Awards: Oprah's Book Club selection (1999), South African Book Prize (2000)
Pulitzer Prize shortlist (1999)
Genre: Fiction
Plot Summary
The Price Family
Mother: Orleana Price (narrator from the future)
Father: Nathan Price (Baptist missionary)
Daughters: Rachel, Leah, Ada, and Ruth May
Setting
Year: 1959
Location: Congo village, Kilanga
Major Events
Missionary Trip: Nathan leads his family to Congo for missionary work.
Cultural Conflict: Nathan's insistence on baptizing the children conflicts with village customs.
Orleana's Realization: She plans to leave Congo with her daughters but Nathan refuses.
Ruth May's Death: Bitten by a snake and dies, prompting Orleana and her daughters to leave.
Exodus: Only Orleana and Ada return to the U.S., Leah and Rachel stay, forming relationships with locals.
Aftermath: Each daughter follows a different path; Leah marries her love, Rachel has multiple marriages, Ada becomes a doctor.
Characters
Orleana Price
Narrator from the future, reflecting on past events seeking forgiveness from her deceased daughter.
Nathan Price
Baptist missionary, driven by guilt from World War II, extreme in saving souls.
Rachel Price
Eldest daughter, initially dissatisfied, later marries multiple times and settles in a luxurious hotel.
Leah Price
Second daughter, initially supportive of Nathan, later forms a relationship with a local man and stays in Congo.
Ada Price
Leah's twin, has hemiplegia, becomes a doctor in the U.S., forgives her mother.
Ruth May Price
Youngest daughter, dies from a snake bite, central to Orleana's narrative of seeking forgiveness.
Themes
Cultural Clash: Conflict between Western missionary ideals and Congolese customs.
Guilt and Forgiveness: Orleana's journey of seeking forgiveness for Ruth May's death.
Survival and Adaptation: The Price family's struggle to adapt to life in Congo.
Family and Loyalty: Different paths taken by the daughters, yet their bond remains.
Key Sections
Book One: The Things We Carried
Focus on family’s preparations and initial journey to Congo.
Book Two: The Revelation
Cultural misunderstandings and Nathan’s failed attempts to integrate.
Book Three: The Judges
Increasing tensions, Orleana’s realization, and the eventual departure.
Book Four: Bel and the Serpent
Ruth May’s death and its aftermath.
Book Five: Exodus
The Price women’s journeys post-departure from Congo.
Book Six: Song of the Three Children and the Eyes in the Trees
Reflections from Ruth May after death, Orleana's final realization and forgiveness.
Author Biography
Barbara Kingsolver
Born: April 8, 1955, Annapolis, Maryland
Background: Lived in Congo briefly, studied at DePauw University
Early Career: Science writer, short story contest winner
Major Works: The Bean Trees, Pigs in Heaven, Prodigal Summer, The Lacuna, Flight Behavior
Awards: South African Book Prize, National Humanities Medal
Current Residence: Washington County, Virginia
Conclusion
The Poisonwood Bible explores deep themes of cultural clash, guilt, and the resilience of the human spirit through the lens of a missionary family in Congo. Each character's journey provides a unique perspective on the challenges and transformations they endure.