My University

On the first day of the week Dr. Preston is absent, we had a guest speaker, Paige, who talked about the upcoming college boot camp and her own experience of senior year. Her talk about scholarships and colleges kind of frightened me a little bit, but it was very helpful. For the rest of the period, some of my friends and I just talked about our plans for colleges and post college. This pretty such summed up this class because it was a minimum day.

My Opinion Isn't (A) Right

-The narrator threatens to take legal action against his child for denying him his sleeping rights
-During a debate, I can't say that I'm entitled to my opinion and expect my opponent to change his opinion 
-I do have the right to have an opinion, but not a right to my opinion
-My opinion needs facts and supporting evidence before it can be credible enough to change another's
-I don't have a "right to my own opinion"
-"You don't have the rights you think you do"
-Interdependence- shared authority between other people
-Limbic- emotional part of the brain that overtakes reason when flustered
-Schema- routines of thinking to make things work

Reflections on Week #1

1. Are there any factors that you think are going to affect your participation or experience in this class? Access to a computer?  Mobile/smart phone?  Transportation?  Friends/family? Schedule?

There aren’t any factors that I think are going to affect my participation or experience in this class. I do have activities out of school almost every day, however, it won’t affect me from getting my work done. Aside from the activities, there is always enough time for me to get my work done. I do have all the access to technologies, including a computer and a smartphone. I also have other necessary things that I will need to achieve in this class.  

2. Think of an awesome best ever learning experience that changed you. What did you learn? Where were you? What happened? Who else was there? Did it teach you anything about how you learn (or pay attention... or remember, or think?) How did you know what was happening?

One of the best and awesome experiences that changed me was going into Righetti High School. Going into high school where there was more than 3,000 people was very difficult for me because I was from a very small school with a graduating class of less than 25. Although I would usually be the loud and enthusiastic one in the class of familiar faces, going into high school made me a timid and fearful one. I wasn’t able to define the true side of myself, which led me to not participate in activities I could have done in school. However, as time progressed, I was able to really step out of my boundaries and communicate and socialize with unfamiliar faces. This helped me to become a better person and social person.

3. What are you most [excited/concerned] about in this class? What do you look forward to in learning?  How do you think it can/will make a practical difference in your life?

In this class, I’m most excited about what Dr. Preston will teach me that will help me prepare for the next four years in my life. I think he will be a huge factor in helping me in preparing me for college. What concerns me the most is the amount of works that is placed in front of us every night. I don’t think I ever had this much amount of work in the first week of school in 12 years of schooling. I feel try my best to stay on track to finish all the works, but it will be very tough. I’m also looking forward in more of open source learning.  

Vocabulary #1

Adumbrate - verb give to understand; describe roughly or briefly or give the main points or summary of

Ex. The ending of the novel is already adumbrated in the first chapter.
Apotheosis - noun the elevation of a person (as to the status of a god); model of excellence or perfection of a kind; one having no equal

Ex. The pilot who landed the plane in the Hudson river, was an apotheosis.
Ascetic - adj. practicing great self-denial; pertaining to or characteristic of an ascetic or the practice of rigorous self-discipline; noun someone who practices self denial as a spiritual discipline
Ex. He spent many years in a monastery, living as an ascetic.

Bauble - noun a mock scepter carried by a court jester; cheap showy jewelry or ornament on clothing

Ex. My grandfather bought a bauble on the clearance rack at a swap meet.
Beguile - verb attract; cause to be enamored; influence by slyness

Ex. Beguile the time and compose his mind he asked that a book might be read to him.
Burgeon - verb grow and flourish

Ex. The apple trees I planted last year began to burgeon.
Complement - noun something added to complete or make perfect; either of two parts that mutually complete each other; a word or phrase used to complete a grammatical construction; number needed to make up a whole force; a complete number or quantity; one of a series of enzymes in the blood serum that are part of the immune response; verb make complete or perfect; supply what is wanting or form the complement to

Ex. He could issue the highest complement and make it sound like an insult.
Contumacious - adj. wilfully obstinate; stubbornly disobedient

Because the contumacious student refused to obey the principal’s instructions, he was suspended from school.
Curmudgeon - noun a crusty irascible cantankerous old person full of stubborn ideas

Ex. No one liked the a grumpy old curmudgeon. 
Didactic - adj. instructive (especially excessively)

Ex. While the professor’s lectures were designed to be didactic, they only served to confuse the students.
Disingenuous - adj. not straightforward or candid; giving a false appearance of frankness
Ex. The detective was a disingenuous man who often played dumb to trick others into confessing.

