Mary Branham - Poisonwood Bible Perspectives 18 March 2014

In the Poisonwood Bible, Barbra Kingsolver tells the same experience through four
sisters, and writes the mothers perspective from a later time. This variation in narration and
unique angle at creating multiple points of view for the novel produces different versions of the
same story, which causes a lack of bias and supplies many perspectives.
The story, presented through five characters, has less of a chance of bias than a story
being told from one character. Kingsolver uses the different experiences and opinions from the
five women to make up the whole actual truth, each contributing their own piece. Through this
method, major bias is eliminated. This lack of bias effects the authors message. There are some
perspectives that are meant to disgust the audience and others that are meant to make an impact
on the audience in a positive light.
Through the five perspectives, there are different archetypes revealed in the characters.
There is youngest daughter, Ruth May, who is the innocent of the family who does what she is
told and does not question it. There is also the shallow superficial archetype found in the oldest
daughter Rachel, who completely lacks all depth in the heart and mind. Then there is Adah, the
cynic of the family. She has her sarcastic ways and most portray her as hateful. These
characters are scattered all across the spectrum of personally. This causes the message that the
author is trying to reveal more relatable because there are five different characters to relate to.
Barbra Kingsolvers conventional way of narrating through five narrators creates a
unique effect on the message she is trying to send. The multiple points of view helps wipe out a
bias driven story, and makes the story more relatable, therefore more appealing to a diverse
audience, making it successful.


Commented [mb1]: The Poisonwood Bible
Commented [mb2]: Never start a sentence with this
Commented [mb3]: Change to narrated by
Commented [mb4]: Change to by
Commented [mb5]: This has basically already been said.
Take it out, or elaborate on its meaning/ purpose.
Commented [mb6]: Never start a sentence with this
Commented [mb7]: How, and so what? ELABORATE
Commented [mb8]: The story is not about the audience,
it is about the characters.
Commented [mb9]: Change to is the youngest
Commented [mb10]: What is the point of the different
archetypes when it comes the unique narration of the
novel?
Commented [mb11]: Personality
Commented [mb12]: Dont start a sentence with this
Commented [mb13]: What message? Be more specific
Commented [mb14]: Once again, the audience is
irrelevant and it does not matter if they can relate to the
characters. The story is all about and for the characters.
Commented [mb15]: Unconventional?
Commented [mb16]: Once again, what is the message?
Commented [mb17]: help
Commented [mb18]: the audience does not matter.
Commented [mb19]: What makes something successful
is an opinion, therefore this phrase does not contribute to
the analysis.