Rachel Price Character Analysis in The Poisonwood Bible

Rachel, the eldest of the Price daughters, is portrayed as a rather narrow-minded, superficial young woman, who dislikes the Congolese more blatantly than anyone in her family except for Nathan Price himself. Unlike her siblings, Rachel makes few, if any, attempts to get to know her neighbors in the village of Kilanga, although her fair skin and good looks lead many in the village to stare at her. After the CIA-sponsored military coup in the Congo in the mid-60s, Rachel marries Eeben Axelroot in order to guarantee her own safety. Over the next 15 years, she marries a string of wealthy, powerful men, who provide for her but give her no spiritual satisfaction. Ultimately, Rachel comes to own a profitable hotel, which again provides her with money but leaves her feeling lonely and unfulfilled. Rachel is arguably the member of the Price family who grows the least over the course of the book: by the end of the novel, she’s still self-absorbed and superficial. The only lesson she’s learned in her life, she claims, is that the purpose of life is to look out for oneself.

Rachel Price Quotes in The Poisonwood Bible

The The Poisonwood Bible quotes below are all either spoken by Rachel Price or refer to Rachel Price. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

Freedom, Growth, and Coming-of-age Theme Icon

“Nakedness,” Father repeated, “and darkness of the soul! For we shall destroy this place where the loud clamor of the sinners is waxen great before the face of the Lord.” No one sang or cheered anymore. Whether or not they understood the meaning of “loud clamor,” they didn’t dare be making one now. They did not even breathe, or so it seemed. Father can get a good deal across with just his tone of voice, believe you me. The woman with the child on her hip kept her back turned, tending to the food.

Related Characters: Nathaniel Price (speaker), Rachel Price (speaker)

Page Number and Citation: 28

Explanation and Analysis:

Anatole leaned forward and announced, “Our chief, Tata Ndu, is concerned about the moral decline of his village.” Father said, “Indeed he should be, because so few villagers are going to church.” “No, Reverend. Because so many villagers are going to church.”

Related Characters: Nathaniel Price (speaker), Rachel Price (speaker), Anatole Ngemba (speaker), Tata Ndu

Page Number and Citation: 128

Explanation and Analysis:

Father said, “An election. Frank, I’m embarrassed for you. You’re quaking in your boots over a fairy tale. Why, open your eyes, man. These people can’t even read a simple slogan: Vote for Me! Down with Shapoopie! An election! Who out here would even know it happened?”

Related Characters: Nathaniel Price (speaker), Rachel Price (speaker), Reverend Frank Underdown

Page Number and Citation: 167

Explanation and Analysis:

Until that moment I’d always believed I could still go home and pretend the Congo never happened. The misery, the hunt, the ants, the embarrassments of all we saw and endured—those were just stories I would tell someday with a laugh and a toss of my hair, when Africa was faraway and make-believe like the people in history books. The tragedies that happened to Africans were not mine. We were different, not just because we were white and had our vaccinations, but because we were simply a much, much luckier kind of person. I would get back home to Bethlehem, Georgia, and be exactly the same Rachel as before.

Related Characters: Rachel Price (speaker)

Page Number and Citation: 367

Explanation and Analysis:

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. I ask myself, did I have anything to do with it? The answer is no. I’d made my mind up all along just to rise above it all. Keep my hair presentable and pretend I was elsewhere. Heck, wasn’t I the one hollering night and day that we were in danger?

Related Characters: Rachel Price (speaker)

Page Number and Citation: 465

Explanation and Analysis:

“Oh, Rachel, Rachel,” Leah said. “Let me give you a teeny little lesson in political science. Democracy and dictatorship are political systems; they have to do with who participates in the leadership. Socialism and capitalism are economic systems. It has to do with who owns the wealth of your nation, and who gets to eat. Can you grasp that?”

Related Characters: Rachel Price (speaker), Leah Price (speaker)

Page Number and Citation: 478

Explanation and Analysis:

Rachel Price Character Timeline in The Poisonwood Bible

The timeline below shows where the character Rachel Price appears in The Poisonwood Bible. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...yeast. Nathan criticizes these supplies, citing the Bible verse about the “lilies of the field.” Rachel, one of Leah’s sisters, mutters that the “lilies” don’t need Nathan’s Bible. (full context)

On the flight to Africa, the Price family’s baggage is exhausting to carry. Rachel complains about the hassle of having to carry so many bags, but she also smuggles... (full context)

When Rachel Price arrives in Kilanga, her first thought is that “we”—the Prices—are badly outnumbered: there’s a... (full context)

Out of the crowd, Rachel takes a good look at her siblings: the twins (Leah and Adah) and Ruth May.... (full context)

...in a pot. As the locals cook, they sing songs in a foreign language. Slowly, Rachel realizes that they’re singing to the tune of Christian hymns like “Onward Christian Soldier.” (full context)

...asks him to say a few words. Without hesitation, Nathan rises and greets the villagers. Rachel notes that Nathan always seems confident and energetic. Nathan quotes passages from the book of... (full context)

When the food is prepared, Rachel and her siblings eat—but they find it disgusting. Although they want to spit it out,... (full context)

