How we cite our quotes: (Book.Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
I detest the part [of the Bible] where Lot offered his own virgin daughters to the rabble of sinners. [...] What kind of a trade is that? And his poor wife, of course, got turned to a pillar of salt. (1.3.21)
We'd never call Rachel Price a feminist, but at least she's not too ditzy to see the unequal way that the women of the Bible are sometimes treated.
Quote #2
Women are expected to wear just the one style of garment and no other. But the men, now that is a course of a different color. (1.5.2)
Forgiving Rachel's malapropism here ("horse," not "course"), she makes a keen observation about gender norms in Kilanga: they're not that different from gender norms in the not-too-distant past of American culture. (Fun fact: now it's about the opposite. Women can almost wear whatever they want—pants, skirts, overalls, rompers—while men are stuck to a diverse wardrobe of … pants or shorts.)
Quote #3
"Sending a girl to college is like pouring water in your shoes. [...] It's hard to say which is worse, seeing it run out and waste the water, or seeing it hold in and wreck the shoes." (1.8.7)
Yikes. This is some pretty nasty sexism coming from Nathan Price, the father of four girls. Why the bad attitude? Does he feel threatened by them? And what would he say to women attending graduate schools?
Quote #4
I'm fifteen and must think about maturing into a Christian lady. (2.1.6)
By "Christian lady" Leah really means "American gender norms," like not climbing trees or playing in the dirt. (Um, there's an age limit on that?)
Quote #5
"Climbing trees is for boys and monkeys." (2.2.18)
The doctor in Stanleyville might be politically progressive, but gender equality, um, not so much. (Also, equating boys to monkeys is pretty fifth-grade of him.)
Quote #6
It troubled Leah that people thought our household deficient [...] because we lacked a bákala mpandi—a strong man—to oversee us. (3.4.8)
Even in Kilanga, where the women seem to do all the work, the villagers still look down on the Prices for not having a strong man. When Leah steps up to the duties, they disparage her for it.
Quote #7
Congolese men didn't treat their own wives and daughters as if they were very sensible or important. Though as far as I could see the wives and daughters did just about all the work. (3.5.53)
Sounds a lot like the Price household to us. With so much in common with the Congolese men, we're surprised Nathan doesn't get along with them better.
Quote #8
Rachel would have to have the circus mission where they cut her so she wouldn't want to run around with people's husbands. (3.12.4)
Kingsolver doesn't make a huge issue about female genital mutilation in the Congo, only mentioning it in this one chapter. But plenty of people do make a huge issue of it, and you can learn more about it here.