Exculpate - verb pronounce not guilty of criminal charges
Ex. Both men were endeavoring to exculpate themselves, and therefore both statements are subject to suspicion.

Faux Pas - noun an embarrassing or tactless act or remark in a social situation.

Ex. We were each engaged in impression management and doing our best not to commit a faux pas.
Fulminate - noun a salt or ester of fulminic acid; verb cause to explode violently and with loud noise; come on suddenly and intensely; criticize severely

Ex. She fulminated about the dangers of drinking alcohol. 
Fustian - noun a strong cotton and linen fabric with a slight nap; pompous or pretentious talk or writing

Ex. The shirt he bought at a garage sale was made out of fustian.
Hauteur - noun overbearing pride evidenced by a superior manner toward inferiors

Ex. The unmistakable hauteur in his tone implied that there was no chance of his being wrong.
Inhibit - verb limit the range or extent of; to put down by force or authority

Ex. I need to inhibit myself from eating too many junk food.
Jeremiad - noun a long and mournful complaint

Ex. The new, bratty employee wouldn’t stop with the jeremiads.
Opportunist - adj. taking immediate advantage, often unethically, of any circumstance of possible benefit; noun a person who places expediency above principle

Ex. He is a hustler of sensibility, an opportunist of inspiration.
Unconscionable - adj. greatly exceeding bounds of reason or moderation; lacking a conscience

Ex. The act is not confined to providing for the registration of moneylenders and for the reopening of harsh and unconscionable bargains.

Essay #2

The world’s average life expectancy is almost 70 years old. In a year, there are 365 days. In a day, there are 24 hours. In a day, there are 60 minutes. When the human brain is awake up, it’s constantly operating. When operating, it is also developing thousands and thousands of ideas through the series of events one goes through. Unfortunately, due to the great amount of ideas, we don’t know what is actually attainable. The line, “What goes on inside is just too fast and huge and all interconnected for words to do more than barely sketch the outlines of at most one tiny little part of it at any given instant,” in David Foster Wallace’s “Good Old Neon,” not only thoroughly portrays the feature of human nature, but also delivers connections with Michael Montaigne in his essays. Although describing “life” is arguably impossible, Michael Montaigne takes a shot at describing almost every bit he has about life. Through his description, he also presents the reality of life, which leads to Jane Austen’s style of writing in, “Pride and Prejudice.”

In the Essays of Michael Montaigne, Montaigne was able to clarify directly to the audience how his brain was functioning. He is known for his concept of knowledge. A key reason that makes these unique pieces of work is that, no matter how old these writings may be, it can still be related today. The audience was able to visualize how Montaigne went from topic to topic based off his ideas or even his personal experience. What Montaigne did that he was able to make connections with the audience was the realistic practices, such as deaths, emotional struggles, relationships, judgments, etc. In addition, he uses multiples of quotes of ancient writers to support his stand. Overall, Montaigne’s tendency to shift from a topic to topic corresponds with David Foster Wallace’s “barely sketch the outlines.”

Jane Austen and Michael Montaigne shares both similar and different writing. Due to the fact that Austen’s novel “Pride and Prejudice,” was fiction, she expressed her views and thoughts through the actions of the characters. In those characters, it included realistic themes, such as wealth, love, marriage, pride, and prejudice. Her use of historical fiction makes the story more realistic because it provides background information.

Because of the use of different writing styles and techniques in Jane Austen and Michael Montaigne, similarities weren’t visual in bare eyes until examination. Both writers were able to show the realistic themes with topics like judgment and imperfection. What made these two authors stand out were their unique style to relate with the audience. Overall, what kept these two works alive till today was the connections in personal experiences.   

     

I CAN('T) READ

My video wouldn't upload from my phone, but my time was 5:42 and I made 14 mistakes.

