In book three of The Poisonwood Bible, Judges, Barbara Kingsolver continues to portray America as a rich, selfish country that sees itself as superior over other countries. During the third book, Leah begins teaching math at the school where Anatole teaches. It is during a chapter that is told by Leah that we are let in to the views that the Congolese people have about Americans and all white people in general.
After Anatole and Leah get done teaching the children for the day, Leah studies French while Anatole gets lesson plans ready for the next day. One day after class Leah asks Anatole why some of the students don’t like her. Because he doesn’t want to hurt her feelings, he tries to avoid answering the question. By avoiding the question it is made obvious that there is something wrong with her. Finally Anatole says that there are some reasons why they don’t like her, and they include, “you are a girl, you are white, and they think you represent a greedy nation.” Leah doesn’t understand how American’s are greedy because she thinks that a person needs to be rich in order to live a good life. Anatole explains that not everyone thinks that way and that the Congolese people see money in the sense that “if you don’t get rid of it, it’s just going to rot and stick to high heaven.” After having this talk with Anatole, Leah begins to understand that our country is selfish, but will she be able to bring this mind set back to America, much less to her own family?
During this same conversation, Leah questions Anatole on why he translates her father’s sermons when he doesn’t necessarily agree with what he is doing. Anatole becomes the Christ figure to Leah in this story because he has become her teacher, not only of French, but of how to be a better person. Anatole has the mindset that every person should be able to make their own decisions about what is happening in the world. He says, “people need to know what they are choosing,” so he translates the sermons so the Congolese people can make up their own minds if they want to believe what Nathan Price is preaching to them.
Even though Anatole is young, he has so much to offer to everyone who encounters him. Up until this time, Leah has been following her father because she thinks he is a true imitator of Christ, but now that she has found Anatole, that may change. He has taught her how to be open and accepting of other people and of their beliefs, and isn’t that what the bible tells us to do? Anatole is truly teaching Leah to love other people for who they are, even when they have different beliefs from her. So, will Nathan be the one to teach all of the Congolese people, or will Anatole step in the way and instead teach Nathan?
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