Book 1, The Things We Carried (30-42) Summary

A road lies in front of her and Adah sees it as a flat plank chipped into pieces and shapes. The world is a jumble of colors and shapes that all compete for her attention. The Congo lies in the middle of the world. The Kilanga village is alongside the Kwilu River and has little houses in long rows like a snake. All around are trees and bamboo. Every red mud house has a red dirt yard. This helps people see the snakes. The church building is at one end of the village. At the other end is the Price house. Each house has a thatched roof over a single room, although the people don't stay under the roof for long. Elephant grass hides anything in the distance beyond the village.

The Price...