The Poisonwood Bible By Barbara Kingsolver - 1732 Words

The Poisonwood Bible 1998 Historical Fiction Characteristics: Unique location, Primitivism, different ways of speaking and racial views Barbara Kingsolver Barbara Kingsolver, born in 1955, grew up in Kentucky and lived in many different countries such as : England, France, and Canary Islands. She attended Debauw University and University of Arizona where she earned a biology degree. Kingsolver now is a beloved author of eleven books and has been named the most important author of the twentieth century and has had the honor of receiving the National Humanities medal in 2000. In 1998 she wrote â€Å"The Poisonwood Bible† and was short-listed for the pulitzer prize. Kingsolver now resides in Southwestern Virginia with her daughters and husband on a farm. â€Å"The Poisonwood Bible† was published in the year 1998 which is the time that the second Congo War began. Due to this war there is believed to have been 5.4 million fatalities. This was occurring in Africa. Barbara Kingsolver s novel â€Å"The Poisonwood Bible tells the story of the Price family. The story is told from the point of view of Nathan Price s wife and 4 daughters. Nathan Price, a baptist, brings his family with him to the congo on a mission forcing them to leave behind their life and friends back in Georgia. The daughters and wife attempt to put on as much of their clothing and fill up their pockets with all that they could hold due to the weight limit. Upon arrival the Kilanga people have arranged a welcome meal which goesShow MoreRelatedThe Poisonwood Bible By Barbara Kingsolver1124 Words   |  5 PagesIn the novel The Poisonwood Bible, written by Barbara Kingsolver, the reader is introduced to the Price family, Baptist missionaries who are attempting to â€Å"Christianize† the country of Congo, more specifically the village of Kilanga. As the story progresses, the family realizes that they are not changing the Congo; instead, the Congo is changing them. The deve lopment of the characters within the novel is due to the instrument of cruelty. Although distasteful to regard it as such, cruelty motivatesRead MoreThe Poisonwood Bible By Barbara Kingsolver1352 Words   |  6 Pagessuccessful. In the beginning of The Poisonwood Bible, Orleanna introduces to the readers in a third person’s point of view, â€Å"The daughters march behind her, each one tensed to fire off a woman’s heart on a different path to glory or damnation† (5). Orleanna, a mother who lives throughout the story of The Poisonwood Bible, acknowledges how women, in great numbers, are found walking down the path of trying to be successful. The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver, involves the Price family of 6, whichRead MoreThe Poisonwood Bible By Barbara Kingsolver1142 Words   |  5 PagesThe Poisonwood Bible Nowadays, in today’s society, survival is considered the basic instinct of all humans. Commonly defined as the state of â€Å"continuing to live or exist, in spite of an accident, ordeal or difficult circumstance,†(Dictionary) survival teaches us the will to succeed and face adversity despite the challenges and obstacles we may encounter along the way. In Barbara Kingsolver’s novel â€Å" The Poisonwood Bible,† there is a central theme of survival. Whether it includes finding suppliesRead MoreThe Poisonwood Bible By Barbara Kingsolver1198 Words   |  5 PagesPeriod 2 Part I Title: The Poisonwood Bible Author: Barbara Kingsolver Date of Original Publication: 1998 Biographical information about the author (five facts): -Kingslover was born in 1955 - Throughout her life, she has lived in England, France, and the Canary Islands, and has worked in Europe, Africa, Asia, Mexico, and South America. - Kingsolver was named one the most important writers of the 20th Century by Writers Digest. - Her work, The Poisonwood Bible, was a finalist for the PulitzerRead MoreThe Poisonwood Bible By Barbara Kingsolver1241 Words   |  5 Pagespast and present known society, women have not been treated as the full equals of men. A woman s main value is to support a man, bear children, and housekeeping duties. This is how it has always been in most cultures. The novel, The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver, shows the paternalistic society in which the Price family lives in. In 1959 an obstinate Baptist minister named Nathan Price drags his wife and four daughters deep into the heart of the Congo on a mission to save the unenlightenedRead MoreThe Poisonwood Bible By Barbara Kingsolver1807 Words   |  8 Pageshalf of humanity, for the benefit of all†. Feminism, the act of advocating for female rights in order for them to be equal to those of men, has been an issue for hundreds of years that is sadly lacking present-day progression. In The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingso lver, five females narrate their experiences in Congo during the sixties under not only the Belgian’s rule, but more terribly, under the