--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: After 'The Poisonwood Bible' was…" description: "\"After 'The Poisonwood Bible' was published, several people believed that my parents were missionaries, which could not be further from the truth.\" — Ba..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aeb/barbara-kingsolver-200_bible_after-the-poisonwood-bible-was-published_56066.png" --- # After 'The Poisonwood Bible' was published, several people… ![“After 'The Poisonwood Bible' was published, several people believed that my parents were missionaries, which could not be further from the truth.” quote by Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aeb/barbara-kingsolver-200_bible_after-the-poisonwood-bible-was-published_56066.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aeb/barbara-kingsolver-200_bible_after-the-poisonwood-bible-was-published_56066.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aeb/barbara-kingsolver-200_bible_after-the-poisonwood-bible-was-published_56066.png) > “After 'The Poisonwood Bible' was published, several people believed that my parents were missionaries, which could not be further from the truth.” [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker clarifies a misconception about their family background, emphasizing that appearances can mislead and that assumptions about identity may be inaccurate. **In simple terms:** Misconceptions about family roles Key Takeaway Appearances can be deceptive Themes identity misconception family perception truth Mood reflective defensive Type personal anecdote clarification When to use this quote - discussing personal history - responding to rumors - explaining background in interviews Key Concepts stereotype social assumption Practical Applications - public speaking - memoir writing Questions to Reflect On - Why do we often accept surface-level narratives? - How can we verify assumptions about others? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Missionaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/missionaries/) [Missionary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/missionary/) [Parent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parent/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Parents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parents/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [My parents were missionaries - I was born in the States but I grew up in Brazil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arto-lindsay/my-parents-were-missionaries-i-was-born-in-the-states-but-i-grew-up/) [Arto Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arto-lindsay/) > [I was born and raised in China, and my parents were missionaries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayne-meadows/i-was-born-and-raised-in-china-and-my-parents-were-missionaries/) [Jayne Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayne-meadows/) > [He was my father. I own half his genes, and all of his history. Believe this: the mistakes are part of the story. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/he-was-my-father-i-own-half-his-genes-and-all-of-his-history-believe/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > ['Lonesome Dove' by Larry McMurtry and 'The Poisonwood Bible' by Barbara Kingsolver have stuck with me throughout my life, and I think that says…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-gerritsen/lonesome-dove-by-larry-mcmurtry-and-the-poisonwood-bible-by-barbara/) [Tess Gerritsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-gerritsen/) > [“Our Founders explicitly designed our system so that all powers not delegated to the federal government (education included) fell to the states or the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-beck/our-founders-explicitly-designed-our-system-so-that-all-powers-not/) [Glenn Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-beck/) > [I wish I believed I'd see my parents again, see my wife again. But I know it's not going to happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-randall/i-wish-i-believed-i-d-see-my-parents-again-see-my-wife-again-but-i/) [Tony Randall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-randall/) > [I started my career in parent education with the idea that we needed to let our kids go. I believed that parents were suffocating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-neufeld/i-started-my-career-in-parent-education-with-the-idea-that-we-needed/) [Gordon Neufeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-neufeld/) > [All the kids in school taunted me, 'Your dad's going to jail,' and I believed my parents when they said no it wouldn't happen.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-bilzerian/all-the-kids-in-school-taunted-me-your-dad-s-going-to-jail-and-i/) [Dan Bilzerian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-bilzerian/) > [I was been raised to believe I was an artist. I believed what my parents said and fulfilled it, like a prophecy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-pink/i-was-been-raised-to-believe-i-was-an-artist-i-believed-what-my/) [Ariel Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-pink/) > [“Church has believed that parents probably wont' assume responsibility for their own children's growth, so they have tried to become a parent substitute. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-joiner/church-has-believed-that-parents-probably-wont-assume-responsibility/) [Reggie Joiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reggie-joiner/) > [“Patty believed that parents have a duty to teach their children how to recognize reality when they see it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-franzen/patty-believed-that-parents-have-a-duty-to-teach-their-children-how/) [Jonathan Franzen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-franzen/) > [I've always believed that parents are not for leaning upon, but rather exist to make leaning unnecessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/i-ve-always-believed-that-parents-are-not-for-leaning-upon-but-rather/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [“Can’t you do just a little bit more? pleading with Nazarenes in the 1930's Great Depression to support their missionaries)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-g-morrison/can-t-you-do-just-a-little-bit-more-pleading-with-nazarenes-in-the/) J.G. Morrison > [And although I see few results, future missionaries will see conversions following every sermon. May they not forget the pioneers who worked in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-livingstone/and-although-i-see-few-results-future-missionaries-will-see/) [David Livingstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-livingstone/) > [And people who do not know the Lord ask why in the world we waste our lives as missionaries. They forget that they too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-saint/and-people-who-do-not-know-the-lord-ask-why-in-the-world-we-waste-our/) [Nate Saint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-saint/) ## More by Barbara Kingsolver > [“Jesus was a more reliable backer, evidently, less likely to drink himself unconscious or get liver cancer. No wonder people chose Him as their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/jesus-was-a-more-reliable-backer-evidently-less-likely-to-drink/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [Now I'm starting to think he wasn't supposed to be my whole life, he was just this doorway to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/now-i-m-starting-to-think-he-wasn-t-supposed-to-be-my-whole-life-he/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [Cooking is 80 percent confidence, a skill best acquired starting from when the apron strings wrap around you twice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/cooking-is-80-percent-confidence-a-skill-best-acquired-starting-from/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“In Bobby Ogle's version of heaven everyone would wind up in one place, criminals and Muslims included.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/in-bobby-ogle-s-version-of-heaven-everyone-would-wind-up-in-one-place/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“Weeds are job security for the gardener.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/weeds-are-job-security-for-the-gardener/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“It's what you do that makes your soul, not the other way around.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/it-s-what-you-do-that-makes-your-soul-not-the-other-way-around/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“Lusa turned to Crys, her eyes shining. "That was a luna." Crys shrugged. "So?" "So? So what? You want it should sing, too?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/lusa-turned-to-crys-her-eyes-shining-that-was-a-luna-crys-shrugged-so/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [The strength of motherhood is greater than natural laws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/the-strength-of-motherhood-is-greater-than-natural-laws/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“An imperfectly remembered life is a useless treachery. Every day, more fragments of the past roll around heavily in the chambers of an empty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/an-imperfectly-remembered-life-is-a-useless-treachery-every-day-more/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [Respecting the dignity of a spectacular food means enjoying it at its best. Europeans celebrate the short season of abundant asparagus as a form…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/respecting-the-dignity-of-a-spectacular-food-means-enjoying-it-at-its/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“Somehow it had come to pass that this man was her whole world, and she had failed to take his measure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/somehow-it-had-come-to-pass-that-this-man-was-her-whole-world-and-she/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [I can count all the ways in which being a mother has enriched my understanding of the world, of character, my sense of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/i-can-count-all-the-ways-in-which-being-a-mother-has-enriched-my/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [But we've all ended up giving body and soul to Africa, one way or another. Even Adah, who's becoming an expert in tropical epidemiology…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/but-we-ve-all-ended-up-giving-body-and-soul-to-africa-one-way-or/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [If the Lord hasn't got a boyfriend lined up for me to marry, that's his business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/if-the-lord-hasn-t-got-a-boyfriend-lined-up-for-me-to-marry-that-s/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [Awareness is everything. Hallie once pointed out to me that people worry a lot more about the eternity \*after\* their deaths than the eternity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/awareness-is-everything-hallie-once-pointed-out-to-me-that-people/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) [Explore all 939 Barbara Kingsolver quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) ## More Bible quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [“The Devil can cite Scripture for his purpose, Sergeant,’ Anthony Payne replied. ‘That is from The Merchant of Venice, but it holds great truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arnold/the-devil-can-cite-scripture-for-his-purpose-sergeant-anthony-payne/) Michael Arnold > [When you put your hand on the Bible, you are saying something much stronger than just telling your peers that you're going to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-greenwood/when-you-put-your-hand-on-the-bible-you-are-saying-something-much/) [Lee Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-greenwood/) > [“Scripture also teaches that human beings are morally responsible creatures”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-peterson/scripture-also-teaches-that-human-beings-are-morally-responsible/) Robert A. Peterson > [“The wife of a junior officer cooped up in a horrible canvas partition in steerage for five months wrote: "I had enjoyed much peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-taylor/the-wife-of-a-junior-officer-cooped-up-in-a-horrible-canvas-partition/) Stephen Taylor > [O Word of God incarnate . . . It is the golden casket Where gems of truth are stored; It is the heaven-drawn picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walsham-how/o-word-of-god-incarnate-it-is-the-golden-casket-where-gems-of-truth/) Walsham How > [How can I trust that the Bible is reliable?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/how-can-i-trust-that-the-bible-is-reliable/) [Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/) > [Every plant which my heavenly father has not planted with be uprooted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesus-christ/every-plant-which-my-heavenly-father-has-not-planted-with-be-uprooted/) [Jesus Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesus-christ/) > [Where I come from you're not raised to think on your own. It's not that you're pushed to read the Bible. The Bible is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/where-i-come-from-you-re-not-raised-to-think-on-your-own-it-s-not/) [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) > [“I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-praying-or-something-when-i-was-in-bed-but-i-couldn-t-do/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [What comes to mind when you think of heaven? Heaven is referred to in fifty-four of the Bible's sixty-six books, and the final two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/what-comes-to-mind-when-you-think-of-heaven-heaven-is-referred-to-in/) [David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/) > [“While it is in one sense a result of God’s presence within us, the New Testament also describes a process involved in our “putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/while-it-is-in-one-sense-a-result-of-god-s-presence-within-us-the-new/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [The definition of a Church is crystal clear in the New Testament. We see the picture of it. They came together the first day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/the-definition-of-a-church-is-crystal-clear-in-the-new-testament-we/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) [Browse all 8,465 Bible quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "After 'The Poisonwood Bible' was published, several people believed that my parents were missionaries, which could not be further from the truth.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barbara Kingsolver" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/after-the-poisonwood-bible-was-published-several-people-believed-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bible" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/after-the-poisonwood-bible-was-published-several-people-believed-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aeb/barbara-kingsolver-200_bible_after-the-poisonwood-bible-was-published_56066.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aeb/barbara-kingsolver-200_bible_after-the-poisonwood-bible-was-published_56066.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aeb/barbara-kingsolver-200_bible_after-the-poisonwood-bible-was-published_56066.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“After 'The Poisonwood Bible' was published, several people believed that my parents were missionaries, which…” — Barbara Kingsolver", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Barbara Kingsolver", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "After 'The Poisonwood Bible' was published,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/after-the-poisonwood-bible-was-published-several-people-believed-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/after-the-poisonwood-bible-was-published-several-people-believed-that/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```