...new home. Ruth May is scared of the neighbors, claiming that they’ll eat her alive. Rachel claims that she’s sick, but eventually she, Ruth May, and Adah help with unpacking. They... (full context)

It is Easter Sunday, and Rachel is disappointed that there are no new clothes for her or her siblings. Rachel and... (full context)

Nathan has organized a Christian pageant, Rachel thinks, designed to attract as many visitors as possible. Recently, there have been few people... (full context)

Rachel considers the locals who’ve dressed up for the day. She doesn’t really care for the... (full context)

Nathan’s first idea for the pageant, Rachel recalls, was that the children of the village would be baptized in the nearby river,... (full context)

Locals show up for the supper, mostly women with their children. Rachel notices that the townspeople are wearing clothes, suggesting that word has spread that Nathan doesn’t... (full context)

...and protected them from hungry villagers in the weeks leading up to the Prices’ arrival. Rachel notices that Orleanna, who fixed the fried chicken, has truly “won the crowd.” Nathan looks... (full context)

Ruth May reports that Rachel has become badly sunburned. Nathan thought that being in the Congo would be good for... (full context)

After the first rainstorm, Nathan’s garden thrives, growing pumpkins and beans. Meanwhile, Rachel’s 16th birthday arrives. Orleanna tries and fails to bake Rachel a cake—the oven in the... (full context)

...be able to beg for forgiveness from God; i.e., it’s condemned to blaspheme God forever. Rachel blurts out, “We’re sorry.” Angry, Nathan tells the children to proceed with copying Bible verses. (full context)

As Leah copies verses, she hopes that Nathan took Rachel’s comment as a confession. Secretly, though, Leah knows that it was Orleanna who accidentally shouted... (full context)

...shiny leaves. In return, Leah teaches Pascal some English words. Pascal seems more interested in Rachel’s hair and Timex watch than in learning another language. But he’s a warm friend to... (full context)

Rachel is thrilled that the Prices are hosting “company” for dinner. Anatole, their guest, is a... (full context)

...age of 12 or so, and girls don’t go to school at all. Anatole’s parents, Rachel learns, are gone—his mother was sent to work in the Belgian mines. At dinner, Anatole... (full context)

From the kitchen, Rachel hears Anatole tell Nathan that Nathan shouldn’t think of Tata Kuvudundu as his competition. Instead... (full context)

...a man. Nathan insists that a woman who doesn’t get married is ignoring God’s plan. Rachel, unlike Leah, insists that she’ll be getting married soon enough—she’s always tried to look beautiful.... (full context)

...Mrs. Underdown greets Orleanna and then teases her about her accent, something that always bothers Rachel. The Underdowns tell Orleanna that the Congo will have democratic elections this year, leading up... (full context)

Rachel describes how Nathan flies to Stanleyville with Eeben Axelroot to pick up more quinine pills... (full context)

Rachel notes that Nathan is angry with the Underdown family. They send him supplies every month,... (full context)

...Orleanna asks Nathan if Lumumba is a Communist, and Nathan answers that he’s not sure. Rachel imagines Lumumba leading the new parliament, which consists entirely of people like Tata Ndu. Rachel... (full context)

...where they’re going.) Meanwhile, Orleanna sits in bed all day, too sick to get up. Rachel tries to take care of Orleanna, but to no avail. It’s very quiet in the... (full context)

Leah notices that Rachel seems particularly pale. “Mvula”—the Congolese word for pale—has become Rachel’s nickname in the community. Leah... (full context)

...the dead. Nelson teaches Adah this and other words, including “mvula,” the word to describe Rachel. (full context)

...sick and feverish. Nathan ignores them, however. He just continues with his preaching, leaving Adah, Rachel, and Leah to take care of his wife and daughter. (full context)

Rachel works with Adah and Leah to figure out how the family will survive from now... (full context)

Adah notices that Rachel is acting more adult than usual—volunteering to bake bread, for example. Rachel goes through phases... (full context)

...in the night. She sees Nathan yelling, “God will know the difference,” and she sees Rachel falling to the ground. (full context)

...Ruth May sicker, so she prays to God, apologizing for her own sister’s disease. Meanwhile, Rachel continues cooking and cleaning for her sisters. Leah and Rachel argue: Leah criticizes Rachel for... (full context)

Rachel is “slaving over a hot stove” when a group of people come running by. They’re... (full context)

Rachel notices that Nathan isn’t trying to make Fowles feel the least bit welcome in the... (full context)

...is why he’s been bringing gifts to the house. Ndu has his heart set on Rachel. As Nelson puts it, he wants to “buy” Rachel from Nathan. Nelson also explains that... (full context)

Rachel is furious about the possibility of marrying Tata Ndu. Whenever Tata Ndu visits from now... (full context)

Rachel has been spending time with Axelroot to create the impression that they’re engaged. Just as... (full context)

Rachel tells Axelroot stories about her childhood and high school. These stories are nothing compared to... (full context)

Ruth May isn’t sure if Rachel is going to marry Tata Ndu or not. She’s heard that Rachel is considering marrying... (full context)

Rachel is now 17 years old. She has a subdued birthday—her second in the Congo. On... (full context)

Everyone in the village thinks Rachel is actually engaged to Eeben Axelroot. Meanwhile, Leah has begun studying languages with Anatole, and... (full context)

After Rachel’s birthday, Axelroot visits her and takes her for a walk to keep up the appearance... (full context)

Axelroot and Rachel walk by a large group of women returning from the field. Axelroot flirts with them,... (full context)

Axelroot changes the subject to politics. He tells Rachel a secret—Lumumba, the Prime Minister, is as good as dead. He will be assassinated very... (full context)

Rachel wakes up in the middle of the night to the sound of frenzy. She rushes... (full context)

...carrying Adah. He explains that Orleanna and Ruth May have gone ahead with Tata Boanda. Rachel, Anatole says, is a “demon,” and Nathan is even now sermonizing about the ants. Leah... (full context)

On the day that the CIA condemned Lumumba to die, Ruth May was feverish and Rachel was turning 17. The CIA told Mobutu that he would have America’s blessing when he... (full context)

Rachel claims that Leah is the cause of the Prices’ problems. Lately, Leah has been talking... (full context)

Rachel finds the hunt disgusting. She vows never to eat meat ever again. She’s especially horrified... (full context)

In the evening, the Price sisters return to their home, and Rachel prepares to announce that she’s a vegetarian. But within a few moments, she gives in... (full context)

Rachel has just learned from Leah and Adah that Ruth May is dead. Rachel, as the... (full context)

Rachel has spent the last year pretending that her life in the Congo isn’t real. But... (full context)

...light to save themselves effort. Adah has trouble walking for long periods of time, and Rachel is unusually quiet. On the walk, Leah considers why Nathan isn’t traveling with the rest... (full context)

...Orleanna and Adah leave Leopoldville, returning to the U.S. Nathan is still stationed in Kilanga. Rachel has left with her “devil savior,” Axelroot. Anatole is taking care of Leah in the... (full context)

For the last year, Rachel has been living in Johannesburg, learning the Afrikaans language. Many of her new friends are... (full context)

Rachel goes back to explain how she came to be in South Africa. She’s now living... (full context)

Rachel remembers the day that Axelroot flew her out of the Congo in an airplane. She... (full context)

Marriage isn’t what Rachel thought it would be. She doesn’t mind life in South Africa, where there are fancy... (full context)

Rachel decides to get her revenge on Axelroot by seducing “the Ambassador,” a powerful young man... (full context)

One evening, Rachel gets a chance to talk to Daniel alone. She tells him about her experiences in... (full context)

...she’s lost her family, one member at a time. She can only feel hatred for Rachel, who she believes has “sold out” by marrying a “powerful mercenary.” She can’t communicate with... (full context)

...Rights Movement—she bravely marches on behalf of African Americans. Leah’s religion is suffering, Adah believes. Rachel’s religion, perhaps, is her own appearance. (full context)

Fairy tales, Rachel begins, are nonsense—nobody ever talks about what happens after the “happily ever after.” For a... (full context)

Rachel is now the owner and runner of the Equatorial hotel. She takes pride in remodeling... (full context)

Rachel has agreed to a reunion with her sisters, but she’s nervous about it. Rachel has... (full context)

...to travel through Cameroon, Gabon, and other countries. Before she describes the trip in detail, Rachel notes that at the end of the month, Leah reunited with Anatole—she embraced Anatole with... (full context)

The trip through West Africa, Rachel reports, is tough. Rachel bickers with Leah constantly. Rachel wants to stay in upscale places,... (full context)

...they’re struck to learn that the King of Abomey had dozens of wives. This reminds Rachel of her three husbands. Leah and Adah begin to talk about Nathan. Adah claims that... (full context)

...into a crocodile-infested river. Nathan was burned for this “crime.” Leah cries as she tells Rachel and Adah this information. (full context)

Rachel tries to comfort Leah. She tells Leah that while Leah loved Nathan more than Nathan’s... (full context)

...move on to talk about politics in Zaire. Leah continues talking about Mobutu’s tyranny, and Rachel shouts at Leah for telling a “sob story.” Adah and Leah keep talking about the... (full context)

Adah notes that Rachel is secretly remorseful for Nathan’s untimely death. Adah travels back to Georgia and tells Orleanna... (full context)

...returns to Georgia from Africa, she sees Orleanna right away. She reports that Leah and Rachel are doing all right—Leah is thin, and Rachel has barely changed. Adah tells Orleanna that... (full context)

...armed Neto’s opposition, ensuring a violent, bloody war that ended in Neto’s defeat. Some, like Rachel, would call Leah brainwashed for believing this, but Leah knows she’s right. She thinks back... (full context)

Rachel is now fifty years old, and still running her hotel, the Equatorial. Sometimes, she can’t... (full context)

In spite of her doubts about life in the U.S., Rachel decides to move back to America. She’s nervous about returning home, and thinks of the... (full context)

Rachel takes stock of Africa—“you don’t have to like it, but you sure have to admit... (full context)