Since the beginning of time different cultures have been constantly interacting with one another. Sometimes the interaction has wonderful and peaceful results, like the fellowship and reverence showed among the numerous Native American tribes of the past. At other times, cultures clash horribly, such as the ongoing struggle between the Israelites and the Palestinians in the Middle East. In Barbara Kingsolver's The Poisonwood Bible, the interaction and mixing of the somewhat "alien" cultures results in positive and negative effects upon the characters and the outcome of the novel.
To understand the situation totally, some imagery will be necessary to get a "feel" for the story. The year is 1959. The location is the Congo, an area that is predominantly influenced by the Congolese and their culture, which has been a part of the native's lives from generation to generation for hundreds upon hundreds of years. All of a sudden, an all white family arrives with their arrogant Baptist-Christian-American ideals and values, and their one goal is to change an entire people's way of life. They come from a land where they could easily persecute the minority, but in reality, they are now among the few. In this situation or one similar to it, most would humble themselves to the Congolese people. Instead they try to do what they have done for so many years in their native country, try to oppress a group of people because of differences. Little do they know it is easier to change or oppress a people due to physical differences. People will have a harder time changing something they have believed and based their lives around for so many years.
Not long after the tribe greets the family, Nathan (The Father), decides to start pushing his beliefs on the women of the village in order to fit his standards of what is civil and correct for females to do and how to dress. The women felt ashamed of their exposed bosoms, so they fixed their shawls in order to be what Nathan felt was right.
