Poisonwood Bible Blog post #5
I appreciate the author’s style throughout the novel. She is able to change her voice to fit the perspective of each chapter, as it shifts between the sisters and Orleanna. She doesn't just change her own language and that of the character's to match their descriptions and mannerisms, but their habits , their demeanors, their thoughts, and reactions. Because she is embodying so many different characters, she has to cultivate a unique characterization for each of them. I think that the inner monologues all fit their character seamlessly, as if five different authors were inhabiting the roles of the girls. The author is able to blend each character into the story as an individual, and eventually we come to a point where readers have enough knowledge to gain insight with each characters’ monologue.
Many times before I've critiqued a book for a lack of individuality in the voice's of different perspectives. While the author clearly shines as Orleanna and uses Leah to push the plot of the novel, it is clear that she can camouflage into multiple roles. I've been unimpressed with the use of multiple characters' perspectives in past books, but I believed it was used successfully in The Poisonwood Bible. An author has to be able to transform the tone to make sure their writing isn't blending. The Bible.
The author has an ability to adapt to each character, and we can see that the characters evolve in different degrees. The father continues to observe his concrete religious zealotry, and Rachel still has an obsession with looks, even decades later as a middle-aged woman. Leah is perhaps the character who changes the most. In the beginning she is bright and inquisitive, and wants to help her father with all of his outside work. She believes that he is doing a great service converting the village of Kilanga. Through the progression of her character, we see Leah lose all of her shiny-heroism opinions of her father. She grows from adolescence and is able to see his actions more clearly. One of the motivating events is the loss of her friend, who was from the Congo and was shot by Western soldiers. She finds her passion to advocate for them.
Many times before I've critiqued a book for a lack of individuality in the voice's of different perspectives. While the author clearly shines as Orleanna and uses Leah to push the plot of the novel, it is clear that she can camouflage into multiple roles. I've been unimpressed with the use of multiple characters' perspectives in past books, but I believed it was used successfully in The Poisonwood Bible. An author has to be able to transform the tone to make sure their writing isn't blending. The Bible.
The author has an ability to adapt to each character, and we can see that the characters evolve in different degrees. The father continues to observe his concrete religious zealotry, and Rachel still has an obsession with looks, even decades later as a middle-aged woman. Leah is perhaps the character who changes the most. In the beginning she is bright and inquisitive, and wants to help her father with all of his outside work. She believes that he is doing a great service converting the village of Kilanga. Through the progression of her character, we see Leah lose all of her shiny-heroism opinions of her father. She grows from adolescence and is able to see his actions more clearly. One of the motivating events is the loss of her friend, who was from the Congo and was shot by Western soldiers. She finds her passion to advocate for them.
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