Poisonwood
Adah and Leah are the two most fascinating characters of The Poisonwood Bible. They are identical twins and very gifted, but their similarities end there. Their differences go beyond the physical to their outlooks on things such as life, their father, religion, language, and intellect. The most obvious distinction between Adah and Leah is that of their physical abilities, the most important; however, is the difference in nature their physical differences cause. Adah is crippled and seemingly mute due to a birth defect diagnosed by doctors as hemiplegia. She is consequently forced to spend her childhood completely paralyzed on one side, forever lagging behind her sister physically. This disability results in her outlook on life to be clouded with bitterness while Leah’s outlook is very idealistic. In her mind, Adah blames Leah, the stronger twin, for sucking the life from her in the womb and leaving her bent.