1987 AP Exam

1.C

2.B

3.C

4.E

5.D

6.D

7.A

8.B

9.D

10.C

11.D

12.C

13.B

14.C

15.B

16.B

17.C

18.E

19.C

20.B

21.E

22.B

23.D

24.A

25.A

26.E

27.E

28.C

29.B

30.B

31.C

32.C

33.C

34.D

35.D

36.E

37.B

38.E

39.B

40.C

41.E

42.A

43.B

44.E

45.B

46.C

47.B

48.D

49.B

50.D

51.A

52.A

53.E

54.C

55.B

56.C

57.C

58.A

59.A

60.C

61.C

 29/61

To be honest, my result didn't surprise me. I always score low on these practice AP test. From the beginning of this test, I knew I was going to score low because of many unfamiliar materials. I do terribly on reading the passage and answering questions because of my lack of reading ability. 

Poetry #1

1. From what poem/author does this commercial borrow (without credit)?

A. The author the poem is borrowed from is Charles Bukowski, called "The Laughing Heart."

2. Why might the use of this poem by a corporation be considered ironic?

A. The use of this poem by Levi’s cooperation is considered ironic because it identifies freedom in which in the first line of poem states, “Your life is your life, don’t let it be clubbed into dank submission.”  This also gives some confidence for the audience in wearing their product because they should be wearing whatever they feel right for themselves.  

3. Does the poem reflect the reputation of the author? Why/why not?

A. The poem does not reflect on the reputation of the author because of this work of his does not relate to his previous works. His previous works relied on experience, emotion, and imagination throughout his life, however, this poem is motivating and inspiring. 

4. How did you find the answers to #1 & #3? Describe your research process and your sources in detail.

A. I first typed, “Go Forth Levi’s 2011,” in my search engine and clicked on the first link suggested. Then, I searched, “Charles Bukowski,” to learn little bit of his background.   

Essay #1

"Exile is strangely compelling to think about but terrible to experience. It is the unhealable rift forced between a human being and a native place, between the self and its true home; its essential sadness can never be surmounted." One of the most devastating situations that no one wants imagine is dealing with exile. Not only is being casted out of the environment you are in and placed somewhere absolutely different sounds terrifying, but also adapting into a different lifestyle. However, like everything, there is always the good in the situation. This transaction could be a great opportunity on beginning a fresh life. In the novel, The Poisonwoods Bible by Barbara Kingsolver, a missionary family, led by the father, Nathan Price, arrives in Congo, leaving their friends and family back in the United States. Although everyone in the family is put in the exile position, Adah, one of the twin daughters of Nathan Price, stood out the most. Although Adah had to overcome the many obstacles, her experience with exile brought both alienation and enrichment.

Unlike everyone else in the Price family, Adah was incapable of doing the many things what they did because of the fact that she is crippled and the whole left side of her body paralyzed from birth. Her life, compared to her twin sister, was totally opposition. While her twin sister, Leah, threw herself into life and became a participant, Adah held back and stayed quiet. At this point, she counted herself different and being effortless in trying what everyone else was capable of doing. Suffering from the distressful life in Congo, Adah runs into an event in the story that basically changes her life. She is almost trampled to death during the plague of ants, however, she does everything she can to stay alive. From this point, she finds herself actually caring for her life, once thinking it was worthless. After the tragic death of her little sister, Ruth May, her mother, Orleanna, decides to flee from Congo back to the United States. When she arrives back in the United States, she dedicates her life to science and becomes a doctor. She also discovers that she doesn't have to limp.

Mentally and physically, Adah overcame the hardships in her life. Starting with her disability in her body, which lower her self-esteem and worsen by the fact that no one really supported her, and to her distressful life in Congo. However, without these hardships, her life wouldn’t be the same and most likely will be the same as she was since the beginning of the novel. 

Pride and Prejudice

Plot

When Charles Bingley, a rich single man, moves to the Netherfield estate, the neighborhood residents are thrilled, especially Mrs. Bennet, who hopes to marry one of her five daughters to him. When the Bennet daughters meet him at a local ball, they are impressed by his outgoing personality and friendly disposition. They are less impressed, however, by Bingley's friend Fitzwilliam Darcy, a landowning aristocrat who is too proud to speak to any of the locals and whom Elizabeth Bennet overhears refusing to dance with her.

Bingley and the oldest Bennet daughter, Jane, soon form an attachment. Any serious relationship between the two, however, is opposed by Bingley's sisters (who do not approve of Jane as a wife for Bingley because of her mother's lower status) and by Darcy (who believes that Jane is indifferent to Bingley). Meanwhile, Darcy finds himself attracted to Elizabeth despite his objections to her family. He is drawn to her spirited wit and expressive eyes, and Caroline Bingley's jealous criticisms of Elizabeth can do nothing to lessen Darcy's admiration.

