Revised: Leah in the Quad

Frankly, I have no idea how I ended up here. I think I might have fallen asleep again somehow, which I so often do these days in my old age, and I'm actually dreaming. Indeed, maybe I'll wake up in a moment from my nap and realize this has all been just a figment of my imagination.

But still, in this vision, I can't help but admit my surroundings amaze me. The buildings are solidly-built with strong stones and bricks. There are trees and bushes everywhere, in addition to their countless leaves on the ground below. And I wonder, What would it have been like for one of Anatole’s students to learn in one of these impressive buildings? To look out the window each day and see the sun shining brightly on perfectly green grass next to smooth concrete walkways? To hear the laughter of the students already here and listen to their music?

But alas, it was not meant to be in the Congo. Suddenly, I remember everything, and a pang of regret pierces my heart. A second later, I reproach myself for once again lamenting about what might have been. I have told myself again and again that I must put the past behind me and focus on the here and now. And yet, no matter what time of day it is or where I am, my thoughts always turn back to the Congo. Will my time there always haunt me? Once more, I silently and bitterly ask God (if the rumors are true that he exists), For what purpose were we sent there? Tell me, why did we need to suffer such pain and heartache each day?

He doesn’t answer. Of course not. He never does, it seems to me.

But today, as I stand surrounded by this school that is unknown to me, practically shaking with anger, something gives way. Something cracks inside my soul, and I know the reason that has always been enticingly out of reach before. Anatole is the reason. Yes, him, along with Pascal, Patrice, Martin-Lothaire, and Nataliel. I lost my sister, but I gained much more back. Why? Well, how could I know?

Faintly irritated, I gaze at the buildings once more as if they could in some way give me the answer to my newest question, but I may never know or even acknowledge what that answer is. Inside, I feel as if I had escaped from my cage, only to find myself captured in another. But surprisingly, my new confinement feels more…pleasing to me…like a place I can endure. I watch as a couple birds alight into a tree, and finally I begin to smile.

Leah In the Quad

I have no idea how I came to be here. The only logical conclusion I can come up with is that I somehow fell asleep again (which I so often do these days in my old age) and am dreaming, or maybe this is a vision I was meant to see. I’ll know soon, I guess.

Anyway, that is neither here nor there. But I must confess I was awed by my surroundings when I first set eyes on this place. The buildings were solidly-built with strong stones and bricks, and each structure was several dozens of feet tall. I have never been here before, but I went along with it since I believe this is all just a dream. I thought to myself, What would it have been like for one of Anatole’s students to learn in one of those impressive buildings? To look out the window each day and see the sun shining brightly on perfectly green grass next to smooth concrete walkways? To hear the laughter of the students already here and listen to their music?

But alas, it was not meant to be in the Congo. A pang of regret pierced my heart. Will my time there always haunt me? Again, I ask God (if it is true he even exists), For what purpose were we sent there? Why did we need to suffer such pain and heartache each day? Tell me because I want to know!

But as I stand surrounded by this school that is unknown to me, practically shaking with anger, I know somehow. Anatole is the reason. Pascal, Patrice, Martin-Lothaire, and Nataliel. I lost my sister, but I gained much more back. Why, you may ask? I still don’t know.

I glance at the buildings once more as if they could in some way give me the answer, but I may never know or even acknowledge what it is. I watch some birds alight into a tree, but for once I close my eyes and turn away.

Husband and Wife

It seems there are two husband-wife relationships that are mentioned in The Poisonwood Bible. The first is obviously between Nathan and Orleanna, and the other is between the Belgians and the Congo. Actually Orleanna herself established the latter relationship as one of spouses. She did so at the end of “The Judges” when she pitied the “poor Congo, barefoot bride of men who took her jewels and promised the kingdom” (201). Here, I think Orleanna was relating herself to the Congo, and both relationships look like they have some similarities.

For example, both “couples” have been struggling through some arising changes in terms of their relationships. First of all, the Congo became an independent nation, changing its name from the Belgian Congo to the Republic of Congo. It was at this time that it seemed the Congo had escaped from the Belgians’ oppressive colonial power. However, a few months later, Lumumba was murdered under the orders of President Eisenhower. It was as if the Congo had been rebelling, appeared to succeed, and then was harshly admonished for its rebellion.

