Poisonwood Bible Family Conflicts Essay

The Price Family is very religious and has a strong belief in God. Therefore, it only makes sense to have allusions throughout the story. Allusions bring the theme across because it helps the readers to see what happens when someone is guilty. For instance, if the girls do something they are not supposed to do the father, Nathan, would tell the girls “‘you have The Verse’” (Kingsolver 59). The Verse is a punishment to make them feel guilty for something wrong they

Each of the Price women are dramatically changed by their experience in the Congo, but the most prominent change is seen within Leah and Orleanna. Brother Fowles’ visit plays a crucial role in their transformation. During

her father trusted him. It makes her sad and fearful of the power that her father possesses. She is

Before Leah move to Congo, she clearly believes that her father is a God-like figure. When Mama Tataba and Leah’s father, Nathan, argue about how to correctly tend the soil, Leah observes how her father “stood his ground… tall as Goliath and pure of heart as David” (40). Comparing Nathan to biblical figures such as Goliath, a long-time undefeated warrior, and David, a man who defeated Goliath with his faith in God, shows how Leah views her father. Nathan has an undeniably strong relationship with God, and that Leah aspires to have that kind of strong bond with her father, who represents an almighty figure like God in her life. Because Leah sees her father as an idol, she believes that although “Not everyone can see it… [her] father’s heart is as large as his hands” (42). Leah chooses to ignore others’ opinions about her father because she is unaware at the time of her father’s true character; she sees her father as an inspiring, caring, and knowledgeable man. She uses Nathan’s past experiences, such as his participation in the Second World War, to justify his wisdom and actions. Leah, therefore, devotes her early life to gain her father’s approval. When Leah and her sisters take the blame for teaching Methuselah, the parrot, profanity, Nathan

No one shows the oppression, inflicted upon the Congo’s people in hope of spreading imperialism, better than the main characters in this story. Nathans only goal is to convert all of the native people’s beliefs to Christianity. By hoping to doing this, they will be able to grasp control and establish their dominance upon the village. This can be seen through Orleannas thoughts, “Call it oppression, complicity stupefaction, call it what you’d like, it doesn’t matter. Africa swallowed the conqueror’s music and sang a new song of her own” (Kingsolver 385). Kingsolver shows that individuals are always going to want and demand control, however the victims of this oppression will fight past it and won’t give in. Many people have come before the Price family, trying to do the same thing. However, the natives are smarter than to give into their new ideologies.

As Nathan was treated poorly throughout the story I really saw him forgive his wife time and time again throughout the book. After the death of Nathan and Ruth’s daughter Ariel their relationship was tested to the max. Ruth would isolate herself from her husband and she almost despised him for not being upset with the Lord. Ruth could not accept how Nathan turned to God because she blamed God for all of this. While Nathan was being ignored, looked as bad, or just despised by his wife, he did not fold in and say whatever I give up. Nathan had an understanding and forgiving mindset he understood why his wife felt like this. Nathan forgave his wife while she was in the progress of despises him. Nathan never acted this way towards her, he simply turned the other cheek. Nathan showed a great will power by being able to forgive his wife so easily. This spoke volumes because he simply lived his life in a forgiving manner. As Nathan showed his faith and forgiveness through the story I saw a true man of God. Nathan lived in such a way where he could forgive people for the things they did and this was because of how strong he was in his faith. Living a life like Nathan means to live a life for God. A true man of God allowed for Nathan to live a very purposeful life.

