Essay #1

In what can almost be deemed a contradictory statement, Edward Said discusses the detrimental as well as the enlightening effects exile can have a person. Said's description of a deeply saddening yet utterly enriching exile experience is exemplified by Leah Price in the novel Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver. At the tender age of fifteen, Leah is uprooted from her life in Atlanta, Georgia and roughly tossed into the unforgiving Congo. Leah does not only feel the harsh effects of her environment but also the painful drifting apart of her and her family members. However, the Congo does not solely take, it also benevolently gives. What Leah had lost in comfort and respect for her family she gained in intelligence and new prosperous relationships. Exile was a catharsis of an experience that undeniably left Leah Price forever changed.

Arriving with an optimistic attitude, Leah had unwavering respect and faith in her father, Reverend Price. However, the harsh realities of the Congo slowly begin unveiling her father’s unforgivable faults. The Reverend selfishly fails to compromise or even negotiate with the Congolese often times leaving him and his family alienated in a land they nothing about. Back in Georgia, Leah admired her father’s devotion and commitment to his faith but in the Congo it becomes blatantly obvious that he could care less about the future of his family as long as his missionary goals get completed. Losing a relationship that once seemed so solid and reliable was devastating for a Leah who already felt excluded by her unfamiliar environment. The weak string that was holding the pair together finally broke when the Reverend failed to support his daughter’s desire to shoot in the village’s hunt for food. This put the nail in the coffin for an already diminishing relationship. Besides being alienated by her father, Leah also feels the distance between her and her twin growing all because of events during her exile. When Adah narrowly escaped being eaten by a lion the strain between the pair is exemplified. Leah is aware that her sister blames her for going on ahead and not stopping for her handicapped companion to catch up. Although the pair were not extremely close in Georgia, tension between the twins seems to be highlighted due to the fast paced nature of their surroundings.

The alienation Leah feels from her family is almost completely alleviated by the new relationships she makes. Leah’s most notable relationship gained from her exile was her once friend and later lover, Anatole. Anatole provided her not only love and comfort when she needed it most but also priceless inspiration and knowledge. Anatole educated Leah on the political and social problems that plagued the Congo and gave a naïve sole guidance and a purpose. With her new relationships and education, Leah began to find her self and create an identity. She now felt less like an American and more like a relative to the Congolese. Although she once saw it as exile, Leah truly found the Congo a place be called home.

The drastic pros and cons of Leah’s journey serve to illustrate Kingsolver’s work as a whole. The Poisonwood Bible tells the story of a family all deeply but differently affected by a journey into new, uncharted territory. Kingsolver showcases how each member drew their own conclusions from the same experience. The Reverend shows undying faith, Orleanna consuming guilt, Rachel unaffected arrogance, Adah altered pessimism , Leah eye-opening revelations and Ruth May terminal bliss. One family, one exile, a million and one consequences.