Significance Of Taylor Greer

I grew up having a young single mother. My mom was a 22 year old college student when she had me. While going through nursing school, she struggled to balance raising a baby, studying and paying bills. It was hard for her to not have a companion to help her raise me. She felt she didn’t need any other support from family members-that she could do it all herself. It was hard for her to stay organized and not go crazy. She had to grow up fast and be responsible for two lives now. Consequently, trying to protect me from all the stereotypes and racism that I could be exposed to. The character Taylor Greer is very much related to my mom and the struggles that she faced with money and early parenthood. Turtle, is widely connected to me because her
mom is a single mother, she is a different race, and struggles with her past. In the novel, The Bean Trees, Barbara Kingsolver’s first novel, she uses nature motifs to show how Turtle begins to prosper by surviving her past and creating new relationships with Taylor.
In the middle, Lou and Taylor were helping Mattie plant her summer garden when Turtle said he first word.
“But neither of us could interpret the significance of Turtle’s first word. It was “bean” (101). The bean symbolizes Turtles growth and maturation throughout the novel. Taylor cleans turtle, feeds her and doesn’t sexually abuse her. She is taking care of Turtle and Turtle isn’t used to that kind of good treatment. Just like a dried up seed can grow, a mistreated person may excel if given enough care. When Turtle spots the bean trees in Dog Doo park, this symbolizes transformation, a spot of life in the midst of
bareness. Near the beginning, Taylor made a quiet laugh when the car in front of her stopped to allow a mother quail and her babies to pass. Later on, when Taylor takes Turtle to the doctor, she discovers the abuse that Turtle has gone through. She spots a bird outside the doctor’s window. The bird created a nest in a cactus.
“There was a cactus with bushy arms and a coat of yellow spines as thick as fur.
A bird had built her nest in it. In and out she flew among the horrible spiny branches, never once hesitating. You couldn’t imagine how she’d made a home in there”(130). She realizes that like the bird in the cactus, Turtle, despite her painful surroundings, still has hope. Turtle got through the bad and presently now onto the good. Another example is when the bird is coming down the chimney, but it survives barely. Turtle has managed to stay strong despite her inhospitable environment. Birds are metaphorically associated with Turtle and the struggles she faced. As Turtle’s life changed so did the birds that symbolize her. Turtle makes personal connections to birds throughout the book. Similar to Turtle because she was frightened to death and taken away at the time but manages to survive.
“Only this was better, flowers out of bare dirt. The Miracle of Dog Doo Park.” (119) Turtle is like a blooming flower coming out of bare dirt. She is an outsider.
Turtle is a miracle to Taylor, especially to help her grow up and become responsible, leaving her tedious life behind and avoiding the fate of so many other teen
moms. It shows that plans change and things can just happen. Furthermore, it shows the diversity that turtle brings. Barbara Kingsolver does rely on stereotypical characterization throughout the book. Turtle is a different culture than others around her and also living with the name given to her.
Watching my mom struggle with juggling everything at once and still wanting everything for me, made me put in perspective how much my mom wanted to keep me safe. She also showed me that there is a future and to put the bad things behind us. Taylor wanted the best for Turtle and wanted her to feel comfortable with her. Even as Turtle is growing she Taylor is going to be there for her. Therefore these nature motifs show the growth of their relationship. Like my mom says ,“ The relationship between and a mother and daughter is forever”. I have to believe that she is right.