Each Sister's Growth

Though raised similarly, each daughter holds a unique perspective on the world. Rachel is materialistic and feels pressured to display herself properly at all times. Leah wants to know everything, but as she learns more she begins to doubt listening to everything others tell her. Adah has distinct pessimism that changes as she develops out of her handicap. Ruth May holds innocence as well as childlike stubbornness. Because of the setting and occurrences in the novel, each character represents different aspects of Western perspectives, and this influences how they react to events within Africa.

Rachel represents the core idea of colonization in the need for Africa to be “improved” into something more western. She arrived in Africa treasuring her mirror and shutting out African culture such as the dress, language, and activities. This is similar to those in Leopoldville where they keep Western decadence while their African neighbors struggle for food. However, unlike the attitude of some similar to her, Rachel does not feel a necessity to help others despite her privilege. After the death of Ruth May, Rachel’s beliefs are mirrored in her running the hotel. She continues her reverence of western culture and does not allow Africans into her hotel out of her idea of superiority.

Similar in a way to Rachel, Leah represents the idea that westerners should interfere in Africa, but for her she believes it should be in aid, not self-indulgent. As a child, Leah mimics the beliefs of her father and truly believes they are meant to correct and save the villagers. As she grows and begins to understand African culture, she learns how to coexist within it and enjoy it. Her time in Africa allows her to separate her beliefs from her father’s, eventually letting her to become compassionate toward the villagers instead of viewing them as people needing saving.

Adah holds a negative view of Western culture, contrasted to a slightly less cynical view of Africa. She is able to appreciate African culture as she tends to place herself more as an observer. The events in Africa allow Adah to begin viewing her own life in perspective. She realises her own death will occur with the lion attack, and her mother's view of her during the ant’s flooding. When she grows older and moves to America, she still holds a grudge against her mother about the ants. Also, in Africa she was not placed as an outsider for her limp and was able to accept it as a part of her. Her formed connection with it is tested later when she learns she could lose her handicap.

Ruth May represents the blending of western and African culture. Being a child, she doesn’t yet understand societal concepts like racism in a way that she can apply it to her own judgements. Because of this, she has the easiest time in befriending the other children, and her mind is malleable enough to let her learn new languages and adopt African culture into her own. However as her death is the major turning point in the novel, it can not be determined how Africa fully shaped her in the way it can be viewed in her sisters.

Each sister represents an aspect of the Western perspective, from inviting to expulsion. Because of the way the enter Africa and there predetermined mindsets on their experiences, each girl is differently affected by the events in Africa. The way in which they settled their own lives are all directly influenced by their childhood in Africa, whether it be influence on location or occupation.