tyranny of Nathan Price, a Baptist preacher on a mission to convert â€Å"arrogant† Congolese people intoRead MoreThe Poisonwood Bible By Barbara Kingsolver1295 Words   |  6 Pages Imperialism has been a strong and long lasting force, oppressing societies for generations on end. The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver, demonstrates how the Congo is continuously affected by this concept and ideology. Throughout this story, Kingsolver manipulates each family member and individual within the book, to better show Western and European ideas and attitudes, to convey the large amount of hypocrisy, in foreigner’s actions. No one shows the oppression, inflicted upon the Congo’sRead MoreThe Poisonwood Bible By Barbara Kingsolver1961 Words   |  8 PagesThe poisonwood Bible is a book about identity, growing up and family. The main characters throughout the book grow and learn to become new people through new relationships they develop while in the Congo as well as through struggles they face while in the Congo. Barbara Kingsolver uses the literary elements of plot, the characters, and point of view to develop the characterization and relationships between the Price family in the Poisonwood Bible. Throughout the book Kingsolver uses different aspectsRead MoreEssay on The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver919 Words   |  4 Pagesa sure sense of self. But along with all these great things come regret, guilt, and shame of past events. Everyone deals with these in different ways, sometimes turning to religion and denial as coping mechanisms. In the novel The Poisonwood Bible, By Barbara Kingsolver, each member of the Price family deals with a personal guilt either gained while on their mission in the Congo or long before. This novel exemplifies the different types of guilt the Price family experienced throughout their stay inRead MoreThe Poisonwood Bible By Barbara Kingsolver2015 Words   |  9 PagesThe Poisonwood Bible, written by Barbara Kingsolver, details the experiences of a missionary family in the Congo, narrated by the Price women. Multiple questions are introduced over the course of the novel, some being answered and others not so much. One important theme in the novel is the influence of surroundings on the characters, specifically Leah Price. Leah Price arguably went through the most change and development as a result of her surroundings and environment. Her moral, psychological change

The Things They Carried by Tim OBrien - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 6 Words: 1841 Downloads: 3 Date added: 2019/04/11 Category Literature Essay Level High school Tags: The Things They Carried Essay Did you like this example? This quote is impactful because it reveals not only the physical baggage that the soldiers carry but also the mental burden. They have to live on with what the outcomes of the war are even after its over. â€Å"They carried the soldiers greatest fear, which was the fear of blushingThey died so as not to die of embarrassment.† (OBrien 20) Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Things They Carried by Tim OBrien" essay for you Create order This quote was impactful for me because it shows that men risked their lives to go to war just to save their reputations. They would rather fight in the war because refusing would mean cowardice and men, according to society can’t be that. â€Å"Some carried themselves with a sort of wistful resignation, others with pride or stiff soldierly discipline or good humor or macho zeal. They were afraid of dying but they were even more afraid of showing it† (O’Brien 19) This quote is impactful because most of these men showed pride during the war to hide their true fears under the mask of humor or enthusiasm. The soldiers could be terrified of being in the war but they still wouldnt show it because it would show lack of bravery. OBrien wrote this to show that they carried much more than guns and equipment, they mostly carried burden in their heads. The outcomes of the war were far worse than they appeared because war changes a person not only physically but psychologically as well. The soldiers were risking not only their lives but their reputations and names as well. Being a coward wasn’t an option, hiding their fears, showing bravery and pride was far more important than showing how they truly felt. Pride, bravery, discipline, good humor, all examples of how they hid those negative feelings they had towards the war. All the weight they carried mentally and emotionally was far worse than it appeared to be on the outside. â€Å"The Man I Killed† â€Å"His jaw was in his throatthere was a slight tear at the lobe of one earhis forehead was slightly freckledthe skin at his left cheek was peeled back in three ragged stripsthere was a butterfly on his chin†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (OBrien 118) This quote is impactful for me because it shows how unusual OBrien’s response was when he took a life. Instead