In the course of life one achieves many things; experience, wisdom, knowledge and a confident sense of self. But along with all these great things comes regret, guilt, and shame for past events. Everyone deals with these problems in different ways, sometimes turning to religion and denial as coping mechanisms. In the novel The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver, each member of the Price family faces a sense of personal guilt that developed during the mission to the Congo or long before. This novel exemplifies the different types of guilt experienced by the Price family during their time in the Congo and shows various means of reconciliation and forgiveness as the guilt is absolved. One method of dealing with guilt is to saturate yourself with it. Leah Price, the stronger of the twins, acquired an increasing amount of guilt while isolated from American society in the Congo. After being immersed in their culture for a few months and learning their selfless ways, she soon looks back at her past and sees regrets that she had previously overlooked. For the first time he states that he actually feels guilty for taking away Adah's strength while she was in the womb, leading to her currently paralyzed state. After Ruth May dies and they leave Kilanga, Leah's guilt seems to accumulate. Even though none of the girls are responsible for Ruth May's death, she is haunted by the persistent feeling that she could have done something to prevent it. It is revealed by a diary entry when he is middle-aged that he still regrets Ruth May's death and reflects on it most evenings, seeking comfort from Anatole. He suffers and will suffer for the rest of his life, forcing himself to relive that faithful day. He never really comes to terms with it and gains… half the paper… mption. He became an empty shell of who he was, no longer living his life to its true potential. In The Poisonwood Bible each member of the Price family expresses their guilt in very different ways. Leah begins to become saturated with it, Adah helps others around her, Rachel ignores it, and Nathan lets the guilt consume him. Each family member expressed their hidden burdens in very different ways, exemplifying the different method people unconsciously use when dealing with their personal regrets. Ultimately, moving forward and forgiving yourself are the biggest and most beneficial steps to addressing past guilt. While guilt is almost painful in the moment, it is also a fundamental part of being human. Without guilt and remorse, individuals would not grow with age, but would remain the same and would never fully assimilate to each other.