Monday, April 29, 2013

In class essay (4-29-13)

In Barbara kingsolvers The poisonwood bible, there is a cast of characters widely varied but all experiencing some measure of change prompted by there environment, surroundings, no more so than Leah Price. At first and foremost the daughter of a priest an, following her fathers zealous religious footsteps, Leah's experiences in the african congo amongst the native populace makes an indelible impact on her character. Maturing mentally, intellectually, Leah by novels end becomes enlightened, empathetic towards the differing values, cultural beliefs of the African tribe she came to "purge" the surrounding culture shaping her development as well as helping shed light, illuminating the ultimate meaning of the work.

Arriving in the African Congo the prices are a god fearing family. Led by their zealous father Nathan price, the family is on a mission delivered unto by Christianity, god to purge the native paganism of the local tribes. Indeed Leah Price is at the outset of Poisonwood bible the paradigm of daddy little girl following in her fathers footsteps blinded by his misguided idealism, ignorance, she so to wishing to purge the locals of there fundamental faith. Yet her time in the Congo, observing and interacting with the locals soon comes to change her. When she begins "educating" the locals on ger Christian values early in the novel, Leah soon learns the culture and customs of the indigenous rapidly realizing her faith to be to excluding and too out of touch out if place for the Congolese. Effectually falling in love with not only Africa but the locals beliefs, she marries a local boy named Anatole so to effectively marrying the ideals of Africa rather than that of her fathers blind, ignorance unaccepting of others perspicacity. Leah is shaped by her surroundings, her developmental odyssey, sojourn from being blind and ignorant attempting to purge and force her own ideals to eventually understanding, empathizing and embracing the congolese views, her conversions ultimately illuminating the most prominent overarching theme, meaning vested in the work: tolerance for others beliefs and culture.

Within Barbara Kingsolver's novel The Poisonwood Bible we witness the effects, indelible impact of surroundings upon a character. Leah price begins as daddy's little girl following the religious zealous ideals of her upbringing lacking at first any and all understanding, tolerance for others cultures, beliefs. Initially arriving to purge the paganism of the Congolese, Leah's time in Africa, her interactions with the local denizens, her surroundings quickly shape her, engender new beliefs. It is she who is educated when attempting to educate and exterminate the culture of the locals she learning only what they could teach: acceptance of others, tolerance. When she marries the congo tribesman Anatole she symbolically marries Kimgsolvers ultimate theme, her surroundings marrying her to the very meaning of the work: tolerance, acceptance of others culture, beliefs.

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