“But sometimes life doesn’t give you all that many chances at being good. Not here, anyway. Even Father learned that one the hard way. He came on strong, thinking he’d save the children, and what does he do but lose his own? That’s the lesson, right there. If you take a bunch of practically grown, red-blooded daughters to Africa, don’t you think at least some of them are going to marry or what have you, and end up staying? You can’t just sashay into the jungle aiming to change it all over to the Christian style, without expecting the jungle to change you right back” (Kingsolver, 515).
I found this passage very interesting as I was reading the last two chapters of this book. It stuck out in my mind even after I passed it because I felt like it sums up the Price family’s mentality when first arriving in the Congo. This passage is told by Rachel, oddly enough, and it is quite blunt and to the point, which I love. She is basically admitting that her and her family arrived in the Congo expecting to change their surroundings (in her Father’s mind, for the better) and not have their new surroundings change them in the slightest bit. Reflecting back on her time in Kilanga with her family, Rachel now understands that this mentality is completely wrong and untrue. The last three sentences of this passage are the strongest, in my opinion. It shows that Rachel’s mentality now is much more accepting of her surroundings and the impact it has had on her. This is a drastic change from the beginning of the book where all she wanted to do was return to Georgia, never return to Africa and erase every memory she ever made there from her mind.
“If I could reach backward somehow to give Father just one gift, it would be the simple human relief of knowing you’ve done wrong, and living through it. Poor Father, who was just one of a million men who never did catch on. He stamped me with a belief in justice, then drenched me in culpability, and I wouldn’t wish such torment even on a mosquito! But that exciting, tyrannical God of his has left me for good. I don’t know how to name what crept in to take his place. Some kin to the passion of Brother Fowles, I guess, who advised me to trust in Creation, which is made fresh daily and doesn’t suffer in translation. This God does not work in especially mysterious ways” (Kingsolver, 525).
This passage is told from the perspective of Leah, who is now living in Angola with Anatole and their children. I found this passage to be both interesting and significant because it shows that Nathan Price essentially destroyed Leah’s relationship with God. By pressing the Word on her for so many years, and treating his family the way he did, it completely turned Leah off from ever choosing to worship God on her own. Leah’s view on her Father did a complete 180 from the beginning of the book until this point. As we read, Leah used to worship her Father and wanted to grow to be just like him. But after realizing her Father’s true character, Leah wanted to be nothing him. In this passage Leah states that her Father drenched her in a heavy guilt and for that, it doesn’t seem as though she could ever forgive him. This is probably part of the reason why her belief in God is no longer there. God and the Word are both relationships tainted by the memory of her Father. Leah now believes in The Creation, the religion of Africa’s common people. This religion doesn’t change from day to day and it is predictable. I think that because Leah is now living in Africa leading the life she is, this is a much more suitable religion that she can believe in. It is a stable, never-changing relationship with nature.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Monday, April 9, 2007
Lexicographer: Exodus
Kikongo Words
Bandika – to kill with an arrow; attach, glue, join, load.
Braai –roast, barbeque, toast.
Citoyen –citizen.
Filaires – tiny parasites that crawl into your pores and cause flare-ups.
Jezebel –wife of Ahab, King of Israel, who was a cruel & immoral queen who worshiped Baal and tried to kill prophets of Israel; A shameless impudent scheming woman.
Mondele – "white daughter"; Elisabet's nickname for Leah.
Nuus – daily news
Nyoka –snake, serpent
Nzolani— to be the most precious.
Nzole –traditional marriage cloth, symbolizes the togetherness of marriage; double the size of a regular pagne.
Nzolo – dearly beloved.
English Words/Phrases:
Bigamist : somebody who is married illegally to two people simultaneously.
Derelict : no longer lived in; in poor condition because of neglect.
Exonerates: to declare officially that somebody is not to blame; to relieve somebody from an obligation or responsibility.
Penitents: expressing or feeling regret or sorrow for having committed sins or misdeeds.
Prophetic: predicting or foreshadowing something that does eventually happen; relating to a prophet.
Rabid: infected with rabies; very enthusiastic or fanatical.
Scapular: any one of the feathers on a bird's shoulder.
Spires: a tall narrow pointed structure on the top of a roof, tower, or steeple.
Stupor: an acute lack of mental alertness brought on, for example, by shock or lack of sleep.
