The Poisonwood Bible Book 1, Chapter 4 Summary

How It All Goes Down

Adah Price

  • Adah tells us about Kilanga Village and herself.
  • The women wear large wrap-around skirts and spend the entire day outside working. They seem nice enough, but Ruth May and Rachel constantly complain about it.
  • Adah is Leah's twin sister, but Adah was born with hemiplegia—one side is less-developed than the other. Leah grew strong at Adah's expense.
  • Gee, that doesn't sound symbolic at all.
  • She doesn't talk much, but she's fine with that: "Only occasionally do I find I have to break my peace: shout or be lost in the shuffle" (1.4.16). Good thing there doesn't seem to be much of a shuffle in Kilanga.