PB entry 4: Main theme- Nathan and control

We are now on the chapter "The Revelation" in the Poisonwood Bible.

From the previous chapter, we have an understanding of the five narrators' personalities (well, we only get a small view of Orleanna). As this chapter unfolds, we see beginnings of character change and development that will no doubt continue through the course of the book, seeing that a major theme in this novel is "change". Anyway, lets take a look at the outsider of this family: Nathan, the only character that isn't narrating.

Nathan is the religiously fanatical father. His one-track mind on religion is a key point in this chapter if not the whole book. One example occurs in Rachel's first entry in this chapter. What happens is that Anataole visits the Price family. During dinner, Anatole says that Tata Ndu feels that Nathan's practices are corrupt.

"Tata Ndu is happy for you to draw the bad-luck people away," he said. "So the village's spirit protectors will not notice them so much. But he worries you are trying to lure too many of the other s into following corrupt ways. He fears a disaster will come if we anger the gods." (Kingsolver, 129)

Nathan, being the one-sided person that he is, is unable to understand how Christianity could be considered corrupt, so he promptly does this:

"He told Anatole he respected and valued his help (meaning: I've had about enough of your lip, Buster Brown) but was disappointed by the villagers' childlike interpretations of Gods's plan (meaning: you are just as big of a dingwit as the rest of them). He said he would work on a sermon that would clearup all the misunderstandings. Then he announced that this conversation had come to an end, and Anatole could consider himself excused from the table and this house." (133)

Nathan shows that he needs control in order to function. In this case he is unable to live with the idea that his practices are being thought of as corrupt. He gets angry when he doesn't have that control and is unable to take an action that contradicts his beliefs with very much self-control, even if it means alienating himself from his family, just as he does following the above incident, when Orleanna tries in her own way to make him understand the circumstances.

"Orleanna, shut up!" he yelled, grabbing her arm hard and jerking the plate out of her hand. He raised it up over her head and slamed it down hard on the table, cracking it in two." (134)

In regards to Nathan's actions when he feels violated in the slightest way, I think that quote explains itself.

Now, I may be coming across as "anti-Nathan", which is partially true. However the way the book is structured forces the reader to lable Nathan as the scapegoat for distaste. At this point I must remind everyone that we are not able to see the events from Nathan's point of view, so I'm sure we have a high amount of bias against him. After all, look at Adah: If we couldn't read her views of the novel's events, then what would we think of her? And with that thought, this mixed lit. entry is at a close.