Poison Wood

Colon 1 Stephen Colon AP English November 24, 2008 Poisonwood Bible Essay Poisonwood compliments Darkness Imperialism has been a constant oppressive force upon societies dating back hundreds of years. Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad, illustrates this oppression by providing an instance of its occurrence in the Congo of Africa, while simultaneously setting the stage for The Poisonwood Bible, which is essentially the continuation of the story. The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver, demonstrates how the Congo is still affected by modern circumstances and ideology. Conrad’s novella acts as a sort of precursor to the events later depicted in Kingsolver’s novel, and this very connection between the stories illustrates the perpetual oppression of imperialism. This oppression is shown through the characterization of the pivotal characters of each respective text. The oppression, which is inflicted upon the Congo in the hope of spreading imperialism, is highlighted by the main characters. Both Kurtz and Nathan seek to change the very lives and beliefs of the people of the Congo and establish supremacy over them, and both of these characters share a heart of darkness and a tainted determination in their endeavor. For Conrad’s pivotal character, the level of intelligence, sophistication, and civilization is the true dilemma in Africa. Kurtz goes to the Congo in order to civilize an uncivilized people, to make “savages” into upstanding men and women who can contribute to the productivity of society. Kingsolver, conversely, illustrates the push for a conversion of both church and state. The Poisonwood Bible depicts an invasion into a

Colon 2 society, not merely of a people grouped together into “savages”, and shows that society being warped and forced to conform to American ideology. Rather than the sophistication of its people, Nathan journeys to the Congo in order to convert the religion of the inhabitants, as their government is forced into a less troublesome and more democratic nation. Both Kingsolver and Conrad use similar story construction and point of view in these texts. The truly pivotal characters in each text, rather than the narrators, are the mostly unspoken antagonists of the story. In Heart of Darkness, the story is centered on Kurtz and his actions involving the Congo. The true focus of the novella lies not with Marlow, but rather Conrad uses Marlow as a medium in order to examine Kurtz. In the novella, Marlow is an outside observer. The story follows Marlow’s ever-changing perception of Kurtz in order to characterize the unseen character. When Marlow first learns of Kurtz, he is told that he is “a remarkable person…a prodigy” (Conrad 69), but as the story progresses, both Marlow and the reader delve into Kurtz’s true character and discover a tyrant of imperialism. In Heart of Darkness, Kurtz is the very representation of the oppression which is impressed upon the natives of the Congo by white men seeking to spread imperialism. Originally Kurtz had good intentions in journeying to the Congo. He honestly believed in using the ivory trade to better the social and economic aspects of the region, while simultaneously helping the natives to become civilized and part of the world which he thought was superior. Kurtz is only able to impress his own beliefs and ideals upon society and therefore help it however, by taking control of the people of the society. He establishes this control in the beginning through a use of awe which later is enveloped by

Colon 3 his application of intimidation. This awe is even impressed upon Marlow, who holds Kurtz, a man who he has never even met, to be on some kind of pedestal of great men. Kurtz’s tactic in establishing control requires the lofty use of fear and adoration. His colleagues adore and admire him and everything that he has done, as well as all that he embodies, yet they are manipulated by the fear they share for the control he has over all those who associate with him. Kurtz becomes viewed as a god-like individual through his use of force and oppression, and gradually loses his way in the Congo. In this way, the story makes it appear as if the Congo had the effect upon Kurtz, when in reality it was his own heart of darkness that actually causes the change. This sets the stage for Poisonwood in the sense that Nathan already has a prevailing heart of darkness. In journeying to the Congo, though he does become as dictatorial and oppressive as Kurtz, Nathan’s purpose hardly undergoes such a drastic transformation. Rather, in journeying to the Congo Nathan’s resolve is strengthened to the point where he is ruled by the darkness of his heart. In contrast to Kurtz, Nathan is far more explicitly depicted. Whereas Marlow is an outside observer speculating on a complete stranger, the characterization given by Kingsolver for Nathan is entirely through the firsthand accounts of his family members, the people who know him best. Though both Heart of Darkness and The Poisonwood Bible use indirect characterization to show the antagonists, who are essentially the main characters, The Poisonwood Bible contains examples from those who are much closer to the character and know him far better. This naturally, could produce a sort of bias. Marlow’s perception is entirely objective while the girls’ could never be anything but subjective. The fact that this bias may be present is strengthened in the fact that Nathan never even speaks.

Colon 4 Kingsolver uses a compilation of perspectives, however, to show that he needs no representation, and that these indirect depictions of his character are accurate portrayals. In The Poisonwood Bible, Nathan journeys to the Congo to convert the inhabitants. He claims that his true aim lies in “saving…souls” (Kingsolver 301), however he truly seeks to establish importance among the people, and a sense of power. Kurtz and Nathan are similar in their ability to establish control over the people, due to the fact that Nathan establishes supremacy and importance via the same fear and admiration that Kurtz uses to maintain control over the natives. Nathan’s family “Feared him, loved him...” (Kingsolver 192), just as the villagers fear him. Nathan uses physical force upon his family to maintain that fear, and it permeates into the society. The fear of Nathan translates into a fear of god, and the family as well as the villagers come to believe that “…it was his job to scare the dickens out of you” (Kingsolver 328), in order to prevent them from sinning. This provides irony to his character and to the text, since Nathan is only able to “save souls” by “scaring the dickens” out of would-be sinners. While both Kurtz and Nathan are viewed as god-like, there exists an explicit contrast between the two. Each man uses both fear and admiration in order to establish control and to manipulate individuals. Kurtz uses admiration far more than fear, however. He is established from the very beginning due to his very presence, his demeanor, and he is able to win the hearts of the natives and his colleagues before demonstrating his supremacy through force and terror. Nathan, on the other hand, is constantly dependent upon the use of fear to establish himself among the villagers. He is compared to “the… atomic bomb” (Kingsolver 133), and only through such intimidation is able to obtain the kind of power that he desires, and that Kurtz wields. Kurtz uses awe to send everyone he

Colon 5 meets into reverie. His philosophy and his persona make him powerful even without the use of force and intimidation. He also recognizes the importance of conveying an image of talent and intelligence. Kurtz philosophy, “…show them you have something profitable and there would be no limit to the recognition of your ability” (Conrad 135), makes him out to be a leader from the start. The contrast between Nathan and Kurtz is representative of how the oppression of imperialism has evolved. In both Heart of Darkness by Conrad, and The Poisonwood Bible by Kingsolver, Africa is invaded and altered to conform to the desires of more “civilized” people. While this oppression in the Congo never seems to cease, the natives are consistently able to overcome the obstacles, and the tyrants, and thus prove to be civilized in their own regard and as capable of development as the white nations. As Orleanna says herself: “Call it oppression, complicity, stupefaction, call it what you’d like…Africa swallowed the conqueror’s music and sang a new song of her own” (Kingsolver 385). Kingsolver illustrates that though individuals may always seek to control and alter the region, the inhabitants and victims of the tyranny and oppression live on and continue past it, making the state of the area almost as perpetual as the desire to control it.

Works Cited Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness. New York: POCKET BOOKS, 2004.

Colon 6 Kingsolver, Barbara. The Poisonwood Bible. 1st. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1999.