After the tragic death of Ruth May, the other girls and Orleanna continue their lives separated from each other. It is during this separation that Leah transforms into a well rounded human, while Rachel continues her materialistic lifestyle.
After the family is broken up, Rachel states, “What happened to us in the Congo was simply the bad luck of two opposite worlds crashing into each other, causing tragedy. After something like that, you can only go your own way according to what’s in your heart. And in my family, all our hearts seem to have whole different things inside.” Rachel understands that her family splitting up was the best possible solution to the heartbreak they were experiencing from the loss of Ruth May. Rachel goes onto living in Johannesburg, South Africa. After the death of her third husband, she is left with his restaurant, Equatorial. When Rachel first begins describing her restaurant, she mentions that it is “for paying customers only” but she feels bad for the people who can’t afford to buy the food so she “built them a shelter, so they wouldn’t be tempted to come in and hang out” by the main bar. In stating this, I thought that Rachel had made a slight character transformation because she was suddenly concerned with other people’s wellbeing. Just a short time later though, Rachel begins complaining about how no one in her family will come visit her and see how successful she has been with her new business. Rachel says, “Supposedly Father is still over here wandering about in the jungle and honestly what else does he have to do? He could get cleaned up and pay a visit on his eldest daughter.” Here it is evident that Rachel is not concerned with anybody but herself. She is self-absorbed and wants to prove to her family how great of a living she is making. It is also ironic in this chapter when Rachel says, “I work myself to the bone, keeping this business open seven days a week and the weekends,” yet if she wants chicken curry for the dinner she “simply says to the cooks: Chicken curry!” and if she wants more flowers “I snap my fingers and have more planted.” Rachel is extremely unaware how strenuous other’s work is in order to make her restaurant successful, and she takes all of the credit. Although she has split up from her family in order to live life how she wants, not how her father wants, she has not bettered herself as a person by living on her own.
Leah has flourished as a person since Nathan is no longer in her life. She is finally able to marry Anatole, an African boy, and have a family with him. Leah also becomes an English teacher for American children, and she recognizes how ungrateful the children are for the education they are receiving. Leah is upset about how ungrateful the children are to her and she gets frustrated when they make fun of her clothing. Even in witnessing their lack of gratitude, Leah is ignorant to the fact that the way these children are treating her is nearly identical to the way her family treated the Congolese people when they first arrived in Africa.
Anatole and Leah have three children, and the names of their children carry specific symbolism. The names of their children are Patrice, Pascal, and Martin Lothair. Patrice was named after Patrice Lumumba, the leader of the Congo who was killed. Pascal was named after one of Leah’s childhood African friends. Leah naming her children after important African’s portrays how much of an impact coming to Africa had on her life. Martin Lothair, the youngest child, was named after Martin Luther, who was known for reforming Christianity.
After this week’s reading, I am left wondering if Rachel will undergo metamorphosis like her sisters have. Both Adah and Leah have moved on from being selfish humans, but will Rachel ever change her outlook on life?
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