How we cite our quotes: (Book.Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
What is the conqueror's wife, if not a conquest herself? (1.Prologue.13)
The themes of marriage and conquest, particularly conquest of the Congo, are intertwined throughout The Poisonwood Bible. Pro tip, ladies: don't ever marry (or even date, honestly) someone who sees you as a conquest.
Quote #2
[The Kilanga girls' eyes] looks happy and sad at the same time. [...] Married eyes. (2.1.20)
What are the Kilanga girls sad about? What are they happy about? And can you have marriage without sorrow? A better question might be whether you can have adulthood without sorrow.
Quote #3
[Nathan] raised [the plate] over her head and slammed it down hard on the table, cracking it right in two. (2.3.52)
Just like the dish in Ethan Frome, or the bowl in The Golden Bowl, this plate is a big fat symbol for the Prices' marriage, and this action represents the breaking point of Orleanna and Nathan's union. Unlike in Ethan Frome, the Conogolese food is actually better. At least the Congolese don't eat donuts and pickles.
Quote #4
My father says a girl who fails to marry is veering from God's plan—that's what he's got against college. (2.5.20)
The only reason Father is remotely interested in marriage is because the Bible makes such a big deal of it. Nathan, as a person, isn't interested in sex or marriage at all. (Plus, isn't college where you go to get your MRS degree?)
Quote #5
The rusted embroidery hoops left an unsightly orange ring on the linen that may have damaged my prospects for good. (2.5.28)
As a young teenager, Leah totally buys into her father's idea that women are pretty much worthless if they're not married. With that in mind, her "skills" don't include anything useful like hunting or intelligence. Instead, they include embroidery, which she isn't even very good at.
Quote #6
"[Tata Ndu] can help your family by paying Tata Price some ivory and five or six goats and maybe a little bit of cash to take [Rachel] out of his house." (3.9.18)
At what price marriage? We're not sure if this is a good deal for Rachel or not. How many goats do you think she's worth? Consider that a goat is probably super useful in the Congo. Rachel, not so much.
Quote #7
"You make it sound like she's an accessory he needs to go with his outfit." (3.9.31)
Orleanna cannot comprehend that this is almost the exact motive for Tata Ndu wanting to marry Rachel, but it shouldn't be so surprising. The whole accessorizing-with-people thing isn't exclusive to the Congo, either. Ever heard the term "trophy wife"?
Quote #8
To resist occupation, whether you're a nation or merely a woman, you must understand the language of your enemy. Conquest and liberation and democracy and divorce are words that mean squat, basically, when you have hungry children and clothes to get out on the line. (5.Prologue.8)
Once again the conquest vs. marriage idea raises its head. At this point, Orleanna is so soured on marriage that she considers a husband an "occupier" and an "enemy." Is there any truth to this sentiment?