In a similar way, Orleanna has been standing up for her beliefs, even if that means talking back to Nathan. An instance of this is when Nathan suggests the Congo is helpless, and Orleanna defends the Congo (53). Yet another example is when Anatole ate dinner one night and argued with Nathan. After Anatole left, Orleanna spoke up and reproached Nathan for not handling Anatole very well (133). Between the two examples, Nathan became very angry and hurt Orleanna verbally and emotionally. He insulted her and broke her prized china platter. These instances demonstrate the bad treatment she receives after attempting to “rebel” against Nathan’s power as head of the family and as her husband.

Also, the Congo is exploited for the purposes of the Belgians just as Orleanna is used by Nathan for his own intentions. When Leah accompanied Nathan to the independence ceremony in which Patrice Lumumba spoke, she heard Lumumba talk passionately about how the Belgians “despoiled their land and used the Negroes for slaves, just as long as [they] could get away with it” (183). In addition, Orleanna sadly observes how she “was [Nathan’s] instrument, his animal. Nothing more” (89). I think she and the Congo—each as a spouse that is powerless in a marital relationship—are unable to prevent their “husbands” from using them in whatever way they wish. They try at times to loosen the chains of their bondage, but unfortunately their attempts do not seem to bring about any successful results.

Wife, Bird, and Country

It has already been established that Methuselah (the parrot) is connected to the Congo in some way ("Methuselah was a sly representative of Africa itself." p.60). However on closer inspection of the text, it seems Orleanna is somehow also connected to the Congo and Methuselah. It is true for all three that someone else entered their world and demanded a certain way of life. For Orleanna, she met Nathan, who brought her to the Congo after they married. He expected her to adapt to living in the Congo and be a humble, submissive wife. For Methuselah, he had been brought out of the wild and was expected to survive and live in the civilized world. For the Congo itself, the Europeans arrived and brought with them new ideas in terms of ways of life: the Christian religion and what could be considered the "civil" lifestyle.

In a way, Orleanna, Methuselah, and the people of the Congo all no longer have their freedom. They are no longer in charge of their own life, so to speak, and have lost their sense of self or identity. This is because other people have entered their lives and taken control of their way of living. As a result, they now are only a mere shell of their previous identity and could be thought of as puppets who now have no free will or the choice to make their own decisions. For example, Orleanna says that she "was lodged in the heart of darkness, so thoroughly bent to the shape of marrriage [she] could hardly see any other way to stand. Like Methuselah [she] cowered beside [her] cage, and though [her] soul hankered after the mountain, [Orleanna] found, like Methuselah, [she] had no wings (201)". Orleanna had changed after her marriage and found herself without the ability to do anything about it.

Also, it was suggested in class that it is as if the voice they speak with now is not their real voice. Methuselah only imitates other people's voices, such as Brother Fowles' or Orleanna's; he really doesn't have his own voice. For Orleanna, she must accept and go with all of Nathan's decisions. Furthermore, she can't speak her own mind around Nathan because he won't let or listen to her. Finally, with the people of the Congo, they were not able to voice their opinions on the arrival of the Europeans. The Europeans had simply come and immediately attempted to change the way of life of the Congolese people. All in all, Orleanna, Methuselah, and the Congo were perhaps all unjustly forced to do things they might not have originally been comfortable with. Therefore, the connection between the three of them must be significant.

Found Poem Describing Leah Price

If only I could ever bring forth
All that I knew quickly enough to suit Father.
I know that someday,
When I've grown large enough in the Holy Spirit,
I will have his wholehearted approval.
I know he must find me tiresome,
Yet still I like spending time with my father
Very much more than I like doing anything else.
I was thrilled by the mere fact of his speaking
To me in this gentle, somewhat personal way.
I felt so many different things right then:
Elation at my father's strange expression of tenderness,
And despair for his defeat.
Father had the job of his life cut out for him,
Bringing the Word to a place like this.
I wanted to throw my arms around his weary neck
And pat down his rumpled hair.

EXPLANATION:
Her heart's deepest desire is to have her father's approval. Alas, he quite often ignores Leah. Still, she follows him around and treasures those moments when he opens up to her as a father might. Therefore, it is clear that Leah is clinging onto the hope that he will one day love her as much as she so innocently loves him.

Genesis: Blog #2

There was another connection that I wondered about that was between Methuselah and Africa. One passage described how “curiously exempt from the Reverend’s rules was Methuselah, in the same way Our Father was finding the Congolese people beyond his power. Methuselah was a sly representative of Africa itself, living openly in our household. One might argue, even, that he was here first” (60). At first, I hadn’t understood why Methuselah could be thought of as Africa in any way until I had read to the end of the Genesis book. There the scene is of Reverend Price freeing the parrot from its cage. This happens after the Reverend learns the reason why the Congolese people are hesitant to approach the Kwilu River.

