Poisonwood Bible Quotes

So we've recently been reading the Poisonwood Bible, and we've been asked to find two quote from each chapter that have significance in the story, and to explain that significance in this blog post.

"The airport police wore khaki shirts with extra metal buttons and , believe you me, guns."

"Each one of us arrived with some extra responsibility biting into us under our garments: a claw hammer, a Baptist hymnal, each object of value replacing the weight freed up by some frivolous thing we'd found the strength to leave behind. Our journey was to be a great enterprise of balance. My father, of course, was bringing the Word of God-- which fortunately weighs nothing."

These two quotes from Leah's first part in the book gives a very good view on how things are going so far, and where exactly we are. She gives us a very strong sense of setting in Africa as she explains the airport scene with the guns and stuff. I chose the first quote because it sets up the setting so well. I chose the second quote because it shows how much the trip is weighing down on the family, especially the girls. I think this is a metaphor for how the whole trip together will be. I think it is a very good metaphor. As we see all the things that weigh down the girls, on the contrast, Nathan Price brings the Word of God, which just so happens to weigh absolutely nothing.

"Leah runs everywhere and climbs trees, but Adah can't, she is bad on one whole side and doesn't talk because she is brain-damaged and also hates us all. She reads books upside down. You are only supposed to hate the Devil, and love everybody else."

"So Noah cursed all Ham's children to be slaves for ever and ever. That's how come them turn out dark... Their day for the Zoo is Thursday. That's in the Bible."

These two quotes are very key, especially coming from the youngest sister of the family. Ruth May Price gives us alot to look at in her small chapter. She gives alittle perspective on her older sisters Leah and Adah. She tells us of Adah's deformity. She tells us that Adah hates all of them. Here is a very significant part of what I think her role is in the story, which is repeating everthing she hears. She says, " You are only supposed to hate the Devil, and love everybody else." This is a prime example of that, in which she probably learned this in sunday school of from her mother or father. The second quote I like as well, it is about the famous story of the Curse of Ham. She, again, is just repeating what she heard or learned from father or from another religious person. I took the liberty of doing alittle research on this story. It is a true story in the Bible, but I have found that no where in the Bible did it say that the decendents of Ham were dark skinned. BUTHam, I think, from some shaky internet sources, the Hebrew translation of the name Ham, is dark, burnt, or very hot. The other two brothers' names mean fair and dusky. TAKE THAT MRS. WATSON!!

"Boy, what a place. Already i was heavy-hearted in my soul for the flush commodes and machine-washed clothes adn other simple things in life I have took for granite."

"I shut my eyes tight, but even so, the tears ran down. I wept for the sins of all who had brought my family to this dread dark shore."

These are the quotes from Rachel's first narrative of the Chapter. the first one i chose because it shows a little of the feelings of the girls when the first arrived in Africa. We see that they are finally wiseing up the fact that there are less fancy things where they are. They are begginging to be greatful for what they had and sad for what they took for granite. This I feel is very important because they can learn alot from these feelings and it will be interesting to see if they do learn, especially Rachel who is the most materialistic of all the members of the family. The second one is just more emphasis on what I've just said. Rachel, obviously really does not want to be in Africa. I think she is very angry and sad because she had to leave America out of nowhere and stay here in a place where she is very uncomfortable.

"These women are pillars of wonder, defying gravity while wearing the hohum aspect of perfect tedium. They can sit, stand, talk, shake a stick at a drunk man, and reach around their backs to fetch forth a baby to nurse, all without dropping their piled-high bundles upon bundles. They are like ballet dancers entirely unaware they are on stage. I cannot take my eyes from them."

"It is true I do not speak as well as I think. But that is true of most people, as nearly as I can tell."

These two quotes i believe are very important. Comming from Adah, the disabled one of the family, they are very observant and very descriptive. I like Adah's narrative more than all the others. The language she uses is so interesting and grasps my attention. I can see alot of what she describes easily, alot easier than that of any of girls. I like the first one because it is a very good parallel or use of measure that I plan to use with Orleana Price. Here we see the role of African women, who Adah describes very reveringly and majestically. Then we see that she is very fond of these women, I think that the girls will ultimately take alot and learn alot from these African women. The other quote, I chose because it tells alittle more about her. This chapter we learn of Adah's disabilities and challenges. But we also learn alot about her many strengths and views of herself and views of her sisters.

"But father needs permission only from the Saviour, who obviously is all in favor of subduing the untamed wilderness for a garden."

"Some people find him overly stern and frightening, but that is only because he was gifted with such keen judgment and purity of heart. He has been singled out for a life of trial, as Jesus was."

These two, are from the second narrative of Leah. I chose the first one because it has alot to do with the Genesis quote at the beggining fo the book. I think the quote is a metaphor for Africa and taming the people by spreading the word of God. Which is the ultimate goal of Nathan Price. The second one shows Leah's loyalty to her father. She compare her to their Saviour Jesus Christ, maybe Leah puts her father right up there with Jesus in sense of her influenses.