“ Love changes everything. I have never suspected it would be so. Requited love, I should say, for I’ve loved my father fiercely my whole life, and it changed nothing. But now, all around me, the flame trees have roused from their long, dry sleep into walls of scarlet blossom. Anatole moves through the dappled shade at the edges of my vision, wearing the silky pelt of a panther. I crave to feel that pelt against my neck. I crave it with a predator’s impatience, ignoring time, keening to the silence of owls” (Kingsolver, 399-400).
This quote stuck out to me because it shows Leah’s realization of what the concept of love really is. She spent a good part of her life trying to love her father and receive that same affection in return. When Nathan couldn’t love Leah in the way she hoped she would, there seemed to be an empty void within her. I think this void caused Leah to drift toward Anatole from the very beginning of the book. Anatole gave Leah the attention, encouragement, and love she had been missing most of her life.
Bandika – to kill with an arrow; attach, glue, join, load.
Braai –roast, barbeque, toast.
Citoyen –citizen.
Filaires – tiny parasites that crawl into your pores and cause flare-ups.
Jezebel –wife of Ahab, King of Israel, who was a cruel & immoral queen who worshiped Baal and tried to kill prophets of Israel; A shameless impudent scheming woman.
Mondele – "white daughter"; Elisabet's nickname for Leah.
Nuus – daily news
Nyoka –snake, serpent
Nzolani— to be the most precious.
Nzole –traditional marriage cloth, symbolizes the togetherness of marriage; double the size of a regular pagne.
Nzolo – dearly beloved.
English Words/Phrases:
Bigamist : somebody who is married illegally to two people simultaneously.
Derelict : no longer lived in; in poor condition because of neglect.
Exonerates: to declare officially that somebody is not to blame; to relieve somebody from an obligation or responsibility.
Penitents: expressing or feeling regret or sorrow for having committed sins or misdeeds.
Prophetic: predicting or foreshadowing something that does eventually happen; relating to a prophet.
Rabid: infected with rabies; very enthusiastic or fanatical.
Scapular: any one of the feathers on a bird's shoulder.
Spires: a tall narrow pointed structure on the top of a roof, tower, or steeple.
Stupor: an acute lack of mental alertness brought on, for example, by shock or lack of sleep.
“ Love changes everything. I have never suspected it would be so. Requited love, I should say, for I’ve loved my father fiercely my whole life, and it changed nothing. But now, all around me, the flame trees have roused from their long, dry sleep into walls of scarlet blossom. Anatole moves through the dappled shade at the edges of my vision, wearing the silky pelt of a panther. I crave to feel that pelt against my neck. I crave it with a predator’s impatience, ignoring time, keening to the silence of owls” (Kingsolver, 399-400).
This quote stuck out to me because it shows Leah’s realization of what the concept of love really is. She spent a good part of her life trying to love her father and receive that same affection in return. When Nathan couldn’t love Leah in the way she hoped she would, there seemed to be an empty void within her. I think this void caused Leah to drift toward Anatole from the very beginning of the book. Anatole gave Leah the attention, encouragement, and love she had been missing most of her life.
Sunday, April 1, 2007
Bel and the Serpent Class Discussion Reflection
The first question we addressed in both small and large group was "How did each character react to Ruth May's death?". We were very easily able to pin point the more emotional, and obvious characters such as Orleanna, who we said was shaken up by the death but seemed to also expect it in some ways. We said that Nathan seemed to have a veru un-fatherly attitude of "oh well". Leah seemed incredibly guilty and upset over the death and her way of grieving seemed to be thinking about the times when Ruth May was still alive. Rachel's response to Ruth May's death was somewhat of a slap in the face to reality. After Ruth May's death Rachel realized that living in the Congo is no longer a vacation that can just be forgotten once she returns to the United States. We discussed how Rachel can no longer act like she never lived in the Congo because a part of her family-a part of her- will always be left there. Adah's reaction to Ruth May the class found the most interesting. Adah created a palindrome to protect herself and Ruth May from the spirits of the Congo. Adah's palindrome, which is a hymn, is the only way Adah is able to truly express herself. We also briefly discussed the process of voting and how the system of voting sways depending on the events happening in the Congo, or who is favored at the moment. The history of Patrice Lumumba's assassination was another topic that was deeply discussed. We talked about the people from the United States involved in the assassination--including President Eisenhower, chemist Sidney Gottlieb, and CIA station chief Larry Devlin. The last topic we discussed was the metaphor of BEL and THE SERPENT. We speculated that like the scripture story, this chapter was named this because of the false idols (Bel) that are being worshiped. We considered Tata Kuvundundu to be the Bel of this chapter because he is falsely worshiped by the villagers of the Congo. We considered the Price children and Nelson to be the Serpent (in the bible scripture the serpent was Daniel) because they are the people who exposed Tata Kuvundundu as the person placing the Green Mamba in the Price kitchen. Overall, I think this chapter's discussion went very well and it was very informative, which was helpful because some parts of this chapter were a bit unclear.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
"The Mosquito Coast" vs. The Poisonwood Bible: Similarities and Differences
After watching the 1986 movie The Mosquito Coast starring Harrison Ford there are some immediate similarities that come to mind between Harrison Ford's character, Allie, and The Poisonwood Bible's Nathan Price. This movie, and the novel we are reading for class, parallel each other in almost every sense from the destination of the two families(Africa), to family structure, to personalities, to personal missions.
The first and most obvious similarity between Allie and Nathan Price is that both are incredibly strong willed, somewhat crazy men who have very unconventional relationships with their families. In some parts of the movie, as we have seen in certain chapters of The Poisonwood Bible, both Allie and Nathan Price don't seem to care for their family's overall well being very much. During the class discussion reflecting on this movie and book, there was a unanimous feeling that Allie is more affectionate towards his family then Nathan Price is. Although, we may be concluding this because of the simple fact that we are watching Allie interact with his wife and children rather then reading about it from a specific point of view. Another similarity between Allie and Nathan Price is the the family structure both of these men are the "heads" of. Both men have 4 kids, which include a set of twins. Also, Allie and Nathan Price are both quite disrespectful to their wives and don't really take their opinions into consideration. Leah, one of Nathan Price's twin daughters, and Charlie, Allie's oldest son are very much alike in the sense that at the beginning of the book and/or movie both these children hold their father's on very high pedestals, as if they can do no wrong. As the book/movie continues both of these characters eventually rebel against their father's and the decisions they make. Another parallel between these two different stories was that both dealt with a death of a family member. In The Poisonwood Bible Ruth May dies from a snake bite, while in The Mosquito Coast Allie dies from a gun shot wound. Both families suffer a great loss and have to carry their passed family member's body out of Africa. Another similarity between Allie and Nathan Price is that both have their own "thing" to preach. For Allie, it was his inventions and "Fat Boy" ice machine while Nathan Price preaches the Bible and the Word of the Lord. The extreme to which Nathan Price and Allie will go to preach their own things is both good and bad. Like the kikongo word Bangala, it has a double meaning. The last thing that was similar about these two stories is that both included helpful, native African characters. In The Poisonwood Bible the character is Anatole, the school teacher, while in The Mosquito Coast the character is Hatty. Both of these characters try to be extremely helpful but because of the stubbornness of the father's, their help in unappreciated.
The first and most obvious similarity between Allie and Nathan Price is that both are incredibly strong willed, somewhat crazy men who have very unconventional relationships with their families. In some parts of the movie, as we have seen in certain chapters of The Poisonwood Bible, both Allie and Nathan Price don't seem to care for their family's overall well being very much. During the class discussion reflecting on this movie and book, there was a unanimous feeling that Allie is more affectionate towards his family then Nathan Price is. Although, we may be concluding this because of the simple fact that we are watching Allie interact with his wife and children rather then reading about it from a specific point of view. Another similarity between Allie and Nathan Price is the the family structure both of these men are the "heads" of. Both men have 4 kids, which include a set of twins. Also, Allie and Nathan Price are both quite disrespectful to their wives and don't really take their opinions into consideration. Leah, one of Nathan Price's twin daughters, and Charlie, Allie's oldest son are very much alike in the sense that at the beginning of the book and/or movie both these children hold their father's on very high pedestals, as if they can do no wrong. As the book/movie continues both of these characters eventually rebel against their father's and the decisions they make. Another parallel between these two different stories was that both dealt with a death of a family member. In The Poisonwood Bible Ruth May dies from a snake bite, while in The Mosquito Coast Allie dies from a gun shot wound. Both families suffer a great loss and have to carry their passed family member's body out of Africa. Another similarity between Allie and Nathan Price is that both have their own "thing" to preach. For Allie, it was his inventions and "Fat Boy" ice machine while Nathan Price preaches the Bible and the Word of the Lord. The extreme to which Nathan Price and Allie will go to preach their own things is both good and bad. Like the kikongo word Bangala, it has a double meaning. The last thing that was similar about these two stories is that both included helpful, native African characters. In The Poisonwood Bible the character is Anatole, the school teacher, while in The Mosquito Coast the character is Hatty. Both of these characters try to be extremely helpful but because of the stubbornness of the father's, their help in unappreciated.
Monday, March 26, 2007
Historian: Bel and the Serpent
For this chapter of The Poisonwood Bible I have the responsiblity of Historian, meaning that my job is to research any background information that is relevant or mentioned in this chapter Bel and the Serpent. Most of the researched is surrounding Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba because in the begining of this chapter he is assassinated.
--June 30, 1960: Independence of the Congo
· Along with the Independence came a name change, “Republic of the Congo”.
· In 1966 Joseph Mobutu changed name to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
· In 1971 the name was changed once again to the Republic of Zaire.
--Following the independence, the provinces of Katanga and South Kasai revolted against the new leadership. This lead to the conflict between Patrice Lumumba, Prime Minister, and Joseph Kasavubu, President.
--Patrice Lumumba:
· In May of 1960 the former Congolese postal worker was elected Prime Minister of the Congo.
· In September Lumumba was dismissed from office by Joseph Kasavubu, the President of the Congo.
· December 1, 1960: Lumumba was arrested in Port Francqui by troops of Joseph Mobutu.
· January 17, 1961: Katagan forces, which had support from Belgium and the United States CIA, assassinate Lumumba. (Belgium and the US CIA gave their support because of their desires for the Congo’s resources such as coal and diamonds.)
--After Lumumba’s death The Belgian Commission found a CIA-sponsored report to poison Lumumba. This command is speculated to have come from United States President Dwight Eisenhower. CIA chemist Sidney Gottlieb devised the toothpaste-like poison. This plan failed due to the conscience of CIA station chief Larry Devlin, who would not go through with this plan.
--In 1965: Joseph Mobutu, Chief of Staff of the Congo army, overthrew Joseph Kasavubu as President of the Congo.
--June 30, 1960: Independence of the Congo
· Along with the Independence came a name change, “Republic of the Congo”.
· In 1966 Joseph Mobutu changed name to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
· In 1971 the name was changed once again to the Republic of Zaire.
--Following the independence, the provinces of Katanga and South Kasai revolted against the new leadership. This lead to the conflict between Patrice Lumumba, Prime Minister, and Joseph Kasavubu, President.
--Patrice Lumumba:
· In May of 1960 the former Congolese postal worker was elected Prime Minister of the Congo.
· In September Lumumba was dismissed from office by Joseph Kasavubu, the President of the Congo.
· December 1, 1960: Lumumba was arrested in Port Francqui by troops of Joseph Mobutu.
· January 17, 1961: Katagan forces, which had support from Belgium and the United States CIA, assassinate Lumumba. (Belgium and the US CIA gave their support because of their desires for the Congo’s resources such as coal and diamonds.)
--After Lumumba’s death The Belgian Commission found a CIA-sponsored report to poison Lumumba. This command is speculated to have come from United States President Dwight Eisenhower. CIA chemist Sidney Gottlieb devised the toothpaste-like poison. This plan failed due to the conscience of CIA station chief Larry Devlin, who would not go through with this plan.
--In 1965: Joseph Mobutu, Chief of Staff of the Congo army, overthrew Joseph Kasavubu as President of the Congo.
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
In The Congo...
The Congo from 1955-1966
Prior to 1960, the Congo had been ruled by Belgium and its government. In May of 1960, the Mouvement National Congolais, led by Patrice Lumumba, won the parlimentary elections for the Congo. Patrice Lumumba was then appointed Prime Minister, and
Joseph Kasavubu of the Alliance des Bakongo party was elected President. On June 30, 1960 the Congo gained independence from Belgium under the name "Republic of Congo". Certain events led to major conflicts between President Kasavubu and Prime Minister Lumumba. These conflicts led to the dismissal of Prime Minister Lumumba on September 5, 1960. Joseph Mobutu, the chief of staff of Armee Nationale Congolaise, took advantage of this conflict between Lumumba and Kasavubu and gained military support to action action while the elected government was weak. He was financially supported by both the US and Belgium, and was therefore able to pay his soldiers and keep them loyal. On January 17, 1961 Katangen forces assassinated Patrice Lumumba. These Katangen forces were supported by the Belgian government because of their longing for copper and diamonds. The Katangan forces were also supported by the United State's CIA because of the US desire to remove leftist followers. During this chaotic time, a temporary government of College des Commissaires technicians took over the rule of the Congo.
The Congo from 2000-2007
In May of 1997, Laurent-Desire Kabila led a rebellion over the Mobutu Sese Seko government. Kabila was assassinated in 2001, and his son, Joseph Kabila, took over his Father's position and was named head of state. Joseph Kabila tried to end the First Congo War and signed a peace agreement in South Africa in 2002. Peace slowly came in late 2003 as the Transitional Government came into ruling. On July 30, 2006 the Congo held their first multi-party election since their 1960 Independence. The election was between Joseph Kabila and Jean-Pierre Bemba. The election caused a two day fight that began on August 20, 2006. 16 people were killed before the UN was able to take control of the city. The second round of elections was held on October 29, 2006, which caused even more rioting, ballot-burning, and overall chaos. Bemba's militants began to riot when Kabila was winning 58% to 42%. Bemba ordered his supporters to stop fighting and vowed to take his seat as official opposition leader.
Prior to 1960, the Congo had been ruled by Belgium and its government. In May of 1960, the Mouvement National Congolais, led by Patrice Lumumba, won the parlimentary elections for the Congo. Patrice Lumumba was then appointed Prime Minister, and
Joseph Kasavubu of the Alliance des Bakongo party was elected President. On June 30, 1960 the Congo gained independence from Belgium under the name "Republic of Congo". Certain events led to major conflicts between President Kasavubu and Prime Minister Lumumba. These conflicts led to the dismissal of Prime Minister Lumumba on September 5, 1960. Joseph Mobutu, the chief of staff of Armee Nationale Congolaise, took advantage of this conflict between Lumumba and Kasavubu and gained military support to action action while the elected government was weak. He was financially supported by both the US and Belgium, and was therefore able to pay his soldiers and keep them loyal. On January 17, 1961 Katangen forces assassinated Patrice Lumumba. These Katangen forces were supported by the Belgian government because of their longing for copper and diamonds. The Katangan forces were also supported by the United State's CIA because of the US desire to remove leftist followers. During this chaotic time, a temporary government of College des Commissaires technicians took over the rule of the Congo.
The Congo from 2000-2007
In May of 1997, Laurent-Desire Kabila led a rebellion over the Mobutu Sese Seko government. Kabila was assassinated in 2001, and his son, Joseph Kabila, took over his Father's position and was named head of state. Joseph Kabila tried to end the First Congo War and signed a peace agreement in South Africa in 2002. Peace slowly came in late 2003 as the Transitional Government came into ruling. On July 30, 2006 the Congo held their first multi-party election since their 1960 Independence. The election was between Joseph Kabila and Jean-Pierre Bemba. The election caused a two day fight that began on August 20, 2006. 16 people were killed before the UN was able to take control of the city. The second round of elections was held on October 29, 2006, which caused even more rioting, ballot-burning, and overall chaos. Bemba's militants began to riot when Kabila was winning 58% to 42%. Bemba ordered his supporters to stop fighting and vowed to take his seat as official opposition leader.
Monday, March 5, 2007
The Judges: Moderator Discussion Questions
1) Do you think Orleanna married Nathan simply because her Aunt Tess made the comment: "You're a-feeding him anyways, child, why not go on and marry him if that's what he's after" (194). ?
2) Orleanna recalls good times in her and Nathan's relationship prior to his deployment to the war. Why do you think the war changed Nathan's personality so drastically?
3) Do you think Leah considers her Father a bakala mpandi (good strong man)?
4) Why is Leah so fascinated with Anatole?
5) Is Anatole some sort of metaphoric figure?
6) Why does Ruth May like Green Mamba snakes so much?
7) Why did the Price women view Brother Fowles as their possible escape from the Congo?
8) Other than pilot and faux-fiancée, what role does Eeben Axelroot play in this chapter?
9) How does Adah view her mother after the nsongonya?
10) Which do you think was more important to Nathan during the nsongonya: saving his family or praying for deliverance?
2) Orleanna recalls good times in her and Nathan's relationship prior to his deployment to the war. Why do you think the war changed Nathan's personality so drastically?
3) Do you think Leah considers her Father a bakala mpandi (good strong man)?
4) Why is Leah so fascinated with Anatole?
5) Is Anatole some sort of metaphoric figure?
6) Why does Ruth May like Green Mamba snakes so much?
7) Why did the Price women view Brother Fowles as their possible escape from the Congo?
8) Other than pilot and faux-fiancée, what role does Eeben Axelroot play in this chapter?
9) How does Adah view her mother after the nsongonya?
10) Which do you think was more important to Nathan during the nsongonya: saving his family or praying for deliverance?
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