As a result, I saw how the Reverend had symbolically, knowingly, and willingly freed the Congolese people in some way. Just as he had freed Methuselah from his cage, the Reverend had set the natives free from the constrictions with which he had confined them. Maybe now he will be more understanding or lenient in regards to their baptism.

Furthermore, I remembered from the Bible (Gen. 5) that Methuselah was Noah’s grandfather, and I think Methuselah lived the longest of anyone at 969 years old. I guess my question is: perhaps there is a connection between Methuselah the man and Methuselah the bird?

Genesis: Blog #1

As it is a part of the title, it's surprising that poisonwood is mentioned in the very first book (Genesis) on page 39. We learn it is a plant with white sap that “bites” and gives you rashes. But more importantly, I think the title may be talking about something beyond its literal meaning. For instance, I think the term “poisonwood bible” is perhaps referring to how the Christian missionary work (thus the mention of the Bible) is not as painless and satisfying as the Price family most likely first thought; in the same way that the poisonwood can “bite you” (39), the Bible’s message can also be difficult to preach or to be grasped. This is somewhat demonstrated when “for [their] first few weeks in Kilanga, attendance in church had been marked by almost total absence” (45). The Price family no doubt felt disheartened at this lack of response in their “uninformed subjects” and probably wondered why God wasn’t stirring up a desire in these people to hear His Word (the Bible scripture).

In addition, almost as soon as this family comes to Kilanga, they are beset with problems and setbacks. One example is when the Congolese people avoid the Kwilu River, and Reverend Nathan Price doesn't know why. It is only after much resistance on the part of the natives that he learns of the little girl who had been killed and consumed by a crocodile in the river. Since baptism is obviously considered a huge issue in the Baptist church, Reverend Price most likely felt frustration while the Congolese people kept the story of the little girl withheld.

Other examples are with the Reverend’s garden and Orleanna’s cake mix. When the rain drenched the garden and the humidity clumped the cake mix, it was another set of difficulties and hardships the Price family had to endure. They had thought they came to the Congo completely prepared, but this was not so. Their job was more difficult than they imagined, and their trials and hardships were proof of that. Therefore, just maybe the title of this book we’re reading is referring to how the job of spreading Christianity is painful and irking at times and not always rewarding.

DR Congo and Kilanga

This picture shows the location of Kilanga (where the Poisonwood Bible takes place) and Kinshasa, Congo's capital. Kinshasa (previously called Leopoldville) is the largest city of the DR Congo.


The current flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo was adopted on February 20, 2006. The sky blue color stands for peace, red for the blood of the country's martyrs, and yellow for the country's wealth. The large star represents the country's bright future.

The Congo went through six different flags before settling on this one.

You can view these other flags at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_the_Democratic_Republic_of_the_Congo


Joseph Kabila is the DR Congo's current president. His father was the one who overthrew the dictator at the time, Mobutu, in May 1997 and who changed the name from Zaire to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. But following his assassination and his son's subsequent swearing into office, the younger Kabila has made several efforts to rebuild the DR Congo's crippled economy after the country's civil war.

The Academy Experience

Basically, everyone in my group has been affected by the Academy in different ways. Here in the Academy, they have had memories to learn from and have thought deeply about some issues in order to mature and become a better student. By this, I mean that although the students in my group have different interpretations of what one could consider the "Academy experience," it seems to me the Academy is a place in which they can learn and grow independent.

For example, one girl in my group shared how she enjoys being by herself sometimes. I may be wrong, but I think she meant she likes to be alone so that she can just take a step back and think about things once in a while. If this is true, it shows she is growing more independent in her thoughts and simply in general.

Another person in my group expressed his distaste that people--including school students--can buy luxurious things such as icees, ipods, and snacks from the snack bar that aren't necessary in life and yet are purchased anyway. This person's way of thinking suggests a deeper level of maturity in his thoughts.

In either case, the Academy proves to be a center or home to many individuals' growth and learning. The examples above also emphasize the high level of independence that each of the students are beginning to possess.

