The Bean Trees Summary

I still remember the day my mom and dad split up. My mom had to become more independent, as i watched her do it on her own, it hurt me seeing her struggle. She had had to tell us what happened with my dad without telling us the bad things that had happened in the relationship. The Bean trees by Barbara Kingsolver also deals with a new mother who has to learn to do things on her own. This story is about a baby who was abused and abandoned, and she is later is given to the main character Taylor, outside the bar. Throughout the story the baby and the main character develop a very loving relationship. In The Bean Trees, the motif beans helps to convey the theme that, like a dried up seed, people can experience growth in many ways with the final
outcome being transformed into a new person with new beginnings. The motif of beans is initially used to show Taylor’s past and work abilities. When Mattie and Taylor are talking about her work experience, Taylor mentions picking bugs off bean vines then Mattie invites her to the back of Jesus Is Lord Used Tires, Taylor says “ An entire rusted out thunderbird, minus the wheels, had nasturtiums blooming out the windows like mama’s hen-and-chicks pot on the front porch at home”(62). The connotation of the word “blooming” is growth. The author also uses the word “home” which brings to mind family.
Even though it is not stated, these words help to suggest that taylor is looking at the flowers and is thinking of her mom and looking back and is realizing how she had bloomed into a mother and a more independent person. This is also shown when The motif of beans is also used to show Turtle and Taylor's evolving relationship. When Mattie and Taylor are in the backyard with Turtle,Turtle says her first word after Taylor is showing her all the plant seeds , Taylor proudly says “ That’s right, that’s a bean and you’re just about the smartest kid alive’’(131). Up until now, this character has not showed much affection towards Turtle, however, now she is realizing how important it is to interