The Poisonwood Bible—Reading Guide



The Poisonwood Bible—Reading Guide

Book One: Genesis

Orleanna Price—Sanderling Island, Georgia

1. List and discuss the diction relating to life and death that opens the book.

2. How does the okapi transform from legend to merely real?

3. What is Orleanna seeking from her audience?

The Things We Carried—Kalanga 1959

Leah Price

4. Explain the allusion to the lilies of the field?

5. What is Nathan Price’s attitude toward the Underdowns?

6. Explain Leah’s statement, “Our journey was to be a great enterprise of balance.”

Ruth May Price

7. Read Genesis 9:18-29. Compare this to Ruth May’s version of the story.

8. Explain the significance of the Tribes of Ham allusion.

Rachel Price

9. Define malapropism. List examples and explain the effect.

10. Why did the Kilangan people transform from joy to confusion to dismay?

Adah Price

11. Is Adah a half brain? Explain.

12. What is the benefit of Adah’s silence?

Leah

13. What is Father’s purpose in the garden?

14. What advice does Mama Tataba give Nathan?

15. What can we infer about Brother Fowles?

Rachel

16. What do we learn about Kilangan culture from Rachel’s description of fashion?

17. Compare Nathan’s and Orleanna’s plans for “winning over” the village.

Ruth May

18. Explain the irony in the role reversal of Rachel and Adah.

19. Compare Nathan’s and Orleanna’s opinions about the bodies of the natives.

Adah

20. Explain Nathan’s analogy about sending a girl to college.

21. What is “the verse”?

22. List and explain the permanent order of the girls.

23. What is the first evidence of Africa’s influence on Nathan Price?

Leah

24. How is the girls’ relationship with their mother illuminated through the mystery of Methuselah?

Adah

25. What is the moral of Nathan’s fan belt story? Explain the irony.

Leah

26. What revelation does Nathan make about the garden?

27. What does Leah mean when she says the jungle will “take back everything” once they are gone?

Book Two: The Revelation

Orleanna Price—Sanderling Island, Georgia

28. What do we learn about the Price family’s future from foreshadowing?

29. List the different politicians’ attitudes about Africa.

30. Explain Nathan’s allusions to Job.

The Things We Learned—Kilanga, June 30, 1960

Leah Price

31. How does Ruth May break the ice with the Congolese?

32. What makes the native children excel at the game?

33. Explain Leah’s revelation about childhood and games.

Ruth May Price

34. Give examples of purposeful humor in this five year old point of view.

35. Explain the quarrel between Nathan and the doctor mending Ruth May’s arm.

36. How does Ruth May contrast the Belgian army and the “Jimmy Crow” boys?

37. How does Ruth May compare herself to the green mamba snake?

Rachel

38. Explain the debate over religion in Kilanga.

39. Explain the symbolism of the broken plate.

Adah Price

40. Explain how Methuselah’s plight might symbolize the girls.

41. Explain the religious implications of Adah’s supposed death.

Leah

42. Why does Leah vow to donate her books after she gets home?

43. Explain each girls’ efforts and attitudes about the hope chest.

Ruth May

44. Define and explain the significance of a gree gree.

45. Why does Ruth May say she is “scared of Jesus too”?

Rachel

46. Explain the news of current events conveyed by the Underdowns.

47. Explain the meaning of the phrase, “If your brother is going to steal your hen, save your honor and give it to him first.” Why is this ironic in its context?

48. What can the reader surmise about Nathan’s character based on his decision to stay in the Congo?

Adah

49. How does Adah relate herself to the “unlucky heathens”?

50. This chapter is unified by the reference to the doctor poet William Carlos Williams. Give at least three examples and explain their connection in the story.

Rachel

51. What does Rachel reveal about Ruth May’s quinine pills and how does Rachel’s knowledge of this characterize her?

52. Explain why Rachel said the election was like student council elections back home.

Ruth May

53. Why does Ruth May say her mother needs Seven-Up?

Leah

54. Analyze Leah’s attitude toward Lumumba based on the details of her description.

55. Discuss the irony of Father’s statement, “Americans would never stand for this kind of unequal treatment.”

Adah

56. Explain the paradox that June 30th is Independence Day for Methuselah.

Book Three: The Judges

Orleanna Price—Sanderling Island, Georgia

57. Explain the significance of Orleanna’s “excuses” at this point in the narration.

58. Explain the circumstances behind the “death” of Private Nathan Price.

59. Explain how Orleanna compares herself to Methuselah and to the Congo.

The Things We Didn’t Know—Kilanga, September 1960

Leah

60. Contrast the details between the Prices’ first arrival in Kalanga and this second arrival.

61. Discuss the debate about curses and tests between Leah and Nelson.

Adah

62. What does Adah learn about twins in Kilanga?

63. Explain what Adah means when she says that her father should “clean more chicken houses.”

Ruth May

64. What is Ruth May’s wish?

65. Describe Ruth May’s dream and explain its significance.

Adah

66. Why do the Kilangans feel sorry for the Price women?

67. Explain the comparison of Rachel to the Little Red Hen.

Leah

68. What does Anatole mean when comparing Lumumba to a hen puffing her feathers?

69. Explain Leah’s dilemma about writing home to her friends in Bethlehem.

70. What is the significance of Leah saying, “That is surely childhood’s end, when you look at a thing like a rabbit needing skinned and have to say: ‘Nobody else is going to do this.’”?

