The Poisonwood Bible The Flaws Of Fundamentalist...

Barbara Kingsolver s the Poisonwood Bible accentuates the flaws of fundamentalist christianity. Looking at the Poisonwood Bible through a new critics lens and examining the biblical allusions allowed me to explore how this issue was implemented through Nathan Price, as Nathan stands for fundamentalism. A New Criticism lens allows me to look at the text for itself without taking in any of the outside influences of the author s life or cultural influences. â€Å"New Criticism, post-World War I school of Anglo-American literary critical theory that insisted on the intrinsic value of a work of art and focused attention on the individual work alone as an independent unit of meaning. It was opposed to the critical practice of bringing historical or biographical data to bear on the interpretation of a work†.While looking through the new criticism lens I also analysed the congolese pantheistic way of living and how this was another viable way of living. Shown through many characters t hroughout the novel but most prominently through Brother Fowles and Orleanna Price. Nathan Price was the sole survivor in his battalion in the Bataan Death March and received a Purple Heart for his bravery. However these horrific events have shaped Nathan as the man he is today. His life s purpose since has been to save all souls that he encounters. In Nathan s mind the way to do this is through his God. Nathan s past also means that he is relentless in the thought that he will never shy away from aShow MoreRelated Kingsolver’s Portrayal of Christianity in The Poisonwood Bible3077 Words   |  13 PagesKingsolver’s Portrayal of Christianity in The Poisonwood Bible Kingsolver’s concern with Christianity is evident in the very title of The Poisonwood Bible. She uses ‘books’ to divide the novel into sections, which, with names like Genesis and The Revelation, reflect the books of the Bible. As the novel progresses, the structure deviates from that of its biblical namesakes: there is a shift in order - Exodus is placed centrally - and new books with titles such as The Eyes in the Trees are introduced