The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver

Book One: Genesis

• Orleanna Price:

"I was that woman on the stream bank, of course. Orleanna Price, Southern Baptist by marriage, mother of living and dead."  page 7 of 543, The Poisonwood Bible 

• her introduction suggests self-reproach and guilt due probably to the foreshadowed death of one of her children 
• the narration of Orleanna Price reveals that her point of view is written in past tense, displaying the horrendous events that will occur in the book through her recollection of the past 
• the reader learns of her troubling (love-less) marriage to the baptist preacher Nathan Price; the marriage seems to have "scorched her flame" (the slight emotional detachment Nathan Price has towards his family and his obsessive devotion to the Lord extinguished Orleanna's whimsical ways)

•  Narrator refers to Africa Numerous times (conflicted, harsh tone; melancholy) with diction such as "conquest," and "profiteers"

 The Things We Carried: Kilanga, 1959

• Narrated by the four daughters (Rachel, Leah, Adah, and Ruth May) via present-tense, which differs from Orleanna Price's narration of the story thus shifting the story from the future to the past [Kilanga, 1959 (the decade of worldwide counterculture, most notably surrounding the US)]  

"And now we are here, with all these colorful treasures safely transported..."  page 13 of 543, The Poisonwood Bible

• The name of the section, The Things We Carried, is literally and mentally carried out; in order to survive the year long missionary to Congo, the Price family brought supplies they deemed necessary 

• the items brought by the mother and the daughters might've symbolized their struggle to remain linked with the "civilized world" (however, Leah learns that the items were only a burden to the family, wrecking havoc into their already fragile mentally)

• Ruth May's (youngest daughter, 5 years old) narration of the Congolese people stems off of what she was taught; she tells the story of the "Tribes of Ham" believing it to be the reason why the Congolese people, or African's in general, had such dark skin 
• Rachel Price is the oldest daughter and is indirectly characterized as a vain, drama-queen; her narration is probably the least reliable narrator in the novel due to her over-exaggerated, and disgust over the land and people 

• she gets overwhelmed by the dirt and the chanting done by the Congolese people as the family gets welcomed with food and cheering  

•  The village is described with apt details through Adah's perspective ( Leah's twin sister); Leah seems the most reliable narrator as she is able to look at both sides, and seemingly able to put herself in other's shoes

• she has a condition called hemiplegia which causes her to walk in a limp (she only uses half of her brain)

•  Nathan Price ignores Mama Tataba's help as he tries to make a garden (believing it to be his first way of helping the village); Mama Tataba, the Price's "housekeeper-ish" helper, instructs Nathan Price to not touch the Poisonwood tree, but her warnings fall short thus resulting in his receiving rashes the next day (Poisonwood tree incident foreshadows future events; "Africa" fighting back) 

• The readers learn about Father Fowles, the old village priest that left due to his stepping out of the boundaries, and the parrot named Methuselah that he left 

Book Two: The Revelation

• Orleanna Price:

"Everything turned on the day we lost them both, Mama Tataba and the accursed parrot, both released by Nathan." page 90 of 543, The Poisonwood Bible

•  She tells of her life in Congo, the turn for the worse when both Mama Tataba and Methuselah are "released" by Father Price (Mama Tataba by his ignorance and force of baptism in the river even though alligators roam free in that area; Methuselah by releasing him out into the wild. hoping for the bird to fly away) 

•  Mama Price dreamed of the death of her children thus urging Father Price to  think about the health of his family, but Nathan Price held his ground; Father Price only manages to isolate himself from the rest of the village and away from his family (he continues to urge the villagers of the need of a baptism even though the Chief warns him of the consequences faced) 

•  Ruth-May, the symbol of childlike innocence, is truly the first of the family to talk and play with the village children (often times playing the game "Mother May I") 

• The reader is exposed with the political troubles that Congo faced; Ruth May's broken arm led to her and her father's travel to Stanleyville which is where they came in contact with the doctor talking about Patrice Lumumba and the rising independence

•  Anatole is introduced as the young "school teacher" of the village; he tells Father Price of the growing concern of Chief Ndu (he is concerned about Father Price's teachings in Christianity causing a decline in village values)
•  The Underdown's visit the village in order to warn the Price family of the election occurring in May

•  There is also talk of Congo's independence in June; the village prepares for the election through a special method (as most villagers are illiterate)
•  Patrice Lumumba is declared the winner of the election; the events spark Orleanna Price to plead for their return to the US but Father Price is adamant in staying (even though it is a danger to the family)

Book Three: The Judges 

• The family no longer receives the $50 allowance from the Mission Center thus villagers no longer sell them items; Mama Mwanza pities the family and sends them oranges and other food 

•  Orleanna Price pleads with Father Price as Ruth May's health declines; the moral decline of her daughters and the growing danger they're faced with leads to Orleanna Price's change in character (she now speaks her mind in front of Father Price as her determination soars) 

•  Brother Fowle's visit excites the villagers. The family learns that Brother Fowle's married a Congolese woman. FOIL to Father Price: Brother Fowle is open to anything and understands the native customs whereas Father Price is characterized as a narrow-minded man that is unwilling to see the dangers he is putting his family unto
•  Ruth May was sick with malaria (the family finds her malaria pills stuffed in the cement; Rachel pretends to be engage with Eeben Axelroot in order to get away with Chief Ndu's proposal 

•  Ants invade the village causes the whole village to escape to the river; Rachel cared only about herself during the invasion; Orleanna Price is unable to choose between Ruth May and Adah, chooses Ruth May which hits Adah hard with realization 

Book Four: Bel and the Serpent

• An election is held in the village concerning Christianity; Tata Ndu forces Father Price to hold the election which results in Jesus losing
• The famine has gone to dangerous levels which results in a big hunting event; Leah participates with the village men which caused an argument among the villagers 

•  Leah shoots an animal which Gbenye, the Chief's son, claims was his hit; Nelson proves that Leah shot the animal with the way her arrow was made 
• Nelson and the girls find a mamba snake outside the house which flees when Nelson pokes at it; they see that Ruth May has been bit and quickly dies 

•  The death of Ruth May is the turning point of the novel; her death broke something within Orleanna Price resulting in their leave 

Book Five: Exodus

•  Orleanna, Rachel, Leah, and Adah Price leave Kilanga during a rainy day; Rachel leaves with Eeben Axelroot, Leah stays with Anatole, and Orleanna & Adah Price escape to the US 

• Rachel stays with Eeben in Johannesburg, South Africa where they live among the upper class 
• Orleanna and Adah; Orleanna, guilt ridden with the events that occurred at Congo, lives out her life doing community work and staying outdoors; Adah goes to Emory College to get an education
• Anatole is imprisoned for his work with Lumumbists and is released from prison three years later; he and Leah marry and go on to have four sons (Pascal, Patrice, and Martin-Lothaire, Nathaniel) 

•  Rachel, after a failed marriage with a democrat, is alone with a luxury hotel called Equatorial where she stays to live her life; Adah is a successful scientist and has worked out her limp;

Book Six: Songs of the Three Children

• Rachel is satisfied with her life as the owner of a luxury hotel
• Leah and Anatole are also happy with their life; all of their children are grown, living their own life
• Adah devotes her life to scientific research 

Book Seven: The Eyes In the Trees

• The narrator is a wise Ruth May, enlightened by death and lives as the forest itself. She narrates the story told by Orleanna Price at the beginning of the novel. She mentions how every life touches history, however small or large they may seem. The story shifts to a more recent event, the mother and daughters (now only three) are trying to find the grave of their youngest (because they love their mother so much). The novel ends with Ruth May forgiving her mother.