Background:
The story line first off takes place in the 1950s where it begins
in Bethlehem, Georgia however as the plot line continues we end up in a small
village in the Congo named KiLanga. The basis of the story is a mission trip in
which the Price Family takes upon themselves due to their father, Nathan, being
a Southern Baptist Preacher. The chapter selection in this book was different
then what I had imagined as well as from other books I have previously read in
that the chapters were not sectioned off because of new or more recent events
taking place but separated by child within the Price Family. Each chapter took
on a new point of view based on the child whom was narrating that specific
chapter of the book. The Price Family had a total of 6 members in the family
including: Nathan as the father, Orleanna as the mother, Rachel as the eldest
daughter, Adah and Leah whom were twin girls, and finally Ruth May who was the
youngest in the family. As you continue to read one learned that the story line
dealt with World War II and the political upsets and debated in Africa during
the era.
World War
II:
During the time, World War II was just starting to draft soldiers
into the battle field in order to keep the hopes and dreams of winning the war
alive, and as part of that draft, Nathan Price was one in which was called to
serve his country. In part to coming back to from the war, Nathan had returned
as a different man than the one whom left the family earlier. On his return
back, Nathan was more stubborn and strict leaving him behind a man whom was
incapable to have fun with his children. He had also felt a great amount of grievance
and pain due to himself being the only survivor to come out of the war alive.
With the guilt that was now embracing him, Nathan felt the need to save souls
and be a better person whom gave back to those less fortunate.
Book One-
Genesis:
As the story begins, the Price family has just arrived in the
Congo from their home state of Georgia in order for their father, Nathan Price,
to begin his missionary work. When they first arrive, the family realizes the differences
from what their used to, to what they now have to survive in for a years’ time.
Being so unprepared for what is to come, the family has to learn to change and
adapt to the African way of life as soon as they possibly can in order to
survive.
Ex: The family had brought cake mixes and various materialistic items
with them to KiLanga which were both unnecessary as well as unutilized.
Ø Adah feels
very comfortable in the new environment she was submerged in and begins to
connect easily with the African peoples as well as the new cultural differences.
Ø Rachel
cannot come to realize that this is her new home for a year. Being a queen of fashion
and beauty, she wants nothing to do with the new culture nor does she want to
put in the work effort to attain anything.
Ø Ruth May
being so young is very energetic and simply sees the Congo as a new and huge
playground.
Ø Leah is very
open minded to the move into Africa and seems to pick up on their language very
quickly giving herself the upper hand in communicating with the locals.
Ø Mama Tataba had her first argument with Mr. Price about the garden and as a result, she left.
Book Two- The Revelation:
The political standpoint in Africa is becoming much more stabilized with
the help of a new emerging leader, Patrice Lumumba. The Price Family has also
began to truly understand the culture yet on a daily basis seem to come head to
head with a setback not allowing the family to truly become one with the
African culture and tradition.
Ø Threats to a
communist Russian takeover begin to emerge and become clear to the African
peoples.
Book Three- The Judges:
With the Congo being an enjoyable place up until now, political chaos
has turned the peaceful KiLanga Village into a death zone, simply waiting for
war to break out against Patrice Lumumba.
Ø The missionary
turns against the Price Family and tries to push the family out of their
village. Mr. Price refuses however unless there is another family to come in
and show the “way of god.”
Ø Ruth May and
Orleanna become very ill and are in a depressed state of mind.
Ø Following
days of rain and the village becoming emerged in water, an army of ants comes
about and destroys everything in the village leaving behind nothing but debris.
Book Four- The Bel and the Serpent:
In the section of the book, the climax is revealed and the action begins
to take place leaving readers in awe and wonder. As learned in the previous
chapter, Ruth May had become very ill and was facing death as her conditions
kept worsening with nothing helping her situation. It wasn’t until the family
realized she hadn’t been taking her Malaria pills that she was able to heal and
become a lesser version of the young and energetic girl she was before. As for
the rest of the family, the Congo was not treating them well at all and with
the Political Chaos happening before their eyes, their situation seemed to
accelerate into turmoil more quickly than expected.
Ø Reverend
Price is kicked out of church.
Ø Leah falls
in love with her teacher, Anatole and after her first hunt with the African men
where she successfully killed her first animal was cursed by a witch doctor
because of the kill to the innocent animal.
Ø Pascal
defends Leah after another child tried to claim her kill and his own.
Ø Ruth May is
killed by a snake after Leah returned from her first hunt.
Ø Orleanna
leaves behind Mr. Price and takes her children with her.
Book Five- Exodus:
With Mr. Price being left behind in the village of KiLanga, Orleanna and
the girls travel on their own facing their own array of obstacles in which are
both won and lost in certain circumstances. However, without the protection of
the village and the family traveling by foot, their chances for catching
Malaria increase tremendously and Leah was unfortunately ill with the disease.
Ø Because of
her Malaria, Leah is left with Anatole’s friends and family, whom soon becomes
her husband.
Ø Rachel
thought of herself first and promised to marry Eeban Axelroot, a local pilot,
if he would take her away.
Ø Orleanna and
Adah travel back to the states and this decision put Adah in a different perspective
of her mother. Adah never saw herself being worthy to her mother and felt as if
she was constantly in the shadow of her sister but was shocked after her mother
made the decision to leave Leah behind and picked Adah to travel home with.
Book Six- Song of the Three Children:
In this section of the nook, the primary focus is to tell where the girl’s
lives continued to go on after their experience in the Congo. With detailed
descriptions of every girl, the reader gets to see how each child’s life turned
out to be as well as the growth and change from young children to grown ladies.
Ø Rachel was
the most promiscuous out of the girls and became what we would call a
gold-digger marrying three different men. However, after she was widowed by her
third husband, Rachel came into the ownership of a huge hotel in the Congo in which
she saw as her own personal kingdom.
Ø Leah is
still living with her husband, Anatole, in Africa raising her own four
children. Following their passion the couple continuously fight for Africa’s independence
and this eventually lead to the imprisonment of Anatole on more than one occasion.
Ø Adah chose
to continue her education and go to a university where she studies science.
More specifically, diseases in Africa in hopes to find cures for them.
Ø Orleanna
changed after the death of Ruth May and cannot get over the guilt she feels
towards the situation and becomes very depressed.
Book Seven- The Eyes in the Tree’s:
This section from the book is not only the most memorable from the
entire novel but also the most emotional because it is told from Ruth May’s
perspective as she watches her family from up above. Ruth can feel the love and
the pain that still exists because of her death and tries her best to protect
her sisters as well as her mother.
Ø The Price
family wants to put a tombstone over Ruth May’s body but cannot because the
village of KiLanga no longer exists.
Ø Ruth May end
the book with a discussion on Life and Death leaving the reader and new view
point and a question to remain in their heads after the story ends. What truly
is life and death?
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