Literary Essay Example: Poisonwood Bible Book 5: Exodus 3 DQ'S

Poisonwood Bible book is a novel written by Barbare Kingsolver in the year 1998 that tells the story of a missionary family, i.e. "The Prices" who move from their home in the state of Georgia USA in 1959 to Kilanga village in Belgian Congo near river Kwilu. (p.11) The family comprises of six members, i.e. Orleana the mother and Nathan Price the father. The four girls; Rachel, Leah, Adah and Ruth, are aged 15, 14, 14, and five at the time of moving. The four girls grow up and develop differently with each one adopting individually to the African village life in the midst of the political turmoil that takes over in Congo in the 1960's. (p.36)

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In the Poisonwood's bible book, there are various themes the writer elicits that present the reader with the social setting way of life in the day. One such idea is the theme of freedom and captivity. Presented at the early development of the plot, the issue is evident in most parts of the book where either people live in captivity, or their freedom is hampered. One such incidence is when the price family is preparing to leave for Congo, but the airport authorities inform them that they are only limited to forty-four pounds of weight per individual. (p.66) This forces them to wear excessive clothing to lighten their luggage if they want to carry the possessions they desire. The prices are forced to hide their essentials under their garments to carry them to Congo. (p.68) Here the writer shows us that the people were not free to do as they pleased and lived in captivity of the rules of the law.

In the Exodus, many things thrill my reading experience. First, the title itself 'The Exodus", (p.407) is a symbolism representing the journey in the Bible from Egypt to Canaan by the Israelites under the leadership of Moses. This similarly transcends to the Price family from Georgia to Congo that exhibited various challenges just like the Israelites encountered challenges in their journey. (p. 396) I view the title as a clever move that enables the reader to relate the work with other experiences that certain people may have gone through at a particular time. Another area that interests my reading is the part where Orleana the mother depicts her grief which, "streamed out behind me like a swimmer's long hair in the water". (p. 383) The description sparks amusement to the reader in a humorous way where trying to picture grief leaving your body in such a manner would be so relieving. (p.383) These kinds of writing skills amuse the reader and also maintains their interest in the read by breaking the monotony of the narration. The writer has also managed to use different literal skills in his writing that have helped to make the book more captivating and even entertaining. Some of the authentic abilities applied include imagery, symbolism, similes metaphors among other writing skills. Orleana says, "The substance of grief is not imaginary. It's as real as rope or the absence of air, and like both those things it can kill." (p. 382) Here the writer presents us with the suffering and loss that the mother has been through and uses the simile to create pictorial vividness in the description of her grief. (p. 382) In the same way that people use a rope to hang themselves during suicide, or the same way one may die of suffocation from lack of air, so can grief lead one down to the path of devastation and eventual death. (p.382)

The Poisonwood Bible is a good read that has managed to provide the reader with a vivid description of the predicaments and suffering that early missionaries together with their families went through. Presenting the ideas clearly and logically not only makes the book easy to understand but also an exciting read.

Works cited

Kingsolver, Barbara. "The Poisonwood Bible." National Library Service, Library of Congress, 1999.