Patrice Lumumba
Patrice Lumumba, first prime minister of the independent Congo, was born on July 2, 1925 in Onalua, Belgium Congo. Patrice was raised in a small tribe in Congo and attended a Protestant Mission school. Lumumba then went to Kindu-Port-Empain where he joined the educated african club. That brought him to Leopoldville, which is a place mentioned often in the book. He was arrested later in history, which they also mention in the book.(Patrice Emery Lumumba,www) The only parts of of the book that do not match up in regards to Patrice Lumumba is the translations given to Leah by Mrs. Underdown. That could just be because she is translating to a young girl while listening. In the story, what he's saying has the same idea as the speech without the same words. ( Kingsolver 180-184).
Speech in book"Ladies and gentlemen of the Congo who have fought for the independence won today, I salute you."(Kingsolver 182)
| Speech in reality"Men and women of the Congo,
Victorous fighters for independence, today victorious, I greet you in the name of the Congoleze government."( Speech www) |
While the idea of what is said above is still the same in both, you can see the fictional part of the novel here. The author changed little words from history and made his beautiful speech into her own masterpiece of a novel.