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?
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Though I knew Methusla had some "metaphorical importance" I never put much thought into an analysis of why. It's interesting how you say Reverend Price frees Methusla and confines him and relate Methusla to Africa. Methusla is taught to be reliant on humans only to be turned out of the house with no way to fend for himself. Is this a relationship suggesting the dependency of Africa on foreign rule (which, in itself, would be rather ironic)?
Also, it's interesting how you say Methusla lived the longest in the Bible. Methusla the bird had been there longer than the Prices. This also hints the presence of Brother Fowels and what he might bring to the table (or maybe how it knows than it should). The Price family might not have seen all there is to know about Africa just yet??
Just ideas. Methusla was one of the characters I still can't really firgure out . . .
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