Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

A Study Guide for Barbara Kingsolver's The Poisonwood Bible
A Study Guide for Barbara Kingsolver's The Poisonwood Bible
A Study Guide for Barbara Kingsolver's The Poisonwood Bible
Ebook37 pages30 minutes

A Study Guide for Barbara Kingsolver's The Poisonwood Bible

By Gale and Cengage

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

5/5

()

Read preview

About this ebook

A Study Guide for Barbara Kingsolver's "The Poisonwood Bible," excerpted from Gale's acclaimed Novels for Students.This concise study guide includes plot summary; character analysis; author biography; study questions; historical context; suggestions for further reading; and much more. For any literature project, trust Novels for Students for all of your research needs.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateAug 21, 2015
ISBN9781535838924
A Study Guide for Barbara Kingsolver's The Poisonwood Bible

Read more from Gale

Related to A Study Guide for Barbara Kingsolver's The Poisonwood Bible

Related ebooks

Teaching Methods & Materials For You

View More

Related articles

Reviews for A Study Guide for Barbara Kingsolver's The Poisonwood Bible

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
5/5

1 rating0 reviews

What did you think?

Tap to rate

Review must be at least 10 words

    Book preview

    A Study Guide for Barbara Kingsolver's The Poisonwood Bible - Gale

    1

    The Poisonwood Bible

    Barbara Kingsolver

    1998

    Introduction

    When The Poisonwood Bible was published in 1998, Barbara Kingsolver was already a well-established and respected author. Her fourth novel, however, became an overwhelming critical and popular success, especially after Oprah Winfrey chose it for her book club. The novel sold more hardcover copies than all of Kingsolver's previous works put together, including three novels, short story collections, a poetry collection, and two nonfiction works.

    As in many of her other stories, Kingsolver in The Poisonwood Bible focuses on the complexities of family relationships and communities in which people experience a clash of cultures. Yet here, she widens her scope to include three decades in the second half of the twentieth century during a time of political upheaval in the Congo. The novel focuses on the experiences of the Price family, who arrive in the Congo in 1959, emissaries of the Southern Baptist Mission League. Orleanna Price, along with her four daughters, struggles to adapt to and to survive the harsh conditions there while her husband, Nathan Price, descends into madness as he tries and fails to force the villagers to adopt his rigid Christian doctrines.

    The family's troubles become life-threatening as the Congolese fight for their independence from Belgium and from U.S. interference in their political and social affairs. Kingsolver's intermingling of politics and human drama results in a satisfying tale of betrayal and forgiveness. Reviewers have applauded the novel's compelling characters, its political themes, and Kingsolver's insight into the complex dynamics of the family.

    Author Biography

    Celebrated author, journalist, and human rights and environmental activist, Barbara Kingsolver was born in Annapolis, Maryland, on April 8, 1955, but she grew up in rural Kentucky. As she watched her country doctor father serve the poor and working class, she developed a sense of social responsibility and devotion to community that was later expressed in her writing.

    When she was in the second grade, her father accepted a medical position in the Congo and moved his family there. At that time, Kingsolver began her life-long habit of writing in a journal. During her junior year at DePauw University where she was studying biology, she took time off to work in Europe as an archaeologist's assistant. After eventually earning a

    Enjoying the preview?
    Page 1 of 1