of expressing the guilt, he just stared at the body and grasped every amount of detail he could to prevent himself from thinking about his actions. â€Å"The young man would not have wanted to be a soldier and in his heart would have feared performing badly in battleHe loved mathematicsat school the boys sometimes teased him about how pretty he was†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (OBrien 121) This quote is important because it shows how OBrien deals with the guilt of killing the Vietnamese soldier, by imagining how life was like for him. He does this to hide what he actually feels and maybe also to put himself in his shoes in a certain way. â€Å"there was a butterfly on his chinThe butterfly was making its way along the young mans foreheadAlong the trail there were small blue flowers shaped like † (OBrien 118 120-121) This quote is important because it shows how OBrien repeats the physical features of his victim and references a butterfly on the dead body and blue flowers next to the dead body which is ironic. It shows me that even in death, there is life. O’Brien chose this story to show the effect of death and beauty of life even in death. The effect he wants to invoke on the reader is to put them inside a soldiers head and show them what theyre going through. O’Brien wants the readers to feel how he felt in the moment he took a life and understand the horror of facing death. It also shows the reader how OBrien distanced himself from the death, by creating a life for the soldier. He feels safer by focusing on other things rather than thinking about his actions and feeling guilty. Mentioning the butterfly and flowers near the dead body also shows how there is still hope of life among the war. This story helps develop the next story, â€Å"Ambush†. â€Å"Ambush† â€Å"He was a short, slender young man of about twenty. I was afraid of himand he passed me on the trail I threw a grenade that exploded at his feet and killed him.† (O’Brien 125) This quote is important because it shows how O’Brien has a clear memory of what happened even though it occurred very fast. O’Brien’s repetition of the physical details of the man show how the death was very impactful on him and how he was afraid of him because the effect still haunts him. â€Å"When she was nine, my daughter Kathleen asked me if I had killed someoneSomeday, I hope, shell ask again. But here I want to pretend shes a grown-upThis is why I keep writing war stories†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (O’Brien 125) This quote is impactful because it shows how O’Brien wants to protect his daughter from the horrors of the war. He wants to let his daughter know he did what he felt was right when she is old enough so she understands why he keeps writing war stories and why it is necessary. â€Å"It was not a matter of live or die. There was no peril. Almost certainly the young man would have passed by. And it will always be that way.† (OBrien 127) This quote is impactful because OBrien wants to justify and give a reason as to why he killed a man so people dont think he acted without reason. He believes that if he hadnt thrown grenade at the man he would have just passed by and his death wouldnt have haunted OBrien. Tim OBrien wrote this story to show the readers what effect death can have on soldiers. He also writes to address to his daughter the reasons why he wrote it and to justify his actions. He keeps writing war stories hoping that someday his daughter when she’s older, understands the difficult decisions that had to be taken during the war. The purpose of this story is to show the aftermath of death. It depicts the instinct to survive. OBrien acted out of fear and didnt comprehend his actions until it was too late. This story helps readers understand the impact of rapid decisions that have to be made. â€Å"The Dentist† â€Å"He didnt mind blood or pain-he actually enjoyed combat-but there was something about a dentist that gave him the creeps†¦He fainted before the man even touched him.† (OBrien 83) This quote is important because it shows how Curt Lemon isnt bothered by violence and death but is afraid of a someone touching his teeth. This means that he is more comfortable being in the midst of chaos and war than going to a dentist. â€Å"Anyone else wouldve laughed it off, but for Curt Lemon it was too much. The embarrassment mustve turned a screw in his head.† (OBrien 84) This quote is impactful because it shows how shame starts to drive a tough soldier crazy. It shows how he values his reputation and doesnt want people to see him as a coward. â€Å"The dentist couldnt find any problem, but Lemon kept insisting, so the man finally shrugged and†¦ yanked out a perfectly good tooth.