Three Perspectives

In this unit we have looked at three different novels all focused on imperialism, colonization, and African culture. Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad is considerably different than Things Fall Apart and The Poisonwood Bible, however there are a few distinct similarities. The novels themselves are told by very different perspectives and incorporate different relationships, but the settings remain quite close in description. The Poisonwood Bible in particular as a unique way of showing intercultural relationships with animals The three novels offer different perspectives on African culture while maintaining an alike environment that they portray through different means.

The Poisonwood Bible differs from the other two novels because the perspective is female, while the other two are male, but the way Africa is described by them has similarities to the other stories. The similarities between The Poisonwood Bible and the other novels are that the descriptions of Africa all speak of a vast land and that the religion is described in similar ways. Even in Things Fall Apart,  where the narration is from an African perspective versus a white one, the superstitions and traditions are described the same. The Poisonwood Bible differs from Heart of Darkness because it is not a man narrating and because the women have no choice in going to Africa, like Marlow does. And although both novels take place in the Congo, Marlow is only passing through on a ship while the Price women live there. Lastly, all narrators of the two novels are whites wondering about the Africans and trying to figure out their humanity. The Poisonwood Bible completely differs from Things Fall Apart because they are two completely different sides. The Poisonwood Bible is white women missionaries who invade an African tribe and Things Fall Apart is black African tribe members annoyed by the disturbed by the presence of white missionaries. The differences account for very different stories, but the similarity they have is the description of the culture and religion, The superstitions are described very well in both novels with things like chicken bones and weather. All three novels are important to read to get a good picture of Africa because they all incorporate different things.

The inclusion of symbolism of animals portrays intercultural relationships by showing the new animals Westerners are either playing with or scared of in Africa. The parrot that the girls have in the beginning of the novel represents them in a way. They set him free in the African wilderness to survive on its own after it says bad words. The Prices have been set free in Africa to try and survive as well. The snakes that they are afraid of are very symbolic. The snakes to Africans are just part of normal every day life, yet they know to be scared of them still because they pose a threat. The Prices, are extremely fearful of the snakes because they are not part of their normal life. Once the snake kills Ruth May, the Prices suffer the same way all the Africans have at one point and time. Animals help show the way the Prices adjust to Congo life and represent how they deal with it.