needed
Comment [Z7]: Remove
Comment [Z8]: Change to goes
Comment [Z9]: Change to in the gaps for who
Nathan is.