As Darcy grows more interested in Elizabeth, Elizabeth continues to despise him and is instead attracted to George Wickham, a handsome and personable militia officer. Wickham tells Elizabeth that his father worked for Darcy's father and that he and Darcy grew up together. Stating that he was favored by Darcy's father, Wickham claims that Darcy disobeyed his father's bequest of a clergyman's revenue to Wickham out of selfish resentment. Wickham's tale makes Darcy appear not only proud but cruel, and Elizabeth accepts Wickham's account without question, disliking Darcy even more because of it.

In the midst of Jane and Elizabeth's developing relationships, the Bennet family is visited by Mr. Bennet's cousin, William Collins, a clergyman who will inherit Mr. Bennet's estate when he dies because of a legal stricture known as an entail. Full of apologies for the entail and praises for his patroness, Lady Catherine De Bourgh, Mr. Collins informs the Mrs. Bennet that Lady Catherine has instructed him to marry and that he plans to choose a wife from the Bennet daughters. He settles on Elizabeth, but is stunned and offended when she refuses him. He quickly turns his attention to Elizabeth's friend, Charlotte Lucas, who wants to marry for security rather than love, and the two are soon engaged and married.

At the same time, Jane is dismayed to find out that Bingley and the entire Netherfield party have unexpectedly left for London. Caroline Bingley writes to Jane that they do not intend to return, and she predicts a match between Bingley and Darcy's sister, Georgiana, who is also in London. Although Jane quietly resigns herself to a life without Bingley, Elizabeth is angry for her sister and suspects that Bingley's sisters and Darcy are trying to keep him from Jane.

Elizabeth visits Charlotte at her new home in Hunsford, Kent, and meets Mr. Collins' patroness and Darcy's aunt, Lady Catherine De Bourgh, an overbearing woman who thrives on meddling in other people's lives. Soon after Elizabeth's arrival in Kent, Darcy visits his aunt with his cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam. Darcy puzzles Elizabeth with his behavior; he seems to seek out her company, but he never says much. One day, he surprises Elizabeth by proposing to her. Still repelled by his pride and believing Darcy is responsible for Bingley's separation from Jane and for Wickham's misfortune, Elizabeth refuses him. The next day, Darcy gives her a letter explaining his role in influencing Bingley away from Jane and details the facts of Wickham's situation. A careful examination of the facts reveals that Darcy, while proud, is innocent of wrongdoing, leaving Elizabeth mortified at her discovery of how her own pride prejudiced her against Darcy.

After returning home for a month, Elizabeth goes on a trip with her aunt and uncle Gardiner to Derbyshire county, where they visit Darcy's estate of Pemberley. There they meet Darcy unexpectedly and are all surprised at how graciously he treats them. He calls on Elizabeth at her inn, introduces her to his sister, and invites her to Pemberley for dinner. Darcy is still in love with Elizabeth, and Elizabeth begins to have similar feelings for him.

In the midst of this promising situation, Elizabeth receives two letters from Jane telling her that Lydia has eloped with Wickham, causing Elizabeth and the Gardiners to leave for home immediately. Elizabeth fears that Lydia and the Bennet family are permanently disgraced and that her newly-discovered love for Darcy is hopeless. When Lydia is found, however, she and Wickham marry. After the wedding, Elizabeth discovers that Darcy was instrumental in orchestrating the marriage, thereby saving the reputation and marriage ability of the other Bennet daughters.

Bingley returns to Netherfield and soon asks Jane to marry him. Jane, of course, accepts, and Mrs. Bennet's exultation is only lessened by her irritation at Darcy's occasional presence. Meanwhile, Elizabeth's happiness for her sister is interrupted by a visit from Lady Catherine De Bourgh, who has heard a rumor that Darcy and Elizabeth are engaged, which they are not. She lectures Elizabeth on the imprudence of such a match, and then demands that Elizabeth promise not to accept any proposal from Darcy. Elizabeth refuses, causing Lady Catherine to tell Darcy about Elizabeth's impertinence and to scold him about the folly of an engagement between them. Lady Catherine's description of Elizabeth's response to her demands gives Darcy hope that Elizabeth has had a change of heart. He proposes again and Elizabeth happily accepts.

