Poisonwood Bible

Barbara Kingsolver, the author of many well-written pieces of literature, explores the beauty and hardships that exist in the Belgian Congo in 1959 in her novel, The Poisonwood Bible. Kingsolver captures the realities of the Price family and their mission through the Congo to by having the story told by five different girls and how their ideas of Christianity evolved in contrast to their father’s own beliefs.

What’s Real?

Congo celebrated its independence from Belgium on June 30, 1960, in Leopoldville, followed with the inauguration speech of Patrice Lumumba who was elected as Prime Minister on June 30th, 1960.

Unfortunately, he did not leave long enough to accomplish his goal as he was overthrown on September 14th, 1960 by Mobutu and was killed in 1961. This sterilized the chances of complete independence which impacted the Congolese significantly and caused social instability.

Thesis

Barbara Kingsolver’s, The Poisonwood Bible, delineates the difficulties and hardships of the Congo’s movement of the Independence from Belgium in 1960, along with the contentious debate of the unification of Christianity in the already very cultural Congo’s.

These non-negotiable events highlight the social injustice and reaction to around the Congo.

Political Chaos

July 30th, 1960, sparked the initial date of the Congo’s independence under the ambivalent leader, Patrice Lumumba. The Congolese were delighted with a leader such as Lumumba as he sought for complete autonomy at a rapid rate. However, the story and fate of the Congo can be expressed through the very famous parrot Methuselah, who was once owned by Brother Fowles and then taken care of by the Price Family.

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“In a burst of light, Methuselah opened his wings and fluttered like freedom itself, lifting himself to the top of our Kentucky Wonder vines and the highest boughs of the jungle that will surely take back everything once we are gone” (Kingsolver 44). Methuselah is a symbol of the Congo politically. When the Congolese first see the light of freedom, they are unable to function since the Congolese are used to being in bondage for such a long time. This caused them to depend on the Western Powers, which eventually bring about the failure of politics in the Congo since they were seen as vulnerable. This vulnerability made it easy for the United States to manipulate the position of government in the Congo. Adah, the disabled and mute daughter, alleges, “He said Devil One was supposed to get his so-called operatives to convince army men to go against Lumumba. Supposedly this devil One person was going to get one million dollars from the United States to pay soldiers to do that, go against the very person the all elected” (Kingsolver 294). Lumumba is considered a hero to most in the Congo and is the exact leader the Congo needed, but America did not let that happen as President Eisenhower worried that he was too communistic. Adah is now realizing the secretive and negative side of the American Government since it took away the Congo’s chances of recovering freedom. Also, not only did the U.S. government overthrow Congo’s government once with taking out Lumumba, but the U.S. advisors reorganized parliament for a second time in Mobutu’s favor after Antoine Gizenga, Lumumba’s lieutenant got elected in the second election. Anatole, husband of Leah during this time complains, ‘If the Americans mean to teach us about democracy, the lesson is quite remarkable,’(Kingsolver 433). Leah and Anatole reflect on the bitter irony of the U.S instigated “democracy” in the Congo. The quote signifies the continuing pernicious influence of the West in the Congo, for even after their freedom from Belgium, the United States steps in as Mobutu’s puppet master. Leah’s words reveal the disgraceful acts the United States commits in the Congo. While we hark democracy and freedom in domestic lands, we willingly rob foreigners of these rights.

The citizens and tribes in the Congo had very little power and self-government which is why many supported Lumumba as Prime Minister“The most legitimate use of Lumumba’s memory is probably that which associates it with an attitude of intransigent nationalism and opposition to colonialism`” (Encyclopedia of World Biography). Lumumba dream was an entirely independent Congo from all Western influence. Many citizens in the Congo highly respected him with his political goals and ideas and many had the utmost respect for him and his goal. By July 30, 1960, the Congo became the Democratic Republic of the Congo being independent of Belgium, with Lumumba as the prime minister who was a heavily date for the Congolese. However, as there are positive and negatives to everything, powerful outside forces disliked Lumumba as he was, “unsure of international support, [and] sought aid from the Soviet Union” (Randall). The United States, who had no interest in helping the Congo before July 30th, now has a fear of the newest leader since h plans to partner against their enemy in the Cold War. To protect themselves from growing alliances, The United States accused him as a communist and created a plot to get rid of him. This leads to the United States hiring Mobutu which brings about the discomfort of the freedom-seeking Congolese. ‘On September 14, Mobutu announced that he was suspending parliament and the constitution. He sacked Lumumba and kept on Kasavubu, but now Mobutu was the power behind the throne” (Weissman). Mobutu, who ran a dictatorship, gathered taxes consisting of a ration of food and whatever money that the citizens of the Congo had. This kept the citizens helpless which makes them less likely to rebel and lines the pockets of Mobutu and his regime. This is the result of not having independence within a country, which the United States took that away from the Congolese, not taking into effect the reactions to their one rash action.

