Sacrifice In The Poisonwood Bible

In her novel ‘The Poisonwood Bible,’ Barbara Kinsolver themes of sacrifice are shown through the character of Nathan Price. Nathan is a Baptist minister with a family who sacrifices his life full of commodities to bring God’s gospel to Kilanga, a small village in the Congo. His sacrifice exhibits his appreciation for persistence, as well as it highlights the guilt and fear he carries with him. Additionally, the story shows his arrogance. Through his character, the work explores colonial ideas and the way in which religion can be used to spread fear.

Nathan Price values persistence considering his unwillingness to give up on his mission when things get difficult. On their mission to bring God to the people of a small village in the Congo,

Nathan served as a soldier during WWII. He survived the Bataan Death march due to an injury, while the rest of his troop died. The guilt of surviving and the thought of being a coward haunts him, “He came home with a crescent-shaped scar on his temple, seriously weakened vision in his left eye, and a suspicion of his own cowardice from which he could never recover.” (Kingsolver, 197) Nathan returned home with the guilt of being a coward, and it is mentioned how he never recovered from that feeling. Even years after the war Nathan has the same belief,“‘God despises a coward who runs while the others stand and suffer.’”( Kingsolver, 238) After Nathan decided to stay in Kilanga, his oldest daughter Rachel insists on returning home. Rachel claims that no one will know the difference between them staying or leaving. Nathan replies that God will know, and says that God despises cowards. This conversation illustrates how Nathan believes that God is always watching, and he refuses to return because that will earn him God’s hate. Nathan is insistent about God watching everyone. He spreads fear throughout

Nathan constantly reminds his family that God is watching. Even his youngest daughter, Ruth May, is aware of it, “Jesus is looking right in the windows no matter what. He can see through the roof. He can see inside our heads, where we think the bad things.” (kingsolver, 237-238) Ruth May narrates how God is watching her all the time. Because God is monitoring her, she tries to avoid bad thoughts. Ruth May, who is only five years old, is already fearful of making a mistake because she fears making God mad. The idea of always being observed, and the fear of getting punished for bad actions came from Nathan, “So if we suffered in our little house on the peanut plain of Bethlehem, it was proof that one of us had committed a failure of virtue.” ( Kingsolver, 200) Orleanna shares how her husband believes that any unfortunate event is a punishment for their sins. Nathan’s idea is that all tragedies are a result of sin. Therefore, when tragedy strikes Kilanga, Nathan’s daughter Leah believes that God did it, “‘Do you think this is the hand of God?’” (Kingsolver, 307) Some time after Nathan’s decision to remain in Kilanga, ants invade the village, forcing the villagers to escape to the river. Leah feels confused, and believes that God has abandoned them. Anatole, a young man who helps Nathan with translation, points out how the idea that every bad action is a