Characters

Elizabeth Bennet- The protagonist of the book. She is the second oldest of the Bennet five sisters. She is most intelligent of the five and spirited young woman who is enthusiastic and enjoys studying people's characters. Although she at first dislikes Darcy, circumstances cause her to reassess her negative impression of him, and she eventually falls in love with him.

Fitzwilliam Darcy- A wealthy, proud man who falls in love with Elizabeth and reveals a generous, thoughtful nature beneath his rough attitude.

Mr. Bennet- Father of the Bennets who is unhappily married and has failed to provide a secure financial future for his wife and daughters.

Mrs. Bennet- Mother of the Bennets who is foolish and obsessed with finding husbands for her daughters.

Jane Bennet- The oldest and most beautiful sister of the Bennet sisters who is a gentle and kind-hearted young woman. She falls in love with Bingley but is cautious about revealing the depth of her feelings for him.

Mary Bennet- The third Bennet of the five who prefers reading over socializing.

Catherine (Kitty) Bennet- The fourth Bennet of the five who joins her sister Lydia in flirting with soldiers.

Lydia Bennet- The youngest Bennet of the five who is immature and irresponsible. She is Mrs. Bennet's favorite and shocks the family by running away with Wickham.

Charles Bingley- A good-natured and wealthy man who falls in love with Jane. He is easily influenced by others, especially by his close friend Darcy.

Caroline Bingley- Charles Bingley's stuck-up sister who befriends Jane and later snubs her. She attempts to attract Darcy's attentions and is jealous when Darcy is drawn more towards Elizabeth.

George Wickham- A handsome and personable fortune hunter to whom Elizabeth is initially attracted. He eventually runs off with and is forced to marry Lydia.

Lady Catherine De Bourgh- Darcy's arrogant aunt, who dominates Mr. Collins and entertains hopes that her daughter will marry Darcy.

Colonel Fitzwilliam- Darcy's well-mannered and pleasant cousin, who is interested in Elizabeth, but who needs to marry someone with money.

Georgiana Darcy- Darcy's shy but warmhearted sister.

Mr. Collins- Mr. Bennet's ridiculous cousin, who will inherit Longbourn after Mr. Bennet's death. Upon Lady Catherine De Bourgh's recommendation, he seeks a bride, first proposing to Elizabeth and then to Charlotte Lucas.

Charlotte Lucas- Elizabeth's sensible and intelligent friend, who disappoints Elizabeth by marrying Mr. Collins for money and security.

Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner- Mrs. Bennet's intelligent and cultivated brother and sister-in-law.

Theme

Pride- a constant presence in the characters' attitudes and treatment of each other, coloring their judgments and leading them to make rash mistakes. Darcy's pride about his social rank makes him look down on anyone lower his social rank. Elizabeth has so much pride in her ability to judge others that she refuses to revise her opinion even with clear contradictory evidence. (Ex. She despises the good-hearted Darcy for a long time and favors Wickham who is a liar) Clearifies that no one is free from pride, but shows with the proper moral, one may overcome it to lead a life of decency and kindness. In the end, the two lovers are able to overcome their pride by helping each other see their respective blind spots. Darcy sheds his snobbery, while Elizabeth learns not to place too much weight on her own judgments.

Prejudice- the tendency of the characters to judge one another based on preconceptions, rather than on who they really are and what they actually do. Predjudice often led into wrong assumptions about motives and behavior. Actions of Elizabath and Darcy exemplifies that their mistakes can happen to anyone; that faulting someone else for prejudice is easy while recognizing it in yourself is hard. Prejudice in the novel is presented as a stage in a person's moral development, something that can be overcome through reason and compassion.

Love- the relationship of Elizabeth and Darcy is the highlight of the novel. The novel points out the inequality that leads the relationship of men and women and also affects the choices women make when it comes to marriage. They also overcome numerous obstacles, beginning with the tensions caused by the lovers’ own personal qualities. Elizabeth’s pride makes her misjudge Darcy on the basis of a poor first impression, while Darcy’s prejudice against Elizabeth’s poor social standing blinds him, for a time, to her many virtues.

