MLACitation:

Kingsolver,Barbara.
ThePoisonwoodBible,
NewYorkCity:HarperPerennial,1999.Print.

NovelSettings:
Kilanga
TheCongo
Leopoldville
SanderlingIsland,Georgia
Atlanta,Georgia
Bulungu
Johannesburg,SouthAfrica
Stanleyville
Bikoki
Angola

MajorPlotPoints:
ThePricefamilyisrelocatedtotheCongo
NathanPricedoesnothaveagoodfirst
impression,andthepeopleofthevillage
donotapproveofhispreachings
MamaTatabainformsMr.Pricethatheis
plantingincorrectly
SheleavesthePricefamilytofendfor
themselves
NelsoncomesandstayswiththePrice
familyinordertoassistthemaroundthe
houseinreturnitemsaresentbacktohis
family
Adahisalmostattackedbyalion,but
managestoescape,muchdothevillage
chief,TataNdusdismay
NelsongivesRuthMaya
littleamulet
calleda
nkisi
RuthMayisbittenbyagreenmambaand
dies
OrleannaandthegirlsleaveKilanga
Adahdoesscientificresearch
LeahmarriesAnatoleandtheystarta
familytogether
Orleannabecomesagardener

ThePoisonwood
Bible

byBarbaraKingsolver

Motifs:
1. GreenMamba:Althoughitisfearedby
RuthMay,itrepresentsthegrowthand
thespiritofthejungle.ThesnakeisRuth
MayssafeplacethatNelsoninstructsher
toenvisionsoherspiritcangosomewhere
whenshedies.
2. LightandDark:Thedarknesscomesfrom
theWesternoppressionthatisbrought
throughthePrices.Theironyisthatthe
Congolesepeoplearedescribedashaving
verydarkskin,whilethePricefamilyhas
amuchlightercomplexion.However,itis
thePricefamilythatisdoingmoreharm
thangood,thusbringingadarknesstothe
village.
3. Language:Eachdaughterhasadifferent
relationshipwithwords.Racheloften
misuseswords,whileAdahwritesand
readsthembackwards.RuthMaycreated
herownwords,whileLeahusesthemto
getcloserwiththemanwhoturnsoutto
beherhusband.

Allusions:
PatriceLumumba
JosephMobutu
BettyCrocker
ArtLinkletter'sHouseParty
DonaldDuck
LoneRanger
WilliamShakespeare,
TheTempest
CharlotteBronte,
JaneEyre
DanielDefoe,
RobinsonCrusoe
Connections:
Kingsolverwasraisedinrural
Kentucky
,similarto
theupbringingofthePricegirls.Shelivedbrieflyin
theCongoinherearlychildhood,whichinfluenced
hernovel.Kingsolveralsoearnedadegreein
biologyat
DePauwUniversity
,whichcanbe
paralleledtoAdahandhersciencebackground.
HerexperiencesintheCongo,rangingfromno
runningwaterandnoelectricity,aresimilartothe
girlsexperiencesintheCongoaswell.
5MeaningfulQuotes:
1. RuthMaymarveleyedwithahand
cuppedoverhermouth,Ihavewilled
myselftoforget,forget,forget,andnot
forget,forthoseeyeswillseethrough
anything,evenmydreams.RuthMaywith
theeyesofanEastermorning,(361).
2. LikeMethuselahIcoweredbesidemy
cage,andthoughmysoulhankeredafter
themountain,Ifound,likeMethuselah,I
hadnowings,(201).
3. Thedeathofsomethinglivingistheprice
ofourownsurvival,andwepayitagain
andagain.Wehavenochoice.Itistheone
solemnpromiseeverylifeonearthisborn
andboundtokeep,(347).
4. Therewasnothinglefttotomovebut
myself,Iwalkedtotheendofourvillage
andkeptgoing,withawholeraftof
childrenbehindme(383).
5. Slidetheweightfromyourshouldersand
moveforward(543).

ThematicSubjects:
1. Arrogance/oppression
implementedbytheWest:With
Westerncolonialismcomes
arrogance.NathanPrice
symbolizestheWesternculture
andthenegativeinfluencethey
hadwhencolonizingcertainparts
ofAfrica.Thisthemeoccursinthe
majorityofthenovelbecausethere
isplentyofracialtensiondueto
theseverityofthesemissionsand
planstoconvertthenative
people.Manyofthewhite
characterscomeoverandarevery
sureintheworktheyaredoingand
areconfidentinbringingtheir
styleoflifetothesenatives.
2. BurdenofGuilt:Thenovelnotso
subtlydiscussesthemoral
dilemmaofwantingtohelp,but
choosingthemosteffectivewayin
doingso.Orleannapossesses
similarguiltmanyAmericans
choosetofeelwhenthinkingabout
whatcolonialEuropeandAmerica
didoverseas.Notonlyisthereguilt
foralostchild,butforthedrastic
affectthesewomenhavehadon
thepeopleoftheCongo.
3. Freedomvs.Oppression:
Methuselahactsasabiggersymbol
forthefreedomandoppression
thatthevillagersinKilanga
experience.Whengiventheoption
offreedom,heissodependenton
hisownerthathecannotliveon
hisown.Whenhefinallydoes
becomemoreindependent,he
dies.Therearesimilaritiesbefore
andafterelections.

Symbols:
1.
Methuselah:Methuselahisassumedto
bedeadwhensetoffintothewild.He
isasymbolfortheCongobecausejust
likewhenMethuselahdiesafter
gainingindependence,theCongo
strugglesaftergainingtheir
independence.Thereisgovernment
turmoilandthecountryishaving
problemsbecausejustlikeMethuselah
withthePricefamily,theywere
dependentonBelgium.
2. Demonstrationgarden:Thisgarden
representstheignorancetheWestern
cultureholdsforAfricancivilization.It
alsosymbolizedthestrugglefor
NathanPricetocreateafollowingwith
thevillagers.Heisattemptingtobring
innewideasandplantanew
religion,however,itisnotassuccessful
asonceoriginallythought.
3. Mirror:Rachelsmirrorissymbolicof
hernarcissismandcreatesasenseof
nostalgia.Themirrorisalast
connectiontohome,andmanyofthe
villagewomenandmenwereso
fascinatedwiththemirrorthatthey
visitedthePriceresidence.Themirror
showshowinnocentandunaffected
theCongolesepeoplearebefore
oppressionandcolonialism.
4. PoisonwoodTree:Nathaniswarned
nottotouchitandinterferebyMama
Tataba.Heignoresthewarningand
endsupwithswollenarmsandhands.
Thissymbolizesthedestructionand
negativeimpacthehasonthe
Congolese,inturngettingpoorresults.
Heremainsculturallyarrogant.
5. Ant:Theantsrepresenthowpowerful
anddemandingthejunglecanbe.It
showsthelengthatwhichthePrice
familymustgotoinordertosurvive.
Theantsdestroyeverythingintheir
path,justlikeNathan.