† (OBrien 84) This quote is important because it shows how Lemon believes getting a tooth pulled out and coming over his fear of the dentist would keep his reputation intact. It also shows how he is more worried about his reputation than dying in the war and it becomes too much to handle so he decides to act on it. OBriens purpose of writing this story is to show a different side to the soldiers and the society they live in during his time. It portrays how a tough soldier who is always doing dangerous things is afraid of the dentist. In order to keep up his reputation, Lemon goes as far as to getting his teeth pulled out because it would keep his brave soldier reputation intact among other soldiers. He also does this to prove to himself that he isnt a coward and to overcome the fact that he fainted. This story helps develop other stories in the book such as â€Å"On the Rainy River† by talking about reputation and cowardice. Society expects men to be strong and insensitive, therefore, showing any emotion is a sign of weakness to the soldiers. â€Å"On the Rainy River† â€Å"I feared the war, yes, but I also feared exile†¦ I feared losing the respect of my parents†¦ I feared ridicule and censure.† (OBrien 42) This quote is important because OBrien doesnt want to go to war but he cant decide between his fear of losing his familys respect and his reputation in town. He doesn’t want to flee the draft and disgrace his name among everyone because they would think of the act as lack of bravery and love for their country. â€Å"I think he meant to bring me up against the realities, to guide me across the river and to take me to the edge and to stand a kind of vigil as I chose a life for myself†¦ I couldnt act†¦ all I could do was cry†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (OBrien 53-54) This quote is impactful because Elroy brings OBrien to the river and without saying anything he wants to face the reality and decide the path he wants to take in that moment. OBrien is ashamed of this story because he believes crying is a failure of masculinity and him not being able to make a decision shows lack of brave. â€Å"And what was so sad, I realized, was that Canada had become a pitiful fantasy. Silly and hopeless. It was no longer a possibility.† (OBrien 55) This quote is important because it is the moment of realization for OBrien and what he believes is the right thing to do. He won’t escape to Canada because it would be seen as cowardice, and he would rather not bring disgrace upon his family and town.? Tim OBrien wrote this story to express the inner struggles he dealt with upon receiving the draft. The author wants the reader see how he is compelled into making the decision of going to Canada or staying and fighting for his country and how he decided on it. The old man OBrien meets when he’s on his way to Canada plays a big part in the way he decides on what he wants to do, whether he will stay or escape. Elroy forces him to make a choice at the river of what he thinks is right, and never passes judgment onto him. Elroy’s presence forces OBrien to confront Canada and freedom from the war without him actually speaking. OBrien’s purpose of writing this book is to justify his decisions and also to put the readers in the position he was in on the rainy river.

The Lack of Will Makes Us Lazy Free Essays

The Industrial Revolution was the beginning of a new era in human history. Thanks to this, many countries were able to experience economic growth at a rate never seen before. Unfortunately, it has brought an unforeseen consequence that today has been taken for granted. We will write a custom essay sample on The Lack of Will Makes Us Lazy or any similar topic only for you Order Now Because of lacking regulation laws during the aftermath of the Industrial Revolution, we now face the worst environmental crisis of all time. As a result, the planet is experiencing an increase in temperatures around the world. However, nothing is all lost, yet. With renewable energy, among other things, it’s possible to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, therefore reversing the damage we have done to the planet. For instance, there are wind farms. The wind is a renewable energy that is often overlooked. With new technology, it’s possible to harness the wind and convert it into a power source. The United Kingdom has managed to do this with success. In the southeast coast of England, the government was able to build an off-shore wind farm with over 100 turbines, which harvests the power of the wind. The Thanet wind farm, as they named it, is capable of producing enough energy to power over 200,000 households in a year. If countries around the world had the will, they could replace non-renewable energy sources with wind farms. This is an excellent idea that could reduce carbon emissions by billions of tons each year. In addition, another renewable source that could help reduce emissions is solar energy. The planet receives more solar energy from the Sun in an hour than it consumes in a year. If every home owner had the will to install solar panels in the rooftops of their homes, not only would it lower their electric bill, but also, their emission levels would drop