Class- the target of much of the novel's criticism of society in general. (Ex. Lady Catherine who controls over in society’s ranks, is guilty of mistreating other people. Mr. Collins and Caroline Bingley dictates over the class system with thoroughly empty hearts. In contrast, Bingley is someone from the upper class who wears his position lightly and gallantly. The Gardiners represent the honest, generous, and industrious middle class and are examples of how to be wealthy without being pretentious. Darcy is the primary example of the novel’s ideal high-class gentleman. At first, he seems to be an arrogant and selfish snob, as the novel progresses it becomes clear that he is capable of change. He combines his natural generosity with the integrity that he considers a crucial attribute of all upper-class people due to Elizabeth’s criticism and influential actions.

The Poisonwood Bible

YunSoo Lee

AP English & Literature

Plot

In "Genesis," the family first arrives in the Congo, leaving their friends and family back in Georgia. They are unprepared for the trip, though they attempt to bring large amounts of their possessions with them. They soon find that even these possessions do them little good in the African jungle. They are forced to quickly learn the ways of the jungle, both in the manner in which Reverend Price tries to preach to the people, and in the ways their native Georgia plants won't flower in the African jungle and are washed away when the heavy rains finally come.

In "The Revelation," the political situation of the Congo becomes clearer. Specifically, there are threats that the communists from Russia will come in and take over, as well as rumblings of a new leader named Patrice Lumumba emerging from the people. The Prices also begin to learn some of the language and customs of the village, though there are new revelations each day that prevent them from fully assimilating into the culture.

"The Judges" focuses on the Price's struggles to stay in the Congo as the political and living situations deteriorate. Lumumba is elected President of the Congo, and with him comes the danger of war from those that oppose him. The missionary society that supports the Price's pulls their stipend and suggests that they leave, though Nathan Price refuses. Ruth May and Orleanna both take to bed, sick and depressed, and it is up to the three older daughters to provide for the family. The situation reaches a climax as a horde of ants invades the village, leaving a wake of destruction.

"The Bel and the Serpent" is the climax of the book. The family discovers that Ruth May has stopped taking her quinine pills to fight off malaria, and she just barely escapes a fatal illness. The political situation in the village, moreover, deteriorates when Reverend Price is voted out of the church. Complicating matters, Leah falls in love with Anatole, the local village school teacher, and takes a more authoritative role in the family. Yet, the village witch doctor curses the family when Leah attempts to hunt with the other village men and places a green mamba snake in the Price's chicken house. As the girls attempt to drive the snake out, it bites Ruth May, killing her.

With the death of her youngest daughter, Orleanna flees with her living children, leaving her husband in the village. In this chapter, named "Exodus," they travel on foot through mud and rain, contracting dangerous cases of malaria, until they finally make it to a neighboring village. Rachel makes a deal with a local pilot/mercenary to take her away and they are informally married in South Africa. Leah decides to stay in Africa with Anatole who she soon marries as well. Only Adah and Orleanna make it out of Africa and back to Georgia where they are forced to deal with the memories of Africa on their own terms.

"Song of the Three Children" details the lives of the living daughters as they grow older through the years. Rachel marries and divorces two husbands and is finally widowed after her third husband dies and leaves her a resort hotel to care for in the neighboring French Congo. Though it is not the American life she dreams of, she finds her calling and happiness in the relative wealth of Africa. Leah, on the other hand, decides to live in the abject poverty of Africa. She and Anatole have four children and, after Anatole is imprisoned multiple times, they end up on a communal farm in Angola where they fight for African freedom. Adah dedicates her life to science and becomes a doctor in Atlanta. Eventually she ends up studying viruses in Africa. Orleanna moves to Sanderling Island, Georgia, where she lives in retirement, thinking often of Africa and hoping for forgiveness for the child she lost.

The final section, "The Eyes in the Trees," is told through the omniscient voice of Ruth May as she watches her living sisters and old mother return for one final trip to Africa. They want to put a tombstone on her grave, but soon learn that the village of Kilanga no longer exists. Ruth May offers final forgiveness to her mother and a posthumous reflection on the nature of life and death.

Characters

Nathan Price- A Southern Baptist preacher who takes his family into the Belgian Congo in 1959 to do missionary work. He is led by the overwhelming guilt he feels of being the only person of his army regimen to escape the Battaan Death March during World War II and determined to be God’s messenger to save many souls as possible.

