essay #1

Most view exile as a harsh, worthless punishment; to be torn away from a place that one calls home, a place filled with nostalgia. In The Poisonwood Bible, however, this is only partially true. Orleanna Price and her four daughters venture to Congo, lead by her husband, Nathan. Nathan is a minister attempting to “save the souls” of the villagers, ripping his family from their home and placing them in danger in the process.

For Orleanna Price and her daughters, the exile was somewhat of a necessary evil.  They face false hope, pain, rejection, and even death. As a rift is created between the Price family and their home, one is also created within the family itself. Through this alienation and pain, however, the family’s eyes are opened and they begin to take initiatives they wouldn’t have taken back home. Orleanna learns, after her husband refused to evacuate the dangers of Congo, how to stand up for herself against Nathan’s ignorance has he further endangers the family.

Like Edward Said stated, “Exile is strangely compelling to think about, but terrible to experience.” It is obvious that the experience of the Price family was, indeed, a terrible one. Said also states that exile can be potent, and even enriching.  I believe, in the case of the Price family, this is also true. The horrifying experiences in Congo taught Orleanna and her daughters the enrichment, courage, and ability to defy and even desert their patriarch and continue their lives in enlightened safety.