MovieChat Forums > Twinsters (2015) Discussion > Nature vs Nurture

Nature vs Nurture

posted 9 years ago by nah1mahmed
7 replies | jump to latest

I'm curious what others noticed about how the sisters personalities were the same/different given their shared characteristics as twins but different experiences in life?

There seemed to be in general a lot of similarities in their likes/dislikes and mannerisms. I felt that the nurture side made the french sister more pessimistic and risk averse as opposed to the american sister being more optimistic and free spirited - notably how the french sister was angry as a kid and initially felt apprehensive at going to Korea to find her family.

[–] blacknyellowsquid 9 years ago

I feel like extroversion is a highly-regarded American trait (to my own chagrin!) so that could be why the American one scored higher there versus the French. Yes, French are more reserved.

Other factors beyond just the country though for nurture are the fact that Anais was by herself growing up, while Sam had siblings. So Anais was left more alone and living with herself as a kid, instead of having others her age to include her... so her being adopted probably stood out more. That's how it sounded anyway. Other adoptees in America have also faced isolation and feelings of not belonging, so I think Sam was just lucky in that she had such a vibrant family and accepting community.

[–] paulfitzpa 9 years ago

People have different individual experiences also. The French sister had a bit of a rougher childhood, being picked on for being adopted etc. That could make more of a difference than larger cultural issues.

[–] TxMike 8 years ago

The twins are definitely more alike than they are different, as you would expect of identical twins. Surely being raised in quite different environments account for some of the differences. After all, New Jersey with brothers vs being an only child in France are vast differences in nurture.

But I have another theory, not mentioned in the film. I believe they are "mirror image" identical twins and that could account for one of them (Anais) being more creative and emotional (i.e. favoring right-brain functioning) and the other (Sam) being more logical (i.e. favoring left-brain functioning). I will start a separate thread on these ideas.

..*.. TxMike ..*..
Take a risk, Take a chance, Make a change. Kelly Clarkson - Breakaway

[–] lydiagaebe-169-197169 8 years ago

Even twins who grow up together will eventually grow different as their lives progress. My grandmother had an identical twin. In photos of them as young girls they were impossible to tell apart. By the time they ere in their late fifties or early sixties my grandmother was much thinner than her identical twin. Her sister had a more relaxed facial expression and my grandmother's face showed more worry and anxiety.

I noticed that in some shots Anias has a tense face and Sam is more relaxed and open. By the time they are in their fifties it will be easy to tell them apart. Although some identical twins remain indistinguishable from the other all their lives. Only time will tell.

[–] TxMike 8 years ago

"Although some identical twins remain indistinguishable from the other all their lives. Only time will tell."

The fact is sets of "identical twins" vary in how "identical" they are. I don't remember where I saw this but a few years ago was a program where a research group, I believe in England, set out to find the "most identical" set of identical twins. They tested many sets of twins in various ways, they took each separately on shopping trips to see what outfits they would pick out, and in the end they selected "the most identical" set of twins. But that program shows clearly how non-identical identical twins can be.

We have close friends who are identical twins, one went to West Point and is an officer in the Army, the other went to a conventional college and is now working in recruiting. Growing up each one never particularly liked the boys that the other dated, but they both ended up marrying Electrical Engineers that each met under highly different circumstances!

..*.. TxMike ..*..
Take a risk, Take a chance, Make a change. Kelly Clarkson - Breakaway

[–] wrlord2001 8 years ago

The French girl is far more mature than her sister. She acts like a young lady, whereas the American acts like a 13 year old.

[–] tyboulder 8 years ago

How did you end up seeing this movie? Were you dragged kicking and screaming to it by your mother? You have nothing but vile things to say in all the posts.