Ruth May

Leah

Rachel

71. Explain how the handshake styles of Brother Fowles and Reverend Price reveal their characters.

72. Explain Brother Fowles metaphor of the tree.

73. What progress had Brother Fowles made with regard to marriage in Kilanga?

Adah

74. Fully explain the true purpose of Tata Ndu’s visits.

75. Why does Tata Ndu choose Rachel?

Leah

76. Contrast the native system of government with democracy.

77. Explain the reaction in Kilanga and the recent current events.

Rachel

78. What deal has mother tried to make with Eeben Axelroot?

79. Explain Father’s reaction to Rachel’s cold shoulder.

Ruth May

80. Explain why Ruth May believes she is sick. What does this say about her view of religion?

81. What does Ruth May believe will happen to her if she dies?

Rachel

82. What events detracted away from Rachel on her birthday?

Adah

83. Explain the irony of Reverend Price’s mispronunciation of bangala.

84. Explain the allusion to Hester Prynne.

Leah

85. Explain Anatole’s analogy of the cooking pots.

86. What was Anatole’s greatest gift?

Rachel

87. Explain the irony of the following malapropism: “It’s a woman’s provocative to change her mind.”

88. According to Axelroot, what is the biggest secret in the Congo? Explain the details.

Adah

89. Explain the duality of Adah’s Congolese name.

90. What is Adah’s definition of a barbarian? Explain the irony.

Leah

91. Describe Leah’s escape from the ants.

92. What was Leah’s revelation?

Rachel

93. How does Rachel “float to the river”?

94. Explain the irony of her choice of what to save.

Ruth May

95. What is Ruth May’s explanation for the army ant attack?

96. Describe Ruth May’s “safe place.”

Adah

97. What is Adah’s revelation after the ordeal with the army ants?

Leah

98. Explain what has happened to Leah’s sense of balance and justice.

99. What is the significance of Leah’s conclusion to Book III?

Book Four: Bel and the Serpent

Orleanna Price—Sanderling Island

100. Explain the extended metaphor of the chess game.

101. Compare news of African politics with Orleanna’s daily life.

102. What effect does Orleanna’s repetition of “A chance meeting of strangers, and the end of the world unfolds?

What We Lost—Kilanga, January 17, 1961

Leah

103. Why is Leah narrating in flashback?

104. Explain the pun on the phrase “cast their stones.”

105. Explain Tata Ndu’s analogy of the pot in the fire.

Rachel

106. What is the result of Tata Kuvudundu’s premonition after the vote for Leah to hunt?

Adah

107. Define Bantu and muntu.

108. What does Adah mean by, “those who have known this kind of hunger cannot entirely love, ever again, those who have not”?

Leah

109. Explain Leah’s ambivalence (grateful yet sick at heart) after she kills the impala.

Rachel

110. Explain the irony of Rachel’s view of President Eisenhower.

111. Contrast Rachel’s view of the hunt with Adah’s.

Leah

112. Identify and explain what you see as the theme of this chapter about dividing the meat.

Rachel

113. Explain why Nelson is so fearful.

114. How do the girls plan to catch the culprit planting the curses?

Adah

115. Who planted the snake in the chicken house? How does the reader know?

Leah

116. What is the significance of everyone looking up at the treetops after Ruth May is bitten?

Adah

117. To what does Adah compare this death? Explain.

Rachel

118. Why did Rachel say she wanted to freeze in that spot?

Leah

119. What does Orleanna do with the mosquito netting?

120. Explain what Nathan is doing at the end of Book Four. Why?

121. How does the children’s response add irony to his actions?

Book Five: Exodus

Orleanna—Sanderling Island, Georgia

122. List and discuss at least three ways Orleanna compares herself to the Congo.

123. To whom is Orleanna speaking in all of her prologues? Explain.

What We Carried

Leah Price—Bulunga Late Rainy Season 1961

124. Explain the effect of the many color references in this chapter.

125. How does Leah’s story of the ferry differ from Anatole’s?

126. What metaphor does Leah use at the end of this chapter to describe her relationship with Anatole? How does this differ from Nathan and Orleanna’s relationship?

Rachel Price Axelroot—Johannesburg, South Africa 1962

127. Explain the humor behind Rachel’s assumption that she is fluent in three languages.

128. Explain at least three ways that Eeben Axelroot takes advantage of Rachel.

129. What object does Rachel regret leaving behind in Kilanga? Explain the symbolism.

Adah Price—Emory University, Atlanta 1962

130. Explain the significance of the simile, “[Orleanna] seemed determined to grow tragedy out of herself like a bad haircut.”

