The Poisonwood Bible Blog 2- Orleanna

   As Orleanna reflects on experiences in Africa, she finds many of the experiences "impossible to bear." As the wife of an overly controlling preacher, her independence and individuality are basically nonexistent. Although most of her days in the Congo consist of doing everything necessary to uphold the lifestyle her children and husband expect including everything from boiling water, household cleaning, and cooking all the while starving herself. She spends hours upon hours of "cutting or pounding or dashing" some food item into "something (her) family would tolerate." To Orleanna, her only current purpose in life is to adapt to increasingly difficult situations in the Congo. But Orleanna didn’t always have to concentrate solely on the well being of others. The loss of herself, so to speak, began when over bearing Nathan Price came into her life. Although Nathan whole-heartily believes that he is spreading the word of God, his backwards, hypocritical mindset towards “loving thy neighbor” stifles his relationship with his wife, children, and the people around him, even to the point of killing whatever spirit inside his wife. Fortunately, however, Orleanna is starting to stand up for herself and the well being of her children.