The Poisonwood Bible
Encyclopedia
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
is
a bestselling novel about a missionary
family, the Prices, who in 1959 move from Georgia
to the village of Kilanga in the Belgian Congo
, close to the Kwilu River. (The nearest town, an impossibly long journey away, is Bulungu
.) The Prices' story, which parallels their host country's tumultuous emergence into the post-colonial era, is narrated by the five women of the family: Orleanna, long-suffering wife of Baptist
missionary Nathan Price, and their four daughters—Rachel, Leah, Adah, and Ruth May.
then alternates among the four daughters, with a slight preference for the voice
of the most outspoken one, Leah. The four girls increasingly mature, as each adapts differently to African village life, to the misogyny
of their father, and the political turmoil
that overtakes The Congo
in the 1960s. Since we see the Congolese villagers through the eyes of the growing daughters, our view changes. At first, they appear as ridiculous savages. But as the girls mature, the villagers become fully fleshed-out human beings immersed in a complex, sophisticated culture. Nathan's lack of responsiveness to this culture wears out his family's welcome, but he refuses to depart. It is only after a series of misfortunes, culminating in the death of one of the daughters, that the women leave the father to his folly. The survivors take very different paths into their futures, which are described up to the 1990s. The novel ends at the time of the death of Mobutu Sese Seko
.
Other characters
in 1999.
The book won the 2000 Boeke Prize
.
Barbara Kingsolver
Barbara Kingsolver is an American novelist, essayist and poet. She was raised in rural Kentucky and lived briefly in the former Republic of Congo in her early childhood. Kingsolver earned degrees in biology at DePauw University and the University of Arizona and worked as a freelance writer before...
is
a bestselling novel about a missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
family, the Prices, who in 1959 move from Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
to the village of Kilanga in the Belgian Congo
Belgian Congo
The Belgian Congo was the formal title of present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo between King Leopold II's formal relinquishment of his personal control over the state to Belgium on 15 November 1908, and Congolese independence on 30 June 1960.-Congo Free State, 1884–1908:Until the latter...
, close to the Kwilu River. (The nearest town, an impossibly long journey away, is Bulungu
Bulungu
Bulungu is a town in Lulua District of southern Democratic Republic of the Congo. As of 2009 it had an estimated population of 54,424....
.) The Prices' story, which parallels their host country's tumultuous emergence into the post-colonial era, is narrated by the five women of the family: Orleanna, long-suffering wife of Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
missionary Nathan Price, and their four daughters—Rachel, Leah, Adah, and Ruth May.
Plot introduction
Orleanna Price narrates the introductory chapter in five of the novel's seven sections. The narrativeNarrative
A narrative is a constructive format that describes a sequence of non-fictional or fictional events. The word derives from the Latin verb narrare, "to recount", and is related to the adjective gnarus, "knowing" or "skilled"...
then alternates among the four daughters, with a slight preference for the voice
Writer's voice
Writer's voice is the literary term used to describe the individual writing style of an author. Voice was generally considered to be a combination of a writer's use of syntax, diction, punctuation, character development, dialogue, etc., within a given body of text . Voice can be thought of in terms...
of the most outspoken one, Leah. The four girls increasingly mature, as each adapts differently to African village life, to the misogyny
Misogyny
Misogyny is the hatred or dislike of women or girls. Philogyny, meaning fondness, love or admiration towards women, is the antonym of misogyny. The term misandry is the term for men that is parallel to misogyny...
of their father, and the political turmoil
Congo Crisis
The Congo Crisis was a period of turmoil in the First Republic of the Congo that began with national independence from Belgium and ended with the seizing of power by Joseph Mobutu...
that overtakes The Congo
Republic of the Congo (Léopoldville)
The Republic of the Congo was an independent republic established following the independence granted to the former colony of the Belgian Congo in 1960...
in the 1960s. Since we see the Congolese villagers through the eyes of the growing daughters, our view changes. At first, they appear as ridiculous savages. But as the girls mature, the villagers become fully fleshed-out human beings immersed in a complex, sophisticated culture. Nathan's lack of responsiveness to this culture wears out his family's welcome, but he refuses to depart. It is only after a series of misfortunes, culminating in the death of one of the daughters, that the women leave the father to his folly. The survivors take very different paths into their futures, which are described up to the 1990s. The novel ends at the time of the death of Mobutu Sese Seko
Mobutu Sese Seko
Mobutu Sese Seko Nkuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga , commonly known as Mobutu or Mobutu Sese Seko , born Joseph-Désiré Mobutu, was the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1965 to 1997...
