Poisonwood Bible

After a year in Congo, Leah tries to show her growing maturity by declaring, “…now I’m fifteen…” (Pg.103), but not much had changed yet. At arrival, Leah Price had, “…the same dark eyes and chestnut hair…” (Pg.34), inherited from her mother, who had her same, “…dark hair…tied…” (Pg.5), and through their cultural idealism, Leah, “…she remains perfect…” (Pg.34). Yet, when looked at closely, Leah has a defect which her mother describes as, “…the manners of a wild animal…” (Pg.64), which most likely came from her admitted tomboy ways. Leah’s manner of holding herself,”…with energy, her muscle working together like parts of a clock…” (Pg.64), reveals her positive idealism early on.
Leah started as a middle class and became poor. “Fifty dollars a month in Belgian francs might of sound like much, but in Kilanga it had made us richer than anybody. Now we get by on zero dollars a month…” (Pg.205) Leah teaches classes in nutrition, sanitation, and soybean. “I teach classes in nutrition, sanitation, and soybeans, to women…” (Pg.523) Leah was homeschooled. “Mother shooed us from the window, ordering us to go hunt up our schoolbags and read them. It wasn’t the proper time for school, or even a school day, but we did everything she said…” (Pg.79) She used to live in Georgia but she now lives in the Congo, Africa. “We came from Bethlehem, Georgia, bearing Betty Crocker cake mixes into the jungle…Out mother predicted they won’t have Betty Crocker in the Congo.” (Pg.13) Leah was born into a Baptist religion. “Orleanna Price, Southern Baptist by marriage, mother of course.” (Pg.7) When Leah gets married she moves to the city of Kinshasa. They also live in relative luxury compared to most of those around them. “I live in Kinshasa, Zaire…Our house is sturdy, with concrete floor and a tin roof. We live in what would be called in America, a slum, though here it’s an island of relative luxury in the outskirts of la cite…” (Pg.446) Leah stands up for the injustice of racism because of