Reading Responses and Bloging

Frankenstein Response 1 (second response is at the very botttom)

The novel’s beginning starts off with a compilation of letters from an explorer named Robert Walton to his sister Margaret. He tells her of his feelings of purpose and drive that he has before he leaves. He wants to make great discoveries and explore new lands. In the second letter Walton relates his feelings of isolation, not making many friends aboard the ship. In the third letter despite his loneliness, he says he will push himself and believes he will accomplish the goals he set out to do.

Genesis: Reading this chapter of the Poisonwood Bible I noticed that the format of the story was told from the vantage points of each of the four daughters and their mother Orleanna Price. The only main character in the book who we do not get to hear directly is Nathan Price and I believe it is because the book revolves more upon the families reaction to Nathan's choices, more so than their own seperate actions. The differing perspective gave me a sense of each of the characters by how they saw and counter-reacted to various events in the story. What I found interesting in the Book of Genisis in the Poisonwood Bible is the past tense that Orleanna was talking in. She describes latter events in the novel and hints to a past death of one of her beloved daughter as she observed an Okapi in the forest. Orleanna seems to remove religion from her life, I beleive blaming it and the actions of Nathan for the death of one of her daughters. She continues to speak of the death as an event that has haunted her entire life. In her narrative she states "most [people] have no earthly notion of the price of a snow-white conscience"(9), connecting their last name Price with the price she had to pay by taking her family into the Congo.

Revelation: In Revelation I saw how little Nathan Price valued his family compared to his strong devotion to Jesus and the congregation. Orleanna saw Nathan's mind only transfixed on gaining more members toward his church, and less and less on the well-being and upkeep of his four daughters. In the event where Adah was thought dead, only the mother showed great emotion of the new; Adah describing it herself that "such affliction I saw on her face I briefly believed myself dead"(140). It was the fact that Adah survived that got Nathan to appreciate Addah more, as it is with her miraculous survival that gave a "great boost for father's church"(150). Nathan just used Adah as a tool to gain support for his cause and taught the Congolese people the parable of Daniel and the lions' den. Leah speaks of the unfairness of her father's love toward Adah saying "Adah is the cause... father is pleased as a punch with [her]"(151). Nathan, although latter revealed that he was the the only survivor of his troop that survived, I believe Nathan has devoted his life toward god in the wrong reason and to great an extent.

Exodus: In some ways I see parallel structures and themes that the Exodus from the Old Testiment shares with book five in the Poisonwood Bible, besides the title. I saw similarity in the traits Orleanna Price and Moses seem to share as they both represent the traditional hero. Orleanna having to bear the death of her youngest daughter, Ruth May, finally over came her fear and inner stife, and led her remaining daughters out of Kilanga. Moses in the same way lead by the will of God rose from his inner turmoil and grew to lead his people to the promised land. It is also here where the entire structure of the novel changes as we see the narratives of the mother and her daughters in different locations instead of different views of the same events. Orleanna also pays a price very similar to the one Moses had to pay. As with Moses never being able to enter the promised land himself for the murder of an Egyptian, Orleanna also never really was freed from her guilt in the death of Ruth May.

Song of The Three Children: The overlaying theme that stood out to me in the description of the three daughters' lifestyles is that no matter how each of them grew up, they each were affected by Africa. Rachael described it as "The way I see Africa, you don't have to like it but you sure have to admit it's out there."(516)Ironically Nathan and his family came to Africa hoping to change it when the opposite happened with each of them being changed by Africa itself. Rachael relates how she would not fit into America anymore, Leah finds herself consumed in the polical and racial tensions living in Communist labeled Angola, Adah spending her life researching cures for viruses found in Africa.

The Eyes in The Trees: In book seven, Kingsolver uses an unusual viewpoint that is not displayed anywhere else in the novel. I believe the narration is from partly the spirit of Ruth May and the spirit of Africa itself. A theme is formed as the spirit remembers how they entered the Congo, with each of the four daughters trailing their mother. The spirit of Ruth May relates how her killing of the spider and the family's picnic there each had its effect and toll in life. The theme is summed up as "every life is different because you passed this way and touched history."(538) This idea can be generalized that in effect each choice of action has its consequence. I also find it kind of mystical that in the last paragraph the spirit of Ruth May gives forgiveness to her mother and soothes her through the figure of the Okapi. The Okapi I believe symbolized the peace found in a land full of miseries.

Frankenstein Response 2

I am quite confused of the reason that Frankenstein destroyed his second creation although he had already completed it as requested by the creture. I believe this to be his final mistake because with its destruction, he also made his life an everlasting torment. I strongly believe Frankenstein was shallow to some degree and should have understood the lonliness that his creation was feeling. I think this can be related to the Poisonwood Bible as it was a misunderstanding of each other that caused the loss in communication between Victor and his wretched creation.