Nathan sees his wife children as burdens, rather than gifts. A child is supposed to be your pride and joy and Nathan does not see this. He is more of a ruler than a father. Orleanna even

Nathan Price’s real goal for going to the Congo was to baptize all the villagers in the area. This, however, was relentlessly being opposed by many villagers because of the incident where a crocodile ate a young girl in the same river Nathan was going to baptize the people in. Although opposed, Nathan remained unwavering in his goals. This causes many villagers to hate him and change their opinion of him, his family, and

Initially appearing as a devout Christian Mr. Price slowly reveals his controlling personality. This characteristic is a direct source of the abuses he imposes upon his family, whether mentally or physically. The reader begins to realize this fact during conversations, especially about one’s about faith. If threatened, Nathan Price lashes out, and uses his beliefs as attacks against his children, but mostly his wife. Orleanna Price is wedded to Nathan Price, and is the subject of his cruelty. As a housewife, Mrs. Price is a direct result of Mr. Price’s controlling behavior, as illustrated in the conversation with the Underdowns. In an tempt to flee the country, Orleanna reaches out, but is quickly reminded of her place by a sarcastic remark from Nathan: “ ‘What is it you’d like to say, for your own part’ “ (Kingsolver 168). Mr. Price understands the grip he has upon his wife, and utilizes it to his full advantage, destroying her free will. Furthermore, he inflicts abuse upon his wife, both mentally and physically. Demonstrated by frequent arguments between the two, the result is usually a slap and/or comments that drain the life the life from Mrs. Price. At the end of a conversation between wife and husband about the attitude of Anatole, Mr. Price begin to scream at Orleanna for mocking him, followed by Nathan “grabbing her

Kingsolver and Coleridge create the main character (Nathan Price in The Poisonwood Bible and the Mariner in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner) to have egotistical pride to cause the downfall of hope and health. While in the Congo for over a year, the youngest daughter of Nathan Price dies. Due to Nathan’s “egomaniacal zeal” (Par.1, “The Poisonwood”), his family is put into danger and causes his family to fall apart. As the downfall is occurring, Leah, whom once had a love for her father, restates her feelings for love as feelings of her hatred, stating that her father is a “simple, ugly man” (P. 368, Kingsolver) whom cares more about himself

(Wolff 14) This shows that LaVaughn doesn’t depend on her mom to help her do things. Her mom is so busy at night that LaVaughn needs to remember to do her homework, and any other work, by herself before she goes to bed. That exemplifies LaVaughn’s independence, because she can’t rely on her her mom in the relationship that they have. Additionally, LaVaughn is influenced by the internal factor of her helpfulness.

An example of her new, defiant attitude can be found in the story whenever Father comes

     Throughout the story the Protagonist demonstrates a very unbalanced relationship with her family members. She feels intimidated by the world around her and turns her lack of knowledge into knowledge by controlling and influencing her younger brother Laird. She does so by telling him stories and exposing him to experiences she claims to be familiar with. In her later years her relationship with her brother becomes strong as they both realize they can benefit from each other’s experiences and differences. As a child the Protagonist viewed her father as God-like because he had control and organization over the lives and deaths of the foxes. In essence he became her hero as she admired his control over the animals. In her future relationship with her father she came to see that he was simply a business man and she made a great attempt to form a deeper relationship with her father. As she began to understand he was simply human and was no longer fearful of him. Her relationship with

For Leah the truth was whatever her Father preached. She even confirmed her ideas to fit his in the portion where she adheres to his beliefs about the garden. Even when Mama Tata tells Pastor Price seeds must be planted in mounds, Leah believes what her father says, even though he doesn’t have the planting experience that Mama Tata has. Another theme in the story is that your past shapes your future.

Learning is fundamental to all parts of human life, and inability to learn brings critical results. In every day life we experience a ton of issues. Some are personal daily life issues, and a few issues we do experience in light of absence of information and involvement in particular field. Two decades ago learning was done through instructor, experts, and schools and by observing other. In present period learning through old strategies are getting costly. It’s hard to afford old techniques of learning yet we do advance to electronic medium like Internet learning that do give us cheaper alternative of learning. In the first place fundamental guideline of learning is that individual should be persuaded to discover new information in life (Marzano, Robert J & Pickering, Debra, Arredondo, Daisy E & ebrary, 1997).