drastically. Similarly, China is planning to build something close, but in massive scale. The Chinese government struck a deal with First Solar Inc, an Arizona-based company, to build a solar field the size of Manhattan. If the deal goes through, the gigantic solar field will be able to power approximately 3 million Chinese homes. In the end, solar energy is another excellent renewable source with a lot more potential than we might think. Moreover, another way that we can reduce greenhouse gases is by encouraging public transportation. As we know, driving our daily commute can become a struggle. Sometimes, we pollute the environment with carbon dioxide without even moving our cars, stuck in traffic jams, wasting energy in the process. On the other hand, people who use mass transit when commuting save by not spending money on increasingly expensive gas, but more importantly, reduce their carbon emissions. Another plus for using mass transit systems is that you basically have an excuse to meet new people seating next to you. On the contrary, if you rather enjoy commuting alone while driving a car, a hybrid or an electric is a great alternative to regular combustion engine vehicles. Either way, there’s no excuse for anyone to reduce their carbon emissions while commuting to work or school. In the end, the technology to reduce worldwide greenhouse gases is on our fingertips. The only thing that’s stopping us from doing the right thing and reducing emissions is will in our part. It’s human nature to act after the disaster strikes. Let’s not wait after coastal cities start flooding and act now so we can secure a better future for our descendants. How to cite The Lack of Will Makes Us Lazy, Papers

Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll Essay Example For Students

Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll Essay In Lewis Carroll’s novel Alice in Wonderland, Alice is curious, well-mannered, and confused while she tries to find her way out of Wonderland. Alice meets many unique and weird creatures which eventually help her escape wonderland. Alice shows that she is curious through her actions. At the beginning of the book Alice gets distracted from her â€Å"boring† work, and chases a white rabbit down a hole. This excerpt describes Alices curiosity, â€Å"Alice started to her feet, for it flashed in her mind that she had never before seen a rabbit with either a waistcoat-pocket†. When Alice is at the bottom of the hole she find a bottle labeled â€Å"Drink Me†, she wants to see what it tastes like, this excerpt describes the event â€Å"†¦this bottle was not marked `poison’, so Alice ventured to taste it, finding it very nice†. Another instant that shows her curiosity when she looks for the white rabbits fan and gloves, she finds a bottle, this time there was no table, â€Å"There was no label this time with the words `Drink Me’ †¦ `I know something interesting is going to happen’ †¦ ` I’ll just see what it does’,†. Alice is like a little girl that is still exploring the world around her, but she finds that she is more mature than the creatures in Wonderland. Alice is very well mannered in Victorian ways to the creatures of Wonderland. Alice shows her good manners when she enters the white rabbits house and the rabbit tells Alice to go fetch his gloves and fan, â€Å"I’d better take his fan and gloves- that is if I can find them†, since Alice is a guest, uninvited, she follows the owners orders. When Alice runs into caterpillar she calls him â€Å"Sir†, here is an excerpt from the book, † I can’t explain myself myself, I’m afraid, Sir†, this shows that she respects the creatures of Wonderland. When Alice enters the Duchesses house and the Duchess throws the baby to Alice, Alice starts to take care of it, † `Here! You may nurse it a bit, if you like! ’ Alice caught the baby with some difficulty †¦Ã¢â‚¬ , this shows her maternal side. Wonderland is an illogical land, nothing seems to make sense to Alice. She starts to become very frustrated and confused. When Alice meets the caterpillar the following conversation takes place, † `Who are you! ’ the caterpillar asked †¦ `I – I hardly know, Sir, just at present – at least I know who I was when I got up this morning’ †¦ â€Å", Alice is so confused she does not even know who she is. Before Alice enters the Duchesses house she knocks on the front door, the following conversation takes place with a creature, â€Å"Alice went up to the door and knocked, ` There is no use in knocking `†¦ ` Please, then ` said Alice ` How am I to get in ? â€Å", this proves that the illogical reasoning that the creatures find logical is confusing to a Victorian girl. Alice is curious because she is very young and she is still finding out about the world around her. Throughout the novel she grows up and matures because she starts to unlock the illogical reasoning of Wonderland and begins to respect their weird habits. Even through all the confusion, she stil l finds home at the end of the novel.