Summary And Symbolism In Amah's The Return Of The Congo

The novel focuses on the storyline of a preacher named Nathan Price who takes his family, his wife, Orleanna, and four daughters, Rachel, Leah, Adah, and Ruth May, to the Belgian Congo, specifically the village of Kilanga, with missionary purposes. The story details individual events and experiences of each of the members of the family but ultimately the details are symbolic of the overarching themes in the story.
In time, the Price family begins to adjust to its new life in the Congo. Rachel hates everything about the Congo, but ironically ends up staying in Africa later on in her life. Leah, Adah, and Ruth May, on the other hand, begin to appreciate the Congo. Leah, who is Adah's twin, enjoys observing the Congolese culture, while Adah, who is crippled, studies the nature and
Leah grows to love the African culture, falling in love with hunting and also with a local, named Anatole. Orleanna struggles to maintain her motherly duties while also being acquiescent to the whims of Nathan, who overall completely disregards his own family for his missionary purposes. Even when the Prices are told that they need to leave the Congo due to the upcoming independence, Nathan refuses, determined to continue his mission. Often stricken by illness and other misfortunes, the Price family is not suited to live in the Congo so Orleanna begins actively searching for ways to get her family out of the Congo, battling her loyalty to her husband.
Ruth May, the youngest daughter, dies from the bite of a snake, and her death marks the turning point in the novel. Orleanna