Nathan is the center of the Universe

In our Literature 8 discussions this week, we focused on the "gravities" and "turning points" in the book. Surprisingly, we decided that the gravity of Genesis and Revelations was a character who really has no speaking part at all: Nathan. As the father of the family, he is the one who has brought them to the Congo and completely changed thier way of life. They go to church, work, and live based on what he wants or how he is going to react to something. In this way, he becomes the gravity of the first sections of the book.

As such, it is just as fitting that one of the turning points in the book involved Nathan. There are many turning points in Genesis but the one that my group picked out was on page 81 when Mama Tataba informs Nathan of why no one wants to get baptised. The reason is that the year before, a girl was eaten by a crocodile. Nathan is very upset by this. "I fail to understand," he said, "Why it would take six months for someone to inform me of thatt simple fact" (81). Up to this point, Nathan has been going headstrong into his preaching, with the thought that if no one is listening to him, they are in the wrong. He has been completely oblivious to this new culture he is living in. It is then that he understands that there is more to this society that what appears.

What I found so important about this point in the book is that very soon after it, the rest of the family starts to adapt more as well. Orleanna was forced to learn how to support her family by herself and the girls have even started to make friends! Ruth May was the first one to make connections with the children of the village by playing Mother May I, and the other girls quickly followed. Although the other sisters felt strange about playing such a little kids game, even high and mighty Rachel craved to have human connection outside of the family. All it took was a little more understanding and compassion for the place they now call home.