Injustice In The Poisonwood Bible

Throughout The Poisonwood Bible, Barbara Kingsolver implements the nature of cruelty into her writing to underscore the themes of cultural arrogance and societal injustice. Additionally, the cruel actions taken place in this detailed novel highlight the four individual daughter’s unique and intriguing perspectives along their journey in the Congo. From the innocence of young Ruth May to the unbound recklessness of Reverend Price, the reader witnesses the compelling mindsets and thought processes in times of adversity and hardships as they reflect on how cruel the world can be. Cruelty functions both significantly in the connection between the reader and the characters view points as well as conveying the central theme of injustice in the work,

but it also substantially reveals the forceful and oppressive character of Nathan Price.
To begin, the book employs certain cruel actions to exhibit the emotional responses of the main characters to allow the reader to connect and relate with the story plot. For example, in the story where the entire village decides to initiate a massive hunt, Adah describes a dying antelope whose “dark blood leaked from its delicate black mouth onto the charred ground” (Kingsolver 346). This horrific and gruesome depiction through Adah’s perspective illustrates the harsh and cruel death of an animal killed by the villagers’ brutal tactics as this image evokes emotional responses from the reader. In the following paragraph, Adah details how “women knelt with their knives to skin the meat, even before the hooves stopped beating the ground in panic” (Kingsolver
347) at the same time where some animals “had no choice but to burn with their children” (Kingsolver 347). Again, here is an example of cruelty where the work tries to create sympathy from the reader by displaying the hard realization of death and survival in life. Notably, in the Judges chapters, acts of cruelty are evident, especially when the overwhelming numbered ants overrun the village as people try to evade their hellish fate. Rachel, in particular, reaches for the boat of her escape, however, she was “suddenly thrown back by someone’s arm across [her] face” (Kingsolver 302) and “thrown right into the mud” (Kingsolver 302). As an illustration of cruelty, the work once more draws compassionate attention for the character which the reader can cognitively synchronize with the idea of being left behind. Similarly, in the same chapter, Adah falls victim to the trampling by the desperate villagers recalling that feet were “on [her] calf and then [her] back” (Kingsolver 306) while the carnivorous ants continued to sting “[her] earlobes, [her] tongue, and [her] eyelids” (Kingsolver 306). Indeed, Adah endures excruciating pain in that moment yet the cruelest act was the fact that no single human bothered to deviate from their selfish behavior and assist a helpless girl in danger. Every one of the following quotes display an aspect of cruelty where the reader can engage in the work and understand the crisis at hand which ultimately benefits the storyline.
Along with the significance of cruelty for the reader and story, the theme of injustice benefits as well from multiple acts of curtly in the novel. For instance, the tragic incident where Nathan Price is blamed for the drownings of several children in the river ends with Mr. Price “pretty much hung without trial” ( Kingsolver 486). Even though he was not actually guilty nor responsible for the devastating deaths, the Reverend receives a horrendous death where “he was on fire before he jumped off the tower” (Kingsolver 487) and left there on the ground “for the animals to drag off” (Kingsolver 487). This was a case where there was no justification in the killing of Nathan Price though his presence was not welcomed by the villagers, however, this dislike of his demeanor does not justify the wrongful irrational accusations and the killing of him. Another example of injustice in the Exodus chapter would be the casques-bleus taking Anatole away for “anti-Mobutism” (Kingsolver 470) charges against him and will most likely be sentenced to life imprisonment. Particularly theme of injustice is clearly evident as the reader observes the cruel punishment given to Anatole. Furthermore, the imprisonment at Camp Hardy’s has a reputation for being “a prolonged execution principally through starvation” (Kingsolver 471) where “not even the buckets are removed” (Kingsolver 471). Here Anatole’s entrapment proves to have cruel and ruthless intentions by Mobutu’s regime which reiteratively emphasizes the theme of injustice. Lastly, the next example where cruelty plays a role in conveying the theme happens when Leah gathers information that Mobutu is “building himself an actual castle with spires and a moat near Brussels” (Kingsolver 448) while his people live in “little plank-and-cardboard houses” (Kingsolver 448). This cruel act of unfairness and selfishness demonstrates a corrupt leader who fails to provide for his suffering people where his power contains the qualities of injustice. Each of the previous quotes of cruelty benefit the theme tremendously by underlining the cold-blooded actions and presenting them in a way it expresses the central message of injustice.
Considering cruelty unveils details about the perpetrator, Nathan Price discloses numerous personal characteristics from the cruel acts involving him. Prominently when reading this work, one may notice the verbal and physical abuse Mr. Price commences against his family. In particular, Nathan Price turns violent against his wife when he “grabs Orleanna’s arm jerking the plate out of her hand” (Kingsolver 134) and raises “it over her head and slams it down hard on the table” (Kingsolver 134). This act of uncontrollable anger establishes how cruel Nathan
Price can function revealing to the reader his concealed brute and fierce nature.

One example of Price’s cruelty happens when Adah informs the reader that they “had to endure Father’s escalating rage” (Kingsolver 219) and “rubbed their bruises when it “reached a certain point” (Kingsolver 219). These series of quotes focuses on the cruel physical abuse that the daughters have to encounter as well as underscoring the Reverend’s lack of patience and understanding. Also when Leah disobeys her father for the first time, his berserk character uncovers as he “thrashes the trees with his belt” (Kingsolver 340). Of course, the rest of the family was terrified to death of Nathan’s rage, as they “pushed the beds around so that the door was blocked” (Kingsolver 340). The frightened females even obtained “metal pot lids and knives and things from the kitchen to protect” (Kingsolver 340) themselves. This burst of cruel relentless implies to the reader that Nathan Price intends to inflict harm against anyone who opposes by the way his family barricaded themselves in the bed room with kitchen armor. This defensive reaction therefore suggests that Nathan Price has used his power to hurt and abuse his wife and children which conclusively reveals his violent, prideful, and arrogant nature.

In conclusion, cruelty fulfills a vital role in Kingsolver’s The Poisonwood Bible where it contributes immensely in reader engagement and theme awareness. From the many cruel actions imbedded in the in story line, the reader benefits tremendously in analyzing the characters in precise detail. Successfully, Kingsolver applies cruelty to her advantage as it enhances the work to strengthen the plot, theme, and reader

interest.