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The Poisonwood Bible Foreshadowing Analysis

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Bearing Guiltiness within The Poisonwood Bible Foreshadowing is a literary device many authors use to hint at future events containing influential and thematic material; and authors tend to introduce their major themes through foreshadowing in opening scenes or a prologue. Barbra Kingsolver’s novel, The Poisonwood Bible, follows this very trend. Orleanna Price, in the first chapter, describes her burden of guilt toward choices she has made and the death of the youngest of her four daughters, Ruth May. Throughout the story, you discover the guilt within each of the five women: Adah, Leah, Rachel, Orleanna, and Ruth May. Due to supporting implications within the opening chapter of The Poisonwood Bible, with continuing evidence throughout the novel, it can be concluded that guiltiness is a motif. Nathan Price is an individual who plays an important role shaping the actions, choices, and feelings of the five women. Orleanna states in the starting chapter, “[she] married a man who could never love [her]”(8) and “[she] remained his wife because it was one thing [she] was able to do each day”(8). Orleanna is very passionate about her children, which is why she holds Nathan at …show more content…

Culpability enters Adah, Leah, Rachel, Orleanna, and Ruth May; leaves Ruth May, Adah, Leah, Rachel; and continues to linger in Orleanna. Comparable to the opening scene, the ending scene of Barbra Kingsolver’s The Poisonwood Bible is a continuation of the first scene in the point of view of the deceased Ruth May Price instead of the mother Orleanna. Orleanna and her three other daughters “have come to say good-bye to Ruth May [and] wish to find her grave”(539) but soon to find out hat “in truth [the daughters] are saying goodbye to [Orleanna]”(539) showing that everyone is moving on, inevitably leaving Orleanna to continue to suffer alone. However, concluding The Poisonwood Bible, May Ruth pleads to Orleanna

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