Autumn Stevens

Queen Curmano
27 October 2014
Freshman English Honors
Anatole leaned forward and announced, Our
chief, Tata Ndu, is concerned about the moral
decline of his village. Father said, Indeed he
should be, because so few villagers are going
to church. No, Reverend. Because so many
villagers are going to church. Well that
stupefied us all for a special moment in time.
But Father leaned forward, fixing to ride to
the challenge. Whenever he sees an argument
coming, man oh man, does he get jazzed up.
Brother Anatole, I fail to see how the church
can mean anything but joy, for the few here
who see Christi-an-ity over ignorance and
darkness... he worries you are trying to lure
too many of the others into following corrupt
ways (128-129).
Everyday I looked to see if the babies
hatched out, and I was the first one to find
them. They all hatched out but save for one,
and it got squashed. It was flat against the
mud wall behind the nest like a picture
hanging up. Nelson lived there with a dead
baby chicken picture on the wall. I was sorry
and didnt try to look at his peewee any more
after that (155).
\

Ive worked some miracles here, I dont

mind telling you, and Ive done it singlehandedly. Outside help is no concern to me. I
cant risk losing precious ground by running
away like a coward before we have made a
proper transition (168).

I still hold much hatred towards the Reverend.

His actions and display of opinion in this
situation really highlight his biased, impure
idea of the Church. Anatole--having come
from a hard childhood--is quite intelligent in
the communication of the chiefs message and
his own. The fact the the Congolese are happy
with their own religion and only the hopeless
are reaching out for Jesus should be a sign
to Nathan that his ways ARE CORRUPT. His
motives are not pure as they should be (as
according to the Bible). The end of this quote
I find beautiful just beautiful because of its
evidence-based truth. Nathan needs a lesson

This quote really intrigued me because I very

much enjoy reading Ruth Mays outlook on
the world. Her sympathy for the chicken is
one I admire in the sense that she takes it so
preciously. My prediction about the story is
that Ruth May will be the one to pass away
and I feel like the connection (or symbolism)
is made here with the chicken. The fact that it
was in Nelsons home made it all the more
precious and gave me an idea of Nelsons
personality and how it coincides with Ruth
Mays/.
Hes so cocky and in being so he is a coward!
His ignorance and obliviousness makes him
all the more so.

The upliftment in this statement is interesting.

But is he not doing what the Reverend and his
(Patrice Lumumba) We are going to make
the Congo, for all of Africa, the heart of light. family are? Only not with religion?

I thought I would go deaf from the roaring

(184).

Kingsolver, Barbara. The Poisonwood Bible: A Novel. New York: HarperPerennial, 1999. Print.
Shmoop Editorial Team. "Adah Ellen Price in The Poisonwood Bible." Shmoop.com. Shmoop
University, Inc., 11 Nov. 2008. Web. 15 Dec. 2014.