Poisonwood Bible

           The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver is a perfect example of what Edward Said was speaking of when he said the "unbelievable rift forced between the self and its true home.." is "a potent, even enriching" experience. All that and more describes the Price Family's journey in Africa. The Poisonwood Bible is a true story that accounts for one family's experiences and struggles while in Africa under missionary works. The story basically tells of the family's many misfortunes, unravelings, and the tragic dealth of there youngest daughter. All of the family members experience and take in Africa in different ways, however Leah Price's, the second oldest Daughter of Nathan and Orleanna Price, experiences with excile are both alienating and enriching.

As a child Leah idolized her father,and in turn did almost everything a young girl could do to be like him, including act and dress like him. Thats right acted and dressed like him. Leah was a tomboy which wasn't so strange in America but once she arrived in Africa she became completely alienated. At first villagers believed she was a man due to her short hair and masculine attitude but as time went on and the villagers learned the truth they were outraged to see a girl particpating in jobs for men like teaching and hunting. Now she was being alienated for two things being white and being a tomboy. But it didn't stop there, in African tradition if a women gives birth to twins they must leave the babies in the jungle to be eaten by animals because they are considered bad luck, well Leah is a twin and as soon as that got out that her mother had not left her in the jungle, that there was such a name for it as "twins", scared peole even more.

The longer their stay became the more alienated the Price family became, the girls could not miss home more and when the opportunity to leave came forth and Nathan refused Leah began to see her father for what he really was a cruel cowardly man. This cold reality hit Leah like a ton of bricks. And she did not hide her realization for long. She soon began defying her father and challenging his opinions in front of her family and the villagers. All respect for her father had drown along side her hopes of returning home.

When the switch from alienating discomfort changed to enriching growth and happiness is too hard to say. I'm guessing it steadily grew like Lead and Anatole's relationship but wasn't truly recognized until the day she chose Africa over Georgia, her homeland where she was raised, where her friends were, her church, her home, everything she had once known. Except to her the only home she knew now was Africa, Africa had made her strong, molded her from the puddy she had once been in her dad's hands, and into a strongwilled women, wife, and mother. She was no long Leah Price but Leah Ngembe. Georgia would never be her home again it could never give her all that Africa did. It could never give her life.