131. How did Adah benefit in her college interview from being Nathan’s daughter?

132. Describe Adah’s new religion.

133. What is the truth that Adah wrestles with?

134. What is the truth of Nathan’s war medal?

135. Explain Adah’s rhyme, “Carry us, marry us, ferry us, bury us.”

Leah Price—Mission Notre Dame de Douleur 1964

136. How did Leah put Bulungu in danger?

137. What is the news of Nathan and Kilanga?

138. Explain the idea of balance between Leah and Adah as it relates to their speech in this part of the story.

139. Explain the significance of Leah’s kissing the stones of her convent prison.

140. Explain the simile: “they finally get a fighting chance, and we’re sitting here watching it get born dead.”

141. Describe the simbas.

142. Explain Leah’s reflection of the chicken bones.

Rachel Axelroot—Johannesburg 1964

143. Describe the trick up Rachel’s sleeve to escape Axelroot.

144. Explain the irony in Rachel’s statement, “Daniel …will never know what hit him.”

Leah Price Ngemba—Bikoki Station January 17, 1965

145. Describe the rift between Leah and Anatole on this day.

146. Describe Anatole’s new family.

147. Explain the statement, “foreign hands moved behind the curtain and one white King was replaced with another.”

148. Explain Leah’s comment, “Justice moves in mysterious ways.”

149. What does Brother Fowles mean when he says, “there are Christians, and there are Christians.”

150. Comment on the effect of the organization of Leah’s list “—the post, their salary, a friend walking home on the road--.”

151. Explain the complex image of the “snake in our belly.”

Adah Price—Emory Hospital, Atlanta Christmas 1968

152. Explain what Adah means when she says she is “saved.”

153. Explain why Adah sees Anatole as a “kindred spirit.”

154. Describe the respective religions of the Price women.

155. Adah keeps repeating the image of the “ear-pulling Crawleys.” What does this mean to her?

156. Explain Adah’s great fear this Christmas Eve.

Leah Price Ngemba—Kinshasa 1979

157. What is 17 Janvier Lane?

158. Explain Adah’s ironic gift in the care package.

159. Contrast Mobutu’s living conditions to the citizens he rules.

160. Contrast foreign visitors’ opinion of Congolese people with Leah’s explanation of their lives.

161. Explain the effect of the device of antimetabole, “This is not a poor nation…It is only a nation of poor.”

162. Explain the parallel between the Price marriage and the metaphorical marriage of the U.S. and Zaire.

163. Contrast Leah’s description of the inside and the outside of Mobutu’s palace walls.

Rachel Axelroot Duprée Fairley—The Equatorial January 1978

164. Discuss the irony in Rachel’s description of the Equatorial as “true life” Africa.

165. Discuss Rachel’s fundamental misunderstanding of how her family would respond to the Equatorial.

166. Late at night when Rachel sits at the bar, what “creepy” sounds haunt her? Explain the significance.

Leah Price Ngemba—Kinshasa Rainy Season 1981

167. Discuss Leah’s alienation on both continents.

168. Compare Leah’s thoughts of her marriage to Anatole to Orleanna’s reflection at the end of Book Four.

169. How was the hope chest prophetic?

170. Why does Leah crave “justice, forgiveness, redemption”?

Rachel Price—The Equatorial 1984

171. Explain Rachel’s oxymoron “a sensational failure.”

172. Explain each sister’s reaction to the Palace of Abomey.

173. What is significant about the list of people Rachel remembers from Kilanga?

174. Why did Leah look up at the sky when she mentioned Tata Kuvudundu and the snake?

175. Explain how Nathan got “the Verse.”

Adah Price—Atlanta January 1985

176. Explain how each Price woman “carries off the bones” of Nathan Price.

177. Explain Adah’s observation that “the arrogance of the able-bodied is staggering.”

178. Define benduka and bënduka. Explain the significance of both.

179. How does Orleanna react to hearing the news of Nathan?

180. Explain the importance of the “story” to Adah.

Leah Price Ngemba—Kimvula District, Zaire 1986

181. How does Leah parallel Orleanna in her state of motherhood?

182. Explain the paradox, “a latrine does seem like a return to civilization.”

183. Explain why the prospect of going to Angola is like the “promised land” to Leah and Anatole.

Book Six: Song of the Three Children

Rachel Price—The Equatorial

184. Explain how Rachel’s world at the Equatorial compares to Africa.

185. Explain why Rachel compares herself to Vietnam veterans.

186. How does 101 Calamities relate to Rachel’s life?

Leah Price—Sanza Pombo, Angola

187. What is the “New Republic of Connubia”?

188. Explain what Leah means when she says Africa is “famine or flood.”

189. Why do you think Book Six refers to the girls by their maiden names?

Adah Price—Atlanta

190. What is Adah’s explanation of overpopulation?

191. Why did Adah never marry?

192. What is No Snikcidy Lime?

193. Explain the title of the novel.

Book Seven: The Eyes in the Trees

194. Who is the narrator of the final chapter?

195. Explain the meaning of muntu.

196. Explain the meaning of the phrase “a ruin so strange.” (Look at the first sentence of the novel.)

197. Describe the lives that were changed because of the picnic.

198. Explain the idea that the African music has “gone away and come back changed.”

199. Explain the significance of the okapi.

200. Is redemption achieved in the end? Explain.

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