Lit Circle "Bel and the Serpent"

Psycological Critic

Rachel Price

Rachel Price is changing alot over the time during this chapter. It is very interesting to see her mature and then de-mature all in the same chapter. She is not getting the attention she feels she deserves from her parents. She is very annoyed by Tata Kunduvu and is desperate to get rid of him. It is very prominent that she will go to any means to get away from Tata Kunduvu and from Kalinga all together. She hooks up with Axelroot of all people and they pretend to be engaged so that Tata Kunduvu will leave her alone. In this great scam she begins to find a liking for Axelroot, she enjoys the idea of Axelroot but not Axelroot himself. She likes the fact that he is an older man, he is independant, he takes care of her and most of all listens and gives her attention she does not get from her parents or from anyone in the family. This way she uses Axelroot as a sort of back route to all her problems. The two become very close and she suddenly does not seem so annoyed by him. Axelroot tells Rachel of the secret plan to assasinate Lumamba. She has changed from helpless Rachel to adventure seeking desperate do it herself Rachel. This is very important because she finds herself on the path to independance much like the Congo itself. She has also found a new appretiation for animals, this is a great change because Rachel is not the apreciative type at all. "As soon as Eeben Axelroot came back I was determined to use my feminine wilds to my own advantage. No matter what it took, I would get him to take me away from here in his airplane." p. 355

Leah Price

Now Leah is down right done with her changing stage. She is a new woman she has found her real self in the midst and shadow of her fathers ruly hand. I commend her for doing all that she feels is right in her eyes, but I think she falls short of the big picture that they must stick together as a family or they will all fall apart. And I think this also showed in the Death of Ruth May. Leah is now even more distant from the family than she was before. I think she is following more to what Anatole is giving to her as 'right'. The two of them have become more into eachother. But I think the most notable change in Leah Price is that now she is downright being disobediant to her father. This is much like the change in adolesent boys. They go from loving their fathers and wanting to be exactly like them to the rebel stage when the wander off to find themselves. It is pretty wierd but it makes sense that Leah, of all the girls, would take this journey. She decided to be an archer during the hunt, despite her fathers discourages. She turns her back away from father and does not get punished for it. Maybe Nathan is finding a new respect for his daughter? I think its just that he feels she's too under him to even try to bring her back to the path he so dictorialy put infront of her. "Leah slung her bow over her shoulder. "I'm going with the men and thats final."" Here is what Rachel says she saw when Leah downright disobeyed and disrespects her father.