Madison McNees

Death Extra Credit Essay

The most important themes in literature are sometimes developed in
scenes in which a death or deaths take place. Choose a novel or play and
write a well-organized essay in which you show how a specific death scene
helps to illuminate the meaning of the work as a whole. Avoid mere plot
summary.
Barbara Kingsolver brings women to the forefront of The Poisonwood Bible. She
reveals their voice by allowing them to freely express their thoughts and incorporating
their lives into the novel. In one particular instance, Leah Price, a young female
character, participates in a typically male-dominated hunt; Leah betters Tata Ndus
eldest son in killing an impala, making the impala the pride of the hunt. The death of this
impala edifies the theme that those unimportant to society sometimes play a very
influential role.

The village elders do not want Leah to participate in the hunt, they believe that
her being female denies her the right to be a huntress. They argue over allowing her to
participate in the hunt and eventually hold a village meeting where it is decided that she
will be allowed to hunt. Leah watches carefully and marks her victim during the hunt.
Both her arrow and Tata Ndus eldest sons arrow pierce the impala, but Leahs is the
one gives the fatal blow. Leah is able to contribute a lot of food to the village because of
the kill, making her a valuable member of the village.

The Poisonwood Bible emphasizes the other, those who do not fit the mold
society has set. The inclusion of these others and their way of life offers insight into the
novel. Because of Leahs desire to hunt, Rachel states [she] is the cause of all our
problems. Rachel also disapprovingly nicknames Leah Robin Hood. Rachel, and the
village elders feel Leah is trying to escape the role she has been born into which is not
acceptable. Village elders yell that she is turn[ing] over the natural way of things and
that if they allow a woman to hunt horrid things will happen. Leah attempts to change
the way a society operates and is marked as an outsider because of it. The fact that the
majority of the village ends up voting in her favor though, shows the power of the other.

Leahs desire to hunt highlights an important aspect of The Poisonwood Bible;

that being, it repeatedly gives those who would not typically be heard a voice. Although
the reaction to her fight for her right to hunt is negative, it is nevertheless a response to
her voice being heard. Her father resents her and says its nonsense for [her] to hunt
with the men. in the end forbid[ing] Leah to hunt. The men of the village mock her
saying shed shoot an arrow through her foot. Through character and plot
development the oppressed are given the power to stand up to the oppressor, Leah
makes the best kill of the hunt showing that she is in fact influential member of society.

The message of this scene all comes together at its conclusion when Leah kills
the impala. The death scene is a small representation of the theme, that those whom
society tries to reject sometimes play the most influential role, developed throughout the
novel. Kingsolvers focus on minority characters is a representation of how Africa was

viewed by the western world. She brings women to the forefront of her novel to highlight
their importance; revealing that Africa, though viewed as savage by the western world,
held hidden opportunity and influence.