Genesis Response

Basically what seems to be going on in the book, The Poisonwood Bible the Price family has moved to the Congo to serve a year a missionaries. I find it very interesting that the family is composed of five girls and a father. The father in this story, Nathan Price, is a baptist preacher and he has decided the whole family should live in the Congo. It is very intriguing to me to see how each of the girls reacts differently to the drastic changes that occur in their lifestyle. Through the different points of views about their living conditions, we learn about the girls themselves as well as about life in the Congo.
Rachel is apparently the vain one in the family, she prides herself in her white blonde hair and even worries about running out of her special shampoo. When Rachel is speaking, she talks a lot about the attire and appearances of the men, women and children of the Congo. From this, we can infer that Rachel cares a lot about outward appearances. Another one of the daughters, Leah seems to me to be desperately trying to gain her father's affection. She is thrilled when he speaks to her, and tries very hard to please him, wanting to follow all his rules and to get into heaven. Leah wants terribly for her father's approval. We can see this when Leah and her Father are out in the garden tending the plants, the way Leah describes the interaction shows how much she yearns for a closer relationship with her dad.
A lot of the stories and glimpses of the Price family's expriences in the Congo show how unprepared they were. Nathan brought a hammer, which is useless there, Orleanna and the girls brought cake mix, which hardens in the humidity etc. Also, I feel as though the Price girls, are all longing for home, or at least missing the quality of life they had back in America. Even Leah, who strives to be the most like their father, longs for America. When Mr. Price is speaking about the parable of the mustard seed, Leah's mind jumps to the mustard bottles that were so common back in the states. From what I have read in the book so far, I think all the Price women miss America.