*The Poisonwood Bible--Week Three.

In the beginning of Book three, the reader is again taken back into the thoughts of Orleanna. This time, the reader gains insight on why Nathan Price acts the way he does towards the Price family. When Orleanna first married Nathan, the two spend a honeymoon “picking cotton for the war effort.” Neither Orleanna nor Nathan needed material items to make their honeymoon and marriage special, but enjoyed each other’s company by helping out for war efforts. However, soon after, Nathan was drafted into World War II. Nathan was at war a short three months when he was “struck in the head with a shell fragment” and suffered “a head concussion.” Nathan knew he was saved by the “grace of God” and was grateful, however, Orleanna knew that “was the last [she] would ever hear from the man [she’d] married.” The night Nathan was hit by a shell fragment and hid in a pig shed, little did Nathan know that his fellow soldiers endured an excruciating test of survival in the Bataan Death March. The Bataan Death March was a sixty mile march consisting of physical abuse and murder forced upon 75,000 Americans from the Japanese Army. The result was a high number of fatalities by many American soldiers. Every one of Nathan’s “company died, to the man, on the Death March from Bataan.” From then on, everything Orleanna knew about Nathan changed. If ever Orleanna tried to speak or kiss Nathan, he would pull away responding that “the Lord is watching us.” The reader now knows why Nathan is the way he is with the persistent control of forcing every person upon faith and belief in the Lord. Even though the war instilled profound religious beliefs upon the Lord, the war also forced abuse and hatred toward anyone that had doubts in the lord. Nathan pushed faith so strongly upon Orleanna, she began fearing the Lord, afraid that if she “let one of [her] father’s curse words slip” or if “He watched [her] take a bath, daring to enjoy the warm water” that she would be punished. Nathan watched Orleanna just as closely, causing Orleanna to live her life in fear of doing anything that could be perceived as sinful.

As the lives of Nathan and Orleanna Price began to alter, Orleanna became pregnant with her first baby, and so she thought, only one more the second time. Because Orleanna and Nathan did not have much money, Orleanna was deprived of food during her pregnancy. Orleanna had such desperate cravings for food, she would “go out at night on [her] hands a knees and secretly eat dirt from the garden.” After Orleanna had twins, she felt an overwhelming feeling of guilt for her poor nutrition and lack of food to support her babies. Adah is the way she is because of the lack of food that Orleanna could provide for her.

Orleanna speaks of the great life she lived when she was younger. Even though Orleanna’s mother died, Orleanna was still happy living with just her father in poverty, because Orleanna’s father didn’t force her to be something she is not. From then on after Orleanna married Nathan, all of the stories Orleanna recites are rife with guilt and depression.

As the chapter goes on and the point of view is now back upon the four girls, the reader learns of the metamorphosis that each girl is taking on with Leah undergoing the most dramatic change. As Leah arrives back from Leopoldville back to Congo, the arrival is nothing like the first time the family came. There was not a “single soul standing at the edge of the field to greet” them, no “drums or stewing up a goat for us.” Leah begins realizing how much the Congolese people gave the Price family, and each of the Price’s took the “feast” for granted. As Leah “feels a throb a dread” she “pledged to the Lord that [she] would express true gratitude for such a feast” if one would ever happen again. The guilt of failed appreciation is felt by all three girls when Orleanna and Ruth May become sick, and each girl has a duty to help around the house. Making a meal proves to be difficult for each girl, and each of them gain a new appreciation for the work of Orleanna.

At first when the girls arrived in Congo, all the girls noticed was the peculiar dress and abnormalities of the Congolese. Now that Leah begins looking again at Mama Mwanza, rather than noticing her missing legs, Leah now sees Mama Mwanza with an “extraordinarily pretty face.” Leah also cannot help but notice the extreme physical attraction she feels towards Anatole, as her feelings for him become stronger. Leah begins teaching schooling to younger Congolese children, and also learns to shoot a bow and arrow-- something Leah would have previously thought as boyish and a sin. Congolese people even begin calling Leah Bakala, which means either “a hot pepper, a bumpy sort of potato, or the male sex organ.” However, Leah does not care; Leah is pleased with spending her time with Anatole and getting away from her overbearing father.

Not only is Anatole a fresh relief from Nathan, but also Brother Fowles, the previous minister in Congo, who was asked to leave for “becoming too close to the Congolese.” Brother Fowles exemplifies everything that Nathan is not, which causes Orleanna and the four girls to wish to leave with Brother Fowles. Calling Brother Fowles Santa Claus is not only ironic because of his appearance, but also because of his personality. Brother Fowles brings the Price family many gifts, and is kind and understanding towards the family. Brother Fowles is a foil character to Nathan, as he is everything positive that Nathan is not.

Barbara Kingsolver continues to portray America as a greedy country, unwilling to help less fortunate countries, and ungrateful of the items we have. In Kilanga, people knew “nothing of things such as a Frigidaire, or a washer-dryer combination.” It also “didn’t occur to the people to feel sorry for themselves” for not having material items, for the only time the Congolese felt sorry for themselves was when “children died.” Kingsolver shows how in Congo, people are of more importance than material items and having wealth, whereas in America, being wealthy is at utmost importance. When Leah is speaking to Anatole about having numerous automobiles per home, and having a great big store for food, Anatole does not believe Leah. Even though the Congo is less fortunate in technological ways, Kingsolver makes the reader wonder if the Congo is better off, as the people are more appreciative for the things that they do have. As one continues to read, the reader is able to grow along with the Price family in cultural values.