Orleanna Price- The wife of Nathan Price whose will has been broken after being married and who was once spirited and beautiful as a young woman. She is desperate to protect her children from the dangers of the Congo. However, she is kept passive by a combination of fear, loyalty, and the belief that God really is on her husband's side. 

Rachel Price- The oldest of the Price daughters who at first was a greedy, egotistical, bratty, yet beautiful and shallow fifteen years old girl who is a product of Western civilization and cares mostly for appearances and fun. She does not hesitate to use her beauty to manipulate others.

Leah Price- One of the Price twin daughters who is intelligent, idealistic and she initially worships her father, but later learns to think for herself. Her strong sense of justice makes her sensitive to the political, economic, and racial injustices occurring in the Congo.

Adah Price- The other Price twin daughters who is born with a condition called "hemiplegia," which prevents her from using the left side of her body. Rather than view herself with pity, Adah places herself in voluntary exile from the world, looking on as a wry and brilliant observer, rather than an active participant. She is also changed by the life in Congo and is pulled and forced to admit that she cares enough to participate. She devotes her life to science and becomes a celebrated epidemiologist.

Ruth May Price- the youngest of the Price daughters who is innocent and strong-willed. She dislikes being the baby of the family and does everything she can not to be left behind. Her pure heart inspires the love of both her family and the villagers

Eeben Axelroot-  the mercenary airplane pilot who lives in Kilanga and who is involved in a variety of shady activities. He takes Rachel with him to Johannesburg after she leaves Kilanga.

Anatole Ngemba-  Kilanga's schoolteacher, who is a translator during Nathan's sermons. He is also a supporter of the independence movement. He later marries Leah and is imprisoned multiple times for his political views.

Brother Fowles-  the previous missionary in Kilanga, but was removed due to the relationship with one of the natives. Brother Fowles has a deep understanding of and sympathy for the Congolese people and their religion, and found in favor of Preacher Nathan Price.

Methuselah-  the parrot left with Brother Fowles to Preacher Nathan Price at the Kilanga Mission

Nelson-  an orphan and Anatole's best student who is employed by the Prices to do miscellaneous chores for them. He is protective of Ruth May

Tata Ndu- the village chief who is wary of Preacher Price and his proselytizing, afraid that a move toward Christianity will effect a moral decline in his village.

Tata Kuvundu-  Kilanga's medicine man and the religious leader of the village.

The Underdowns -  Belgian nationals who run the finances for several missionary organizations. They are emblematic of the whites in the Belgian Congo, living in splendor just a few miles from the squalid homes of the natives, and showing only suspicion and contempt for their unfortunate and much-abused African neighbors. The Underdowns evacuate the Congo as soon as independence is granted, and are horrified when the Prices do not do the same.

Mama Tataba- An opinionated woman who helps the Price family with cooking and cleaning during their first six months in Kilanga.

Pascal-  A nine-year old Congolese boy who befriends Leah. Later in life, Leah hears that he was killed by Mobutu's soldiers while walking on the road. Leah names her first-born son after him.

Elisabet Ngembe- Anatole's aunt who moves in with Leah and Anatole. She becomes Leah's only female companion.

Patrice Lumumba - The charismatic first elected president of the Republic of Congo, who preached a gospel of peace and prosperity. He was beaten to death during a military coup orchestrated by the United States government.

Theme

Colonialism- the novel involves the issue of western control over different countries and cultures of the world. In the eyes of the natives of Kilanga, they view only the matter in the presence of them. As Nathan Price tries to preach Christianity to them, he finds difficulty in their acceptance in their cultures. However, the people of Kilanga makes decisions on which god to believe depending on the good that is done to them, such protecting them from diseases, droughts, and floods. Injustice- 

Religion- Nathan Price finds trouble of the people of Kilanga adapting Christianity because Christianity is practiced by white people in the eyes of people of Kilanga. He also makes a mistake in baptizing children in a river that is known for crocodiles that eat people. It was not a suitable religion for the people of Kilanga.

Mortality- because of the large population of malaria, death rate was extremely high. Living in Kilanga, the natives had to learn to accept death on a regular basis, but that doesn't make it less meaningful.

Women- women’s rights in Congo was similar to women’s rights in the 1800s. Their duty as women were to marry, serve their husbands, do housework, cook, care their children, and education was not available to them.