The Poison of Religion

Nathan Price, the father, drags his family to the Congo as a Baptist missionary and refuses to change his will, no matter what. Tata Ndu, chief of Kilanga, worries that “bringing the Christian word to these people is leading them to corrupt ways'(Kingsolver 129). Tata Ndu wants to protect the traditions of the Congolese and fears that Christianity, particularly Nathan Price’s uncompromising brand of Christianity which will weaken the beliefs of his people. However, Nathan Price unwillingness and inability to understand other people’s culture doesn’t stop him from his mission of Christian unity. Ruth May, the youngest and most adventurous and free-spirited child of the four, is very curious about the beliefs and views of Jesus since there has been a lot of rude commentary against her dad and his interpretation of the bible. Nelson, a friend of Ruth May, says that “everybody’s got their own little God here to protect them, special African ones that live in the little tiny thing they wear around their necks. A gree-gree is what you call it” (Kingsolver, 154). Father is trying to force the entire community to love Jesus, blinded by the fact that the people have their own beliefs. Ruth May, after talking with her friends is starting to get a strong opposing opinion about Jesus compared to her dad’s. Ruth May also wants her father to realize and understand other people’s belief and not judge them. The opposition to Christianity gets worse after Leah, the daughter who once desperately desired Father’s approval started to think differently about God. After an ant attack, Leah starts to self-doubt herself in the questioning of why God is supposedly punishing the village. Anatole, the village teacher, expounds, ‘Don’t expect God’s protection in places beyond God’s dominion. It will only make you feel punished….when things go badly, you will blame yourself….Don’t try to make life a mathematics problem with yourself in the center and everything coming out equal. When you are good, bad things can still happen. And if you are bad, you can still be lucky.’ (Kingsolver 309). Anatole makes it clear to Leah hat no matter the religion a person practices or believes in; things will still be unfair. Anatole’s words caused Leah Price to feel the breath of God on her skin. This quote from Anatole also makes Leah Price opens her eyes because she now has a new point of thinking and she eventually agrees with Anatole’s ideas and ways of thinking because all her life she was taught by her father that God only rewards the good things and that God punishes the bad things.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, as in many other African countries, religion is part of the culture of the people although there are no reliable statistics, the major religions are Christianity and African traditional religions. Around 500 years ago,“ missionaries in the colonial past greatly influenced the Congo’s society, and most Congolese profess Christianity as their primary religion” (David). The Roman Catholic Church from the west (Europe) has a huge impact on the beliefs of the Congolese. They established churches and schools which caused roughly 45% to convert to Catholicism or Christianity. But, even though a large portion of the populations favored Christianity, the Congolese still manage to keep some of their traditional practices present. “When someone falls ill, the whole community works together to help the patient. First, it must be determined whether the illness comes ‘from God,’ or if it is of natural or human causes” (David). The Congolese are culturally unique compared to other religions. Even after being influenced by many Catholic missionaries, they find some way to mix their ancestral beliefs with the influenced religion, so their lifestyle isn’t too different. “Kimbanguism, which originated from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The movement retains many Christian elements but believes in ancestral worship”(World Atlas). Before Christianity, many traditional African religions were highly animistic and involved belief in various spirits of nature. Although belief in a high creator god is often also maintained, the everyday emphasis tends to be on the worship of other lesser spirits.

Conclusion

Poisonwood, a symbolic gesture to many characters in the beautifully illustrated novel in the Poisonwood Bible, symbolizes the obstacles Congolese faced to reach total independence and rights. Barriers including Nathan Price, an arrogant baptist who never took the time to acknowledge the different cultures or dominant western powers that manipulated the government, although may have slowed down the dreams and goals of the Congolese, they’ve failed to keep the minds and voices of the citizens quiet. In the 30 years span, the five drastically different girls, who were at first enslaved by one doctrine of a strict male, transitioned their views not only on religion but politics and the power of speech and knowledge.