The Poisonwood Bible has four sisters that are unique and give their individual opinions about Africa. Each compare their home with Africa and observe their surroundings. Rachel, Leah, Adah, and Ruth May all offer different perspectives that represent Western and Biblical literature.
They all represent different things. Rachel represents the Western view of Africa that believes it's dirty and lesser than she is. Leah is the the view that thinks Africans are savages who need to be saved by her Christian religion. She believes this until she marries one and sees them for the humans they are. Adah offers a cynical view of Western culture and is more of an African ally. Ruth May is the innocent one who represents the religious aspect of right and wrong.
Africa affects each character and they carry the experiences with them when they leave. Rachel is affected by Africa because she believes she cannot go home and she likes the power that being a white woman running a hotel gives her. Leah is so affected that she denounces her religion and no longer believes in her dad as a hero. She carries the experiences with her by using them to help her survive her life in Africa and marry and have kids with Anatole. Adah is affected by Africa by realizing that her handicap does not have to be focused on. This prompts her to fix her handicap when she returns to America. Africa affects Ruth May by literally killing her, but it helps the rest of her family understand the Africans lives.
The language of this post is very clear and concise, getting your points across simply and effectively. This post would benefit from a little more explanation as to why each sister represents what she does. Also, how do these differences affect how they interact with the landscape, the people around them, their sisters, and parents? Elaborations such as these would develop the 'why' behind each assertion. The beginnings are there, and you touch upon everything asked of the prompts. Good!
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