Everything you need for every book you read. The way the content is organized and presented is seamlessly smooth, innovative, and comprehensive. Nathaniel Price Nathaniel Price is the hypocritical, boorish patriarch of the Price family: a proud, arrogant man presiding over a family of women. As a Reverend, Nathaniel sets the plot of the novel in motion when he… read analysis of Nathaniel Price.
Orleanna Price The quiet, long-suffering wife of Nathaniel Price. Nevertheless… read analysis of Orleanna Price. Rachel Price Rachel, the eldest of the Price daughters, is portrayed as a rather narrow-minded, superficial young woman, who dislikes the Congolese more blatantly than anyone in her family except for Nathan Price himself.
Unlike her siblings… read analysis of Rachel Price. Leah Price The daughter of Nathaniel and Orleanna Price , and the twin sister of Adah Price , Leah is an intelligent, energetic young woman who over the course of the novel grows into a passionate defender… read analysis of Leah Price. Ruth May Price The youngest of the Price children, Ruth May is a plucky, adventurous five-year-old when the novel begins. The chapters narrated from her point of view tend to be short and to-the-point, as there are many… read analysis of Ruth May Price.
Anatole is deeply connected to the history of the Congo: his mother was sent to the Belgian diamond… read analysis of Anatole Ngemba. Reverend Frank Underdown A missionary in Africa who provides Nathan Price and his family with supplies, shelter, and advice about how to get by in the Congo.
Eeben Axelroot A resourceful, devious man who provides the Prices with most of their food and supplies during their time in the Congo—albeit at exorbitant prices. Ndu is shown to be an intelligent, experienced leader, who is far… read analysis of Tata Ndu.
Beautiful and shallow, she is a product of Western civilization and cares mostly for appearances and fun. She does not hesitate to use her beauty to manipulate others. Leah Price One of the Price twins. Intelligent and idealistic, she initially worships her father but later learns to think for herself. Her strong sense of justice makes her sensitive to the political, economic, and racial injustices occurring in the Congo.
Adah Price One of the Price twins. Born with a neurological disorder, she limps and moves slowly. Although she can speak, she chooses not to as a child and teenager. She is highly intelligent, but her disability has caused her to view the world cynically and to question her self-worth. Ruth May Price The youngest of the Price girls. Innocent and strong-willed, she dislikes being the baby of the family and does everything she can not to be left behind. Brother Fowles has a deep understanding of and sympathy for the Congolese people and their religion, and provides an attractive contrast to the blind and base Christianity of Reverend Price.
A parrot, left for the Prices by Brother Fowles. Early on in their stay, Nathan flings Methuselah from his cage, giving him freedom. Methuselah, however, does not know what to do with his independence. He never strays far from the house, and depends on the Price girls for his food.
On the day that the Republic of Congo is granted its independence from Belgium, Methuselah is killed by a civet cat. Nelson is an orphan and Anatole's best student. He works for the Prices, helping them to get along in the Congo in exchange for a place to sleep and some eggs to sell in the marketplace, so that he can save up for a wife.
Unusually bright, Nelson picks up English quickly and helps the girls learn the native language and customs. Tata Ndu is the village chief.
He is wary of Reverend Price and his proselytizing, afraid that a move toward Christianity will effect a moral decline in his village. He does not want the people to neglect their traditional gods. He tries in many subtle and tactful ways to inform the Prices that their presence is not welcome, but Nathan obtusely ignores these signals.
The much-revered keeper of the old traditions, the religious leader of the village. Like Chief Ndu he is unhappy about Reverend Price's presence, and concerned that the traditions of the village be upheld. Unlike Chief Ndu, however, he does not take a subtle and diplomatic route to ridding himself of the Prices.
Instead, he begins to plant poisonous mamba snakes next to the beds of those connected to the Price family. One of these snakes, intended for Nelson, ends up killing Ruth May. Belgian nationals who run the finances for several missionary organizations. They are emblematic of the whites in the Belgian Congo, living in splendor just a few miles from the squalid homes of the natives, and showing only suspicion and contempt for their unfortunate and much-abused African neighbors.
The Underdowns evacuate the Congo as soon as independence is granted, and are horrified when the Prices do not do the same. Worked as the live-in helper for Brother Fowles, and was supposed to perform the same role in the Price household. She is so outraged by Nathan's obtuse insistence on baptism, as well as by the contemptuous manner in which he treats her helpful suggestions, that she abandons the Prices, forcing them to fend for themselves.
A nine-year old Congolese boy who befriends Leah. Later in life, Leah hears that he was killed by Mobutu's soldiers while walking on the road. The rainy season arrives with accompanying bouts of malaria and dysentery among the people.
For fear of contagion, Orleanna invents numerous ways to keep the girls inside all day. As a last resort she comes up with complex sewing projects the girls are supposed to complete for their hope chests.
Ruth May develops a close friendship with Nelson. She also learns African superstitions, especially the ones about snakes. According to Nelson, after dark you have to say "string" instead of snake or the snake will hear its name and attack. Nelson gets angry with Leah for keeping a pet owl because the people believe an owl flies around at night and eats of the souls of dead people. Nathan punishes her by assigning the verse for her arrogance. The Underdowns visit. Underdown tries to make conversation with Orleanna by describing problems she is having with her houseboy.
They bring an old newspaper that contains articles about how the Soviets are planning to take over the Belgian Congo and deprive the natives of independence.
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