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Novels can oftentimes be said to be defined by the characters within it. The Poisonwood Bible follows the growth and development of each member of the Price family as they adjust to their new life here. One of the middle daughters, Leah experiences many changes throughout her time in the Congo. Throughout her experiences in the Congo, Leah’s perspective on her devotion to her father and religion changes through her exposure to the new environment and the people she meets, specifically Anatole.
Coming into the Congo, Leah was the daughter who was most devoted to her father, never “contradict[ing] [her] father on any subject, ever” (Kingsolver 66). At the beginning of the novel, Leah tries to keep Ruth May from playing with the younger children by telling her “awful things” such that “a snake might bite her, or that one of those fellows walking by and swinging his machete might just gut her gizzard out” (Kingsolver 106). Leah refuses to join the game and justifies her guilt by reasoning with herself that it is “for [Ruth May’s] own good” (Kingsolver 106). This is similar to when Nathan *inserts a quote about Nathan being condescending. However, as the amount of time she spends in the Congo increases, she becomes more and more aware of her family’s role of the social injustice present in the Congo, quickly realizing the harm her father is doing. Leah begins acknowledging the differences in her and her father’s thoughts as she wonders “how [she would] learn anything of any account to teach others…without college” as her father does not support her pursuing higher education (Kingsolver 150). She continues to question her father more frequently as she is exposed to the new Congolese life, but since she has been dependent on her father her whole life, it is difficult for her to gain her own independence. As the novel progresses, Leah discovers her independence as she becomes aware of the different thoughts and beliefs she has from her father. Leah finally comes to the realization that “all [her] life [she’s] tried to set [her] shoes squarely into his footprints… yet with each passing day [she] find[s] herself farther away” (Kingsolver 244). From that moment on, she is as distant from her father as the rest of the family.
Not only was Leah’s loyalty and feelings toward her father completely changed during the novel, her relationship with God did as well. Throughout the course of the events in the novel, Leah’s faith in the Lord decreases (needs more). Towards the beginning of the novel, heavily influenced by her father, Leah is extremely devoted to her faith even refusing to curse herself “because [she] crave[s] heaven and to be [her] father’s favorite” (Kingsolver 66). Early in the novel, Leah “believ[ed] in God with all [her] might, but [has] been thinking lately that most of the details seem pretty much beneath His dignity” (Kingsolver 37). Leah is seen doubting her religion, but it is not until later that she finally acknowledges these feelings. Anatole additionally helped impact the change in Leah by providing her an understanding of some of the Congolese ideals such as when Leah expressed that “‘children should never have to die” (Kingsolver 231). Anatole responded that “if they never did, children would not be so precious’”( Kingsolver 231). Even though Leah has a different belief from the Congolese way, she is able to understand their beliefs. With each new belief that she learns, Leah doubts her religion even more. After the ants struck the village, Leah completely left her religion as she realized both her and her family’s past ignorance. Every new experience away from her past and join “the inhabitants of this land” (Kingsolver 187). Her ability to develop her own views while understanding others ultimately led her to realize that her “faith in justice was childish” as she “felt the breath of God grow cold on [her] skin’”(Kingsolver 310).
When Leah came to the Congo, she was blindly devoted to both God and her father, but as she immersed herself into the environment, her original beliefs were called into question. Over the course of the novel, Leah realizes that there are others that share different values than those of her father. Because of this, Leah was able to develop into her own individual and eventually turn away from her father and his religion and embrace her own beliefs.
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