Book 4 Bel and the Serpent

Orleanna Price, SanderlingIsland

  1. How does Orleanna’s guilt for what happened in Africa transfer to the guilt felt by man Americans over the assassination of Lumumba?
  2. Describe Lumumba’s assassination (as Orleanna tells it).
  3. How does she compare herself to Lumumba? Is she correct in this comparison? Why or why not?
  4. Orleanna claims destiny played a part in her life. Do you think she really believes that? Why or why not?

What We Lost

  1. What do you think is the significance of both Bel and the Serpent and What We Lost?
  2. What event begins this book? What does this event say about what is happening in Kilanga?
  3. What is the story of Bel?
  4. What is the irony behind the vote? (Think about how Nathan is “westernizing’ the people of Congo and then gets upset about the vote.)
  5. How does Tata Ndu try to set Nathan straight regarding the “education” of the Congolese?
  6. Tata Ndu says, “Now Beelezi tell us the vote of a young, careless man counts the same as the vote of an elder.” Is his skepticism a correct assumption?
  7. Who was the only one to vote for Jesus in the Price family? What does this say about her?
  8. How does Leah anger her father and the elders of the tribe?
  9. Why does she get her way?
  10. Whose role is Leah taking over?
  11. Rachel, for all of her ignorance, clearly sees what Nathan doesn’t when she says, “He might have been forced to respect them.” How does she view her father and what does she think of him? How does this, in turn, show she’s changed her feelings about the Congolese?
  12. Tata Kuvudundu is angrier than anyone about Leah’s involvement in the hunt. Do you think the people are right to fear Kuvudundu? Why or why not?
  13. Tata Kuvudundu says, The animals are listening to us tonight!...The leopards will walk upright like men on our paths. The snakes will come out of the group and seek our house instead hiding in their own. Bew? You did this. You decided the old ways are no good. Don’t blame the animals, it was your decision. You want to change everything, and now, kuleka? Do you expect to sleep?” Compare Kuvudundu to Nathan. How are they alike? Do you think he’s speaking literally? Why or why not?
  14. Nelsons tells Rachel some of them voted for Leah because they were put out by Nathan and some voted for Ndu because some were put out by him, and everyone ended up getting something they didn’t want. Rachel shows amazing insight here (even though she doesn’t realize it) when she says, “Oh, well, I told him. That is what we call Democracy.” How is this a good comparison to American politics?
  15. What does Anatole find next to his cot? What do you think this signifies? Where does it come from?
  16. “Eyes on sleep peels no eye! We thought we were looking, but could not see what was before us.” What do they not see?
  17. Describe the hunt and each girl’s involvement in it?
  18. The girls expect graceful animals. In reality what was the hunt actually like?
  19. Adah says, “The death of something living is the price of our own survival, and we pay it again and again. We have no choice. It is the one solemn promise every life on earth is born and bound to keep.” Though she is talking about the hunt, what other event does this foreshadow? How is “every life” bound to keep this promise?
  20. Why is Adah’s description of the hunt so long, compared to Leah’s short account?
  21. How and why does Leah lose her kill?
  22. How does Rachel change, be it briefly, due to the hunt? (Remember they are starving) Does she show herself to be compassionate? Why or why not?
  23. Leah says, “I knew what I ought to do: pick it up in both hands and give it to Mama Mwanza.” Why does she say this? From what sin is she suffering because she does not?
  24. How does Anatole insulted by Tata Ndu? Why is this an insult?
  25. At the end of Leah’s narrative she says, “What was surely the oldest celebration of all, the sharing of plenty, had fallen to ruin in our hands.” Exactly whose hands is she talking about and why does she say this?
  26. Who is responsible for the greed the Congolese have discovered?
  27. What causes Rachel to lose her convictions regarding the hunt?
  28. Nelson is certain there is a snake in his “house,” and begs to come in but Nathan refuses to let him. Because Orleanna relents and doesn’t let Nelson, the girls sneak out and set a trap. What is the trap to catch the “culprit” that is placing snakes in houses?
  29. “There are seven ways for a foot to touch the ground, each with its own particular power.” Who, besides Adah, has a strange foot and ultimately what is he responsible for doing?

In order to not give away the “death” in Book 4, I will ask only a few questions concerning the remainder of the book. Please understand though, you are responsible for knowing the section inside and out.

  1. What is the green vine?
  2. What does one sister say she has willed herself to “forget, forget, forget, and not forget”? Why does she say this?
  3. Why do they all look up at the treetops? What is significant about the death and the treetops?
  4. What is significant and in one sister’s word, (“It will be exactly as long as the time that passed before she was born,”) insignificant as well?
  5. How does Orleanna already “know” about the death?
  6. What is the “curse that was going to be our history”? Who says this and why?
  7. How does Orelanna treat the body?
  8. Why does Orleanna move the body outside?
  9. What do the other mother, and later the children of the village do once the body is shrouded and displayed?
  10. How is the family now on equal ground with the rest of the families in the village?
  11. “The last was first.” What does this mean?
  12. Why does Orleanna give away all their belongings?
  13. What is the significance of the rain that falls after the death?
  14. What is Nathan’s reaction to the death?
  15. This book brings about the most significant change in the girls. How do they change compared to the first three books? What about Orleanna? Think about Western Arrogance when constructing your answer.
  16. How has “the power of Africa” finally beaten them?
  17. Who is the only one in the family who had no real arrogance the entire book?
  18. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosever beleiveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Nathan quotes John 3:16. What is he completely blind to at this point?
  19. Why did this sister have to die and no one else? (Be thoughtful and in-depth in your answer to this question. It’s important and you will definitely see a variation of this question in your analysis and on your test)