.
Major characters
The Prices- Orleanna Price – Nathan's wife, born in MississippiMississippiMississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, the mother of four daughters, deferential to her husband but independent-minded - Nathan Price – an evangelical Baptist minister and a World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
veteran from Georgia, determined to save Africa for Jesus - Rachel Price (15 at start of the novel) – the oldest Price girl, blonde, self-centered, obsessed with her looks and with American consumer culture
- Leah Price (14 at start of the novel) – Adah's twin, intelligent, self-confident, competitive, tenacious and compassionate, prone to dogmatism and concerned with her own salvation, tomboyTomboyA tomboy is a girl who exhibits characteristics or behaviors considered typical of the gender role of a boy, including the wearing of typically masculine-oriented clothes and engaging in games and activities that are often physical in nature, and which are considered in many cultures to be the...
ish - Adah Price (14 at start of the novel) – Leah's twin, hemiplegic from birth, silent, brilliant in math and languages, witty, skeptical, sarcastic, envious of Leah, and prone to self-pity
- Ruth May Price (5) – the youngest Price, playful, independent, adventurous, perceptive and inquisitive
Other characters
- The Underdowns – Belgian mission chiefs who welcome and send supplies to the Prices
- Eeben Axelroot – corrupt South African mercenaryMercenaryA mercenary, is a person who takes part in an armed conflict based on the promise of material compensation rather than having a direct interest in, or a legal obligation to, the conflict itself. A non-conscript professional member of a regular army is not considered to be a mercenary although he...
pilot - Anatole Ngemba – village teacher, orphan, fluent in English interpreter for Nathan's sermons
- Brother Fowles – New Yorker, the Prices' predecessor on the mission, married a local woman
- Mama Tataba – a village woman, formerly employed by Fowles, who works for the Prices
- Tata Ndu – the village chief
- Tata Kuvudundu – the spiritual leader of the village
- Nelson – an orphanOrphanAn orphan is a child permanently bereaved of or abandoned by his or her parents. In common usage, only a child who has lost both parents is called an orphan...
ed village boy, Anatole's student, who works for the Prices - Methusaleh – a parrotParrotParrots, also known as psittacines , are birds of the roughly 372 species in 86 genera that make up the order Psittaciformes, found in most tropical and subtropical regions. The order is subdivided into three families: the Psittacidae , the Cacatuidae and the Strigopidae...
left by Brother Fowles, excellent at imitating human speech
Reception and awards
The Poisonwood Bible was selected for Oprah's Book ClubOprah's Book Club
Oprah's Book Club was a book discussion club segment of the American talk show The Oprah Winfrey Show, highlighting books chosen by host Oprah Winfrey. Winfrey started the book club in 1996, selecting a new novel for viewers to read and discuss each month. The Club ended its 15-year run, along with...
in 1999.
The book won the 2000 Boeke Prize
Exclusive Books Boeke Prize
The Exclusive Books Boeke Prize is a book prize awarded in South Africa, loosely modelled on the United Kingdom's Man Booker Prize, and sponsored by Exclusive Books...
.
External links
- Barbara Kingsolver talks about The Poisonwood Bible on the BBC's World Book ClubWorld Book ClubWorld Book Club is a radio programme on the BBC World Service. Each edition of the programme, which is broadcast on the first Saturday of the month with repeats into the following Monday, features a famous author discussing one of his or her books, often the most well-known one, with the public...
See also
- Democratic Republic of the CongoDemocratic Republic of the CongoThe Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
- Congo RiverCongo RiverThe Congo River is a river in Africa, and is the deepest river in the world, with measured depths in excess of . It is the second largest river in the world by volume of water discharged, though it has only one-fifth the volume of the world's largest river, the Amazon...
- Congo CrisisCongo CrisisThe Congo Crisis was a period of turmoil in the First Republic of the Congo that began with national independence from Belgium and ended with the seizing of power by Joseph Mobutu...
- Patrice LumumbaPatrice LumumbaPatrice Émery Lumumba was a Congolese independence leader and the first legally elected Prime Minister of the Republic of the Congo after he helped win its independence from Belgium in June 1960. Only ten weeks later, Lumumba's government was deposed in a coup during the Congo Crisis...