Whether physical in distance or only barred by our own emotions exile seems to affect all of humanity at some time in an individual’s life. Alienation can destroy us from the inside but also repair us at all levels if the void left by the sorrow can be refilled with something better. In the novel the Poisonwood Bible most of the characters face exile in a land thousands of miles from home, with a different culture, and few remnants of their birthplace. Off in the Congo all the characters of the Price family does not lose their American heritage but allows it to morph with the new ideas this is most visible in the character Leah Price.
Geography plays a major role in Leah’s exile from the United States. Her father the man with a mission drags her and their family out to the bush region of the separatist Belgian state in the heart of Africa. This new location closes the few Westerners from the rest of the civilized world; with no newspapers, radio, and phone lines stop almost all news to the village. Different than a remote place in the first world the distance is even more miles from civilization than most places in America. Travel other than by Axelroot’s plane takes days isolation is unbearable and the prospects of returning back to Georgia seems unobtainable. Even after leaving with Anatole she still remains so far away from her original homeland as she transverses the continent. Continuing to push seemingly farther from the United States even after the death of her father who forced them to come she does not go back to America.
In Africa the culture is obviously different than the lifestyle in the American South. Segregation or apartide as it was called in Africa still existed with a white upper class as it did in the South in 1959. The idea of taming the savage black also was present in the white cultures that they held the “White Man’s Burden” to civilize the rest of the world seen in Belgian policies and Nathan’s religious mission. Male dominated societies are omnipresent in both worlds also. However these cultures different and enrich Leah when she lives amongst the Congolese; she is discriminated against for being a white women of course but is able to merge slightly into the African culture. Throughout her separation from the racist views of white society she learns the skills of survival from the tribe and to accept many others whether if they were black or disabled as most of the people in the Congo were. The ancient culture she joins also has more superstition than even Southern Baptism and odder traditions like polygamy. Leah was clearly better with the influence of African culture as she choose to truly live in it unlike Adah or Orleanna who moved back to America or Rachel who refused to even allow blacks into her hotel. Leah from the time of the hunt was a part of the culture and actually emerged into it unlike others in her family.
Leah is a young teen by the time she goes with her family on the mission therefore she has more memories of sweet Georgia. Compared to May Ruth she can actually remember living in America but is still subject to change as from her new experiences. Most of her life unlike the parents takes place in Africa. With little problems back home she can reminisce of the good ol’ days in America whereas the older people went through hard times and are stuck in their ways. Having this pocket of hope helps her make it through difficult times giving her mainly the positive effects. More and she might hold onto her old ways of judgmental, fundamentalist, and prejudice like Rachel.
Overall the originally unwanted isolation and separation from America did hurt yet helped build Leah and the other members of her family. Through her location, the cultures blending, and generally good thoughts of the past Leah was able to enjoy her exile. To her being so far away was not a tragic lose but a major gain as she found happiness in her new life in Africa with Anatole.
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