I guess this exercise has led me to realize there are many different angles from which you can view the "truth" of what the epitome of the Academy is. All of the students in my group went to a different place on the Academy campus, came up with different opinions, and experienced different emotions. This shows that we are all different with unique beliefs and memories. Therefore, when it comes time to contemplate the truth, we each see the truth the way we want to see it. However, this is why we must be open-minded and listen to other people's thoughts and ideas; in order to see the whole (and perhaps real) truth, we must search for it by collecting all the pieces to the whole truth from others. Once we do this, we can better understand the bigger picture by connecting the smaller pieces together into a network of knowledge and truth. In other words, we should always listen to other peoples' take on a matter because only then can we find what is really and honestly true.

What Is My Responsibility to Others?

If "others" refers to the people in need, I think I thought my responsibility should only extend to money donations occasionally to charities, the donation of clothes to Goodwill and/or Salvation Army, and greater donations when I am older with a steady job. Looking back, I think I was ignorant or unwilling to deal with what was really my responsibility to others. For example, was I supposed to be giving away a certain percentage of my allowance to the poor? Was it wrong to spend the money I earned on books while more unfortunate people on the street were suffering from discomfort or hunger?

Similar questions were addressed or discussed in "Singer's Solution." This article or essay was probably the one that made me really rethink my responsibility to others. After reading it, it made me wonder deep, disturbing questions such as: to what extent would I personally be willing to go to save a child's life? Would I risk a limb? All the money I own? My life? In the end, though, I think I would do whatever God asked me to do. If he were to ask me to sacrifice something, I think I would follow His orders no matter the consequences. But first, I would make sure it was really His voice that I'm hearing and not someone or something else's.

After reading "Singer's Solution," the whole guilt trick that Singer pulled on his readers might have worked on me. By this, I mean I was ready to give up tens of thousands of dollars to charities and people in need when I grew older and had a solid flow of income. I was convinced I could live on only $30,000 a year in order that I could help the poor to the best of my ability. Right now, I am still not sure if I would willing to do that. I mean, would it be a smart thing to do? Would it be worth it if it would save someone else's life? Wouldn't I want to be helped by someone who had more than enough money if I myself were a child in need?

All in all, all the articles that we read in class made me think deeply about my responsibility to others. However, I think the conclusion I have come to is that I would do whatever God asks me to do. If he were to present me with an opportunity to work at an orphanage or something to that effect, I would pray about it and do it if I thought He was asking it of me. Although other people will think differently, that's the way I see it.

Reflection on 1st Draft of Peace Essay

First, I think the most helpful piece of feedback was the recommendation that I work on the organization of my Peace Essay. For some reason, I had written my first draft as a sort of composition instead of a real essay. Therefore, I plan to totally re-vision my Peace Essay. By this, I mean I will probably alter what my main points are and how my ideas are organized within the paper (i.e. order of ideas).

Second, since I have written my first draft with a lot of Christian ideas and concepts, I think I will probably tone it down in my second draft. This might be better because peer readers might not appreciate or be tolerant of that kind of thing and might lose interest, unfortunately. Indeed, I wouldn't want to drown or overwhelm whoever reads my essay with my words.

Finally, I think I will follow the advice someone gave me who said I could give more specific personal examples. For instance, I can talk about how I lead a signing ministry as an example of how I witness to others (i.e. share my faith). These examples would tie down my essay and keep it to the ground, so to speak.

Blog Contents for English

For English class, I think I could use this webpage of blogs for the following:
1. happily receive feedback on poems, short stories, or essays that I've crafted
2. write reflections on my progress for the Quality Project
3. ask for help or ideas regarding my Quality Project
4. discuss a book or story we've read in English (pose questions, opinions, etc.)
5. post best/favorite pieces of short writing (for possible feedback as well)
6. recommend fantastic and awesome books!

Mishod's Favorite Books

1) Arena by Karen Hancock
2) Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer
3) The Bartimaeous Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud
4) The Birthright Project series by Kathryn Mackel
5) Blink by Ted Dekker
6) Court Duel by Sherwood Smith
7) The Dark is Rising Sequence by Susan Cooper
8) The Door Within Trilogy by Wayne Thomas Batson
9) Dragonspell series by Donita K. Paul
10) Dragons in Our Midst series by Bryan Davis
11) Forbidden Doors series by Bill Myers
12) Hadassah by Tommy Tenney
13) Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
14) Inheritance Trilogy by Christopher Paolini
15) The Keys to the Kingdom series by Garth Nix
16) Left Behind: The Kids series by Jerry B. Jenkins & Tim LaHaye
17) Oxygen by John B. Olson & Randall Ingermanson
18) Pellinor series by Alison Croggon
19) Pendragon series by D.J. Machale
20) The Time Quartet by Madeleine L'Engle