Without that rock of certainty underfoot, the Congo is a fearsome place to have to sink or swim." (244).
This is a quote from Leah after Nathan Price decides to keep the family in Congo even after hearing that the natives are going to scourge the land of white people once they gain their independence. Leah refers to a rock of certainty underfoot which represents all of her beliefs that she gained from her father and her all-encompassing belief that they are doing God's work and being protected by Him. These beliefs made Leah feels safe and sure of herself, but once she realized that her father could be wrong about everything, her entire life's worth views shattered and left her in a state of vulnerability comparable to being left floating in the middle of the ocean "to sink or swim." .
What is surprising is that Leah has just realized after fourteen years how ridiculously stubborn and ignorant her father is. It is ironic that his devotion to his religion and his desire to "save" other people is what is keeping him from doing so. More faith in his teachings leads to less acceptance of other peoples beliefs, which inhibits him from finding common ground with others and prevents him from getting others to accept his beliefs. It is also ironic that it appears as though Nathan Price is trying to save others, but in reality he is only trying to save himself. Father Price feels imaginary condemnation from god for his cowardice in the Second World War and seeks to atone for himself by saving as many people as he abandoned. Price cannot cope with the guilt so he is trying to make up for himself by blindly imposing his beliefs on others. While his intentions may be somewhat noble, the results are anything but. For Leah, coming to the realization that her father is far from perfect constitutes breaking the paradigms of the world she's known. With nothing to believe in, she feels fear for the first time.
