The Poisonwood Bible | Characters & Character Analysis

The Poisonwood Bible Characters

Orleanna Price

Orleanna is the wife of Nathan and the mother to Rachel, Leah, Adah, and Ruth May. She has dark hair. She is kind and does the best that she can in taking care of her family in trying circumstances. She feels trapped by Nathan but can't find a way to leave him until Ruth May dies. He came back from World War II a changed man, but by then she was already married to him. She cares for her daughters a great deal, but the situation that she finds herself in in the Congo leaves her exhausted most of the time. Nathan leaves her with almost total responsibility over the girls' day to day lives and the household.

When Ruth May dies, Orleanna takes her remaining three daughters out of Kilanga. She and Adah return to the United States. Orleanna lives on the outskirts of Bethlehem, Georgia for a while,...
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