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Adah Price is a character in Barbara Kingsolver's novel The Poisonwood Bible who represents the struggles between captivity and freedom as well as love and betrayal. As the only child with a disability, Adah feels mentally captive under her father Nathan but finds freedom by choosing to be mute. While her mother Orleanna clearly loves her children, she betrays Adah by leaving her during an ant attack. These struggles Adah faces relate to the overarching theme of injustice in the novel.

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67 views

Final Draft

Adah Price is a character in Barbara Kingsolver's novel The Poisonwood Bible who represents the struggles between captivity and freedom as well as love and betrayal. As the only child with a disability, Adah feels mentally captive under her father Nathan but finds freedom by choosing to be mute. While her mother Orleanna clearly loves her children, she betrays Adah by leaving her during an ant attack. These struggles Adah faces relate to the overarching theme of injustice in the novel.

Uploaded by

api-249694223
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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RunningHead:ADAH

Adah
Prompt4
JacobHouse
WestCareerandTechnicalAcademy


ADAH

2
Adah
AdahPriceisthetwinsisterofLeahPriceinthenovel
ThePoisonwoodBible
byBarbara

Kingsolver.Kingsolverpresentsastrugglebetweencaptivityandfreedominadditiontoloveand
betrayal.Adahisthecharacterthatbestrepresentsthesestruggles.Beingtheonlychildwitha
disability,shealreadyhasadisadvantage.Shedecidestotakeapassiveroleintheworldby
choosingtobemute,whichmakesheragoodcharactertorepresentthesestrugglesbecause
Adahherworldfromathirdpersonperspective.Kingsolverpresentsthisstruggleasitrelatesto
thethemeofinjusticewithAdahsexperiencesduringherresidencyintheCongo.
Beingsuchasmartandtalentedyounglady,Adahhasthemisfortuneofbeingapartof
thePricefamily.HermentalcaptivityisrepresentedbyherfatherNathanhefindsthateducation
isawasteoftimewhenAdahreferences,(Nathan)warnedMothernottofloutGodsWillby
expectingtoomuchforus.Sendingagirltocollegeislikepouringwaterinyourshoes,hestill
lovestosay,asoftenaspossible...AndsoIshallneverhaveopportunitytohavemyleather
wreckedbycollege,(Kingsolver,1998,p.53).However,Adahtakesadvantageofthiscaptivity
byvoluntarilybeingmutesoshecantakeapassiveroleandseethingsthroughherown
perspective.Shecreatesherownfreedombylookingattheworld(t)hroughAdaheyes,ohthe
worldisabogglewithcolorsandshapescompetingforahalfbrainsattention.Theparade
neverstops.Intothejangledpiecesofroadlittlejungleroostersstepfromthebush,
karkadoodling,(Kingsolver,1998,p.28).Kingsolverrelatesthestrugglebetweencaptivityand
freedomwithAdahsmindherfatherholdingitcaptive,butthefreedomofherself.Shecouldbe
consideredtheonlyPricefamilymembertothinkforhimselfandcreateherownopinion,
regardlessofNathanorOrleanna'sopinions.


ADAH

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Adahisalsoastrongcharactertorepresentthestrugglebetweenloveandbetrayaland

KingsolverusesAdahsrelationshipwithOreannatoemphasizethesethemes.Oreannaclearly
lovesherchildren.Atsomepointinthenovel,allofthedaughtersresolveOreannainapositive
fashion.AdahstwinsisterLeahrevealsOrleanna'scarewhentheyarepreparingtoleavewhen
shestates,Mothertriedtothinkofeverycontingency,includinghungerandillness,
(Kingsolver,1998,p.13).AdahalsopresentsevidenceofOrleanna'slovebytellingabouta
playfulandmemorableexperienceof(Adahs)earliestMothermemorieslielaughingblueeyed
inthegrass,childherself,rollingsidetosideasRachelandLeahdecoratedheralloverwith
purplecloverjewelry.(Kingsolver,1998,p.52).However,KingsolverusesOrleannatobetray
Adahduringtheantattack.Adahevengoesasfarastelling,Ishouldhavebeendevouredinmy
bed,forallIseemtobeworth.Inonemomentalive,andinthenextleftbehind.Tuggedfrom
ourbedsbysomethingorsomeone,theruckus,bangingandshoutingoutside,mysistersleaped
upscreamingandweregone.Icouldnotmakeasoundfortheantsatmythroat.Idragged
myselfouttomoonlightandfoundanightmarevisionofdarkred,boilingground.Nothingstood
still,nomanorbeast,noteventhegrassthatwrithedbeneaththeshadow,darkandravenous.
Noteventhestartledgrass.Onlymymotherstoodstill.Thereshewas,plantedbeforemeinthe
path,risingonthinlegsoutoftherootlessdevouringearth.Inherarms,crosswiselikealoadof
kindling,RuthMay.(Kingsolver,1998,p.263).OrleannabetraysAdahwhensheleavesherin
theattack.Adahknowsthatsheshouldhavediedbecauseshewasabandoned,butinstead,she
hastoexperiencesomethingevenworsethandeathshehastowatchhermotherwithRuth
MayinherarmsasAdahisclosetotouchingdeath.Kingsolverusesthistoexemplifythe
struggleofloveandbetrayalbydisplayingachoicethathermotherhadmade.


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Thesestrugglesrelatetothethemeofinjustice.Injusticeaffectseveryoneinthenovel,

butespeciallyAdah.Adahhasadisabilitythatalreadyimpedesherwilltolive,howevershe
feelsalone.Adahdeclaresherselftonothaveareligion,soshemustfindothersourcesof
comfortandsecurity,andherownselfworthcanonlygivehersomuch.Inaddition,herfamily
clearlydoesnotprovidetheloveandsupportthatsheneeds.Itisaverypainful,bothmentally
andphysically,experienceofinjusticeforAdahthatshehasthemisfortuneofhavingto
experience.
Inconclusion,KingsolverusesAdahtoportraythestrugglebetweencaptivityand
freedomwiththestruggleofloveandbetrayaltoproveoneofthethemesinthenovelabout
injustice.Adahisasmartandtalentedcharacterinthenovel.Shehadaverydifficulttimeliving
withherfamily,andthememoriesshewasforcedtoexperiencedonotmakehertimeinthe
Congoandherlifeasawhole.


ADAH

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References

Kingsolver,B.(1998).
ThePoisonwoodBible
[IBooks].

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