Throughout the Poison wood Bible, Kingsolver utilizes the experience of the Congo to enhance and rediscover the faith of three of the Price daughters. At the age of fifteen, Rachel, the Price’s oldest child, reveals her true beliefs of her religion through her petulant remarks of the Congo. During her stay in Africa, Rachel only talks of possessions she left behind. Rachel misses items such as toilet paper and sets of clean clothes. She, however, doesn’t mention the bible in the list of items she longs for. She believes that the only method of survival is not to adapt to the conditions and surroundings.
Rachel states, ‘The way I see Africa, you don’t have to like it but you sure have to admit it’s out there. You have your way of thinking and it has its, and never the train ye shall meet!’ (235).
From this quote, it becomes apparent that the Congo highlights her views towards religion. As she grew up with her father, she was forced into a religion, as in their family the punishment the children had to follow through with was ‘the verse,’ where they were required to write out one hundred lines from the bible my memory.
Rachel doesn’t agree with the idea of faith, however she does not forget that it is there. She chooses to live a very superficial life in Congo, leaving behind the luxurious life in America as well as her religion. Ruth May, at age five, is the youngest of the Price family and her religion is found in her innocence. Ruth May tries to understand the life in the Congo and makes friends with the Kalanga children through her games of ‘Mother may I?’ Out of all the Prices, she is the most accepted by the Congolese and the rest of her family envies this. Ruth May is the innocent one and her words and actions deceive the guilty, her family. She acts as the means that separate the family apart.
The Essay on Impacts Of Family Traditions And Religion In India
Impacts of Family Traditions and Religion in India Family traditions and religion greatly impact the lives of many people in India. These elements of culture are reasons that form the way that Indians lead their lives. Both factors make up what type of person that individual will become. That is the reason why religion and family traditions are so valued in Indian society. Religion is probably the ...
Her religion is found in her innocence, which keep her from the hardships that surrounds her. Ruth May doesn’t understand the Bible to its full content at age five, however God’s spirit is present in her aura which allows her pureness to bless others around her. When she plays her games, it seems as though the Congolese feel her pure spirit and therefore join her in the act, something they would never do with another white. Ruth May symbolizes how the spirit of God affects the lives of those who cannot reject him, for due to their ignorance they don’t follow him.
Leah, the tomboy of the family, opposes her father’s mission and finds out the true man he really is; this changes her opinion towards religion. Leah puts forth tremendous effort to be accepted by her father, however then realizes that her father is an ‘ugly man.’ She sees that her father’s ‘blue eyes with their left sided squint… had a vacant look. His large reddish ears repelled me. My father was a simple, ugly man.’ When Leah was younger she practiced religion based on her father’s perspective, however after making the realization of her father’s true colors, she chooses to practice her religion. Leah follows the path of the Congolese as she marries a Congolese man named Anatole as well as becoming part of Africa in itself.
Through doing all of this, she doesn’t forget the fact that ‘ everything you ” re sure is right can be wrong in another place. Especially here.’ Leah notices the many problems that exists in the Congo, but remains there for her love. This is the way she practices her faith through her father’s eyes. As the many problems with the Baptist religion were presented to her, she continued to be a very religious person. Through Leah’s religion, faith can be clearly defined and what it should be, undying regardless of the difficulties that may stem from that choice.
Faith In Religion Stace Men Essay
Man Against Darkness W. T. Stace Man Against Darkness is an essay written by W. T. Stace. He presents the philosophical background for the existential stance of the modern world. He tries to explain why religion no longer plays an important part in the modern world and what causes people to lose faith in religion. He begins his essay by explaining the viewpoint of the Catholic bishops of America ...
