What Has Happened To Orleanna Chapter Summary

PWB Books 3 and 4 Study Questions

Book 3
1) What was Orleanna’s childhood like? (192-193)
2) Describe her courtship with Nathan. (194-195)
3) What caused Nathan’s heart to “curl like a piece of hard shoe leather?” (196-197)
4) How did Nathan respond to intimacy? (198, 200)
5) How do the villagers view the Prices in Judges? (206)
6) In Nelson’s opinion, what has happened to Orleanna and Ruth? (207)
7) What nicknames do the villagers have for Leah and Rachel? (208)
8) How do the Congolese view twins? How does Adah feel about Nelson’s opinion about her as twin? (211)
9) What is ironic about Nathan’s congregation? (212)
10) Why are names so important? (213)

1. How does Leah try to make Ruth May more lively?
2. What news does Anatole share with
Leah about the Katanga Province?
3.
What threat has Lumumba made to the U.N.?
4. Why will Leah not take the time to write to her classmates?
5. What did Nelson give Ruth May? What is its purpose?
6. What has happened to Orleanna?
7. How have the Price girls changed since coming to the Congo?

1) Who visits the Price family? How is he received by each member?
2) How does his faith differ from Nathan’s?
3) He claims that he was able to convince the villagers to stop abusing their wives. Subsequently, many of the wives erected shrines to Tata Jesu. What is ironic about this (consider Nathan)?
4) Why is Tata Ndu suddenly visiting the Price house and bring gifts?
5) How do the Congolese people explain Rachel and her skin?
6) How are decisions made in the Congo? How is it different than the Belgium system? Which do you think is more effective?

1. What does Orleanna discover behind Ruth May’s bed? Why is this important?
2. What does Rachel do in order to dissuade Tata Ndu from courting her?
3. What information does Eeben Axelroot share with Rachel? Do you believe him? Why or why
not?
4. What happens to all Congolese girls in order to ensure that they are faithful to their husbands?
5. What new skill is Leah learning? How do the Congolese view this?
6. Adah claims this new skill will have consequences because Anatole is breaking rules for Leah. Might this be correct? If so, what consequences?

1) How do Leah’s students respond to her? Why? (280)
2) What is Anatole surprised to learn about Leah’s physical environment back in the U.S.? (282-283)
3) Why does Anatole translate Nathan’s sermons? (286)
4) What is Leah’s nickname from Anatole? Why is it fitting? (286/287)
5) How does Rachel describe Adah’s disability? (289)
6) What happens to Rachel and how does she feel about it? (290; 292-293)
7) Who is going to die according to Axelroot? (294)

1. What U.S. leader is involved in the assassination plans of Lumumba? How does Adah find out? What does this say about her disability? (297)
2. What infests the village late one night? What are they called in Congolese? What does Leah do that she regrets? (299-300)
3. What happens to Adah? How does this incident help illuminate her views on disability and role in the family? (305-306)
4. How does Rachel get to the river? What does she take with her? What does this reveal about her character? (301-302)
5.
What safe place does Ruth May envision? (304)
6. When Leah claims no one save Anatole cares about her and her family, what does Anatole tell her? (310)
7. What does Leah say to Anatole? What is his reaction? Why? (311)

Book 4
1) Who is put in charge of the Congolese army, and what is he commissioned to do? Why was he put in charge? (318-320)
2) What is the ultimate fate of Lumumba? Why does Orleanna parallel her life with Lumumba’s death? (321-323)
3) Describe the environment. What has happened and how does this environment affect the residents and the Price family physically and emotionally? (327-328)
4) Why is the story of Bel and the Serpent appropriate so far for this chapter? Why does Nathan Price use it? What effect does it have on Leah and the others in the congregation, including Tata Ndu? (328-329)
5) For what purpose does Tata Ndu hold an election? How do the girls vote? Why? What is the outcome? (330-334)

1. Why does Tata Ndu schedule a big hunt?
2. How is Leah received in regards to the hunt? Why?
3. What is the argument between Leah and her father? What aspect of her identity has changed to allow this?
4. What is the hunting practice like? How does Ruth May and others who are not hunting help
out?
5. What is significant about the fight between Leah and Gbenye? Why does Tata Ndu turn his anger toward Anatole?
6. How did the division of meat at this hunt compare to the usual practice? Why?

1) What insult does Nelson hurl at Tata Ndu’s son? Why is it ironic?
2) Where does Rachel go toward the end of the hunt? Why?
3) What does Nelson see in the chicken house? Why is he terrified of it?
4) Whose footprints are in the ashes?
5) Leah claims there is no childhood in the Congo. Why is childhood so important in the US? Does it help or hinder identity and psychological development?
6) What happens to Ruth May? Why do the girls look to up to the tree and not to Ruth May?
7) How do Orleanna and Nathan handle their grief?
8) Why is Orleanna giving away furniture and clothing? (through end of book 4)