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After Orleanna's brief reminiscence of her time in Africa the story begins at the arrival of the Price's in Kilanga, which was Belgian occupied at this point in history. Every individual in the family is in utter culture shock and can't seem to quite get a grasp of Congolese ways.

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With the introduction of the main characters we get descriptions of each Price family member. Rachel(15), Ruth May(5), Leah(14), and Adah(14) are all sisters. Orleanna is the mother and Nathan is the father. Nathan is a character that the girls deify because of his fiery passion and witty deliverance of the word of the lord.

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Orleanna's interaction with the Okapi in the beginning of the story is deep rooted with symbolization. The Okapi is a mix of a Deer and a Zebra it is used to display the Unpredictability of life and the unknown in the world.

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As the family begins the process of adapting to the Congo, they all get the overall feel that the natives view them as trespassing religious crusaders. That is everyone besides Nathan, he is completely oblivious to the unwillingness mixed with a lack of compliance that the Congolese show him.

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The climax of the novel is the death of Ruth May. She was killed by a Green Mamba snake while playing the role of a man while on a hunt. Each member of her family grieves and deals with the loss in variegated ways.

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After Nelson pokes the snake it whips past everyone, they hear a noise made by Ruth May, after they realize what has happened they are in utter shock and fear to tell Orleanna. Orleanna reacts rather coldly, she goes about her duties cleaning Ruth May's body and allowing the tribespeople to perform a ritual.

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After a long history of oppression and abusive relationship habits, Orleanna decides to finally leave Nathan. She takes the girls to Bulungu where Leah's contraction of malaria splits the group. Rachel leaves, Orleanna and Adah head towards Leopoldville and Leah cares for Anatole.

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Nathan's reaction to his harmless, innocent daughter's death is unreasonable, his lack of grief combined with his unannoyed dialogue is taken with absolute repulsion by the rest of his death ridden family. The only thing he cares about is the religion and Orleanna seems to view this as a last straw.

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As the novel reaches the conclusion, Leah and Anatole move to Angola, and Orleanna and Adah go back to America. Years later Orleanna gets news of Nathan's passing in the Congo.

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The end of the story is from the perspective of Ruth May. She narrates the rest of her family's attempt to locate the unbeknownst area of her grave. They ask natives and the natives explain that they are unaware of any such place.