POISONWOOD BIBLE

BY

BARBARA KINGSOLVER

“WHOEVER FIGHTS MONSTERS SHOULD SEE TO IT THAT IN THE PROCESS HE DOES NOT BECOME A MONSTER. AND, WHEN YOU LOOK INTO THE ABYSS, THE ABYSS ALSO LOOKS INTO YOU.”

FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE

ORGANIZATION

• Each book begins with an

epigraph - a short quotation or

saying at the beginning of a book

or chapter, intended to suggest its

theme.

NARRATORS: TOLD FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF FIVE INDIVIDUALS: ORLEANNA (MOTHER), RACHEL, LEAH, ADAH, AND RUTH MAY (DAUGHTERS).

SETTING: THE BELGIAN CONGO (AFRICA) IN 1959

SETTING, CONTINUED

HISTORICAL REFERENCES

• Prince Lumumba –

• First elected president

• Preached a gospel of peace

and prosperity

• Beaten to death during military

coup orchestrated by the U.S.

and Belgium in 1961

• Wanted Congo to be in control

of their own resources (diamonds

/ rubber)

JOSEPH MOBUTU

• Political puppet of western

powers

• Put in place after assassination

of Patrice Lumumba

•Greed and corrupt

• Kept nation in poverty

RACHEL PRICE

•Oldest daughter of Nathan and Orleanna, 15 years old

•Materialistic

•Uses malapropisms as a way to “sound” intelligent

ADAH AND LEAH PRICE

• Adah

• 14 years old

• “Disabled” twin, paralyzed on one

side

• Highly intelligent

• Observes what goes on

• Uses palindromes in her language

• Leah

• 14 years old

• Complete opposite of Adah

• Idealistic

• Initially the most supportive of

Nathan

• Compassionate and intelligent

RUTH MAY PRICE

• Youngest child at five years old

• Catalyst for change in Orleanna

• Fears the mamba snake

• First to reach out and interact with Kilanga natives

ORLEANNA PRICE

•Mother and wife

•Only speaker to narrate in the past tense

•Carefree before her marriage to Nathan

NATHAN

•We only learn about him in from his wife, Orelanna, and his

daughters, Rachel, Leah, Adah, and Ruth May; he does not narrate

his own story.

• Religiously fanatical

• Stubborn to a fault

• Abusive

• Determined to convert the natives rather than learn from them

CHARACTERS: KILANGA

• Anatole – idealistic, translator for Nathan to the Kilanga

• Eeben Axelroot – Mercenary pilot, contact with outside world

• Tata Ndu – Village Chief

• Tata Kuvundu – Revered keeper of the old traditions, religious leader

• Brother Fowles – Previous missionary, compassionate, willing to learn from the

natives

• Underdowns –Greet the Price family, wealthy members of society

SYMBOLS:

METHUSALA OKAPI

SYMBOLS, CONTINUED

• Nathan’s Garden •Green Mamba Snake