Regret

The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver

The Big Question:  Are there certain truths that can be considered universal or absolute?

                              "One has only a life of one’s own." 

Such a wonderful book full of happiness, sorrow, and guilt. The Poisonwood Bible is anything but predictable and the normal missionary story you would expect. In this story I saw the reoccurring theme of regret from all of the characters. Especially the regret of coming to the Congo in the first place. I believe that there is a truth in life that all humans feel regret at some point. The mother, Oleanna, in this story is a wonderful illustration of this. Kingsolver emphasizes this character's regret the most throughout the book. The regret of marriage, the regret of choosing a favorite child, the regret of not standing up for herself. Kingsolver also demonstrates to the reader, through the character of Orleanna, the dangers of regret. Regret tears Orleanna apart to the point that she leaves her husband and lives as a single mother who is troubled by her past. Although it is a truth that all humans feel regret, it is a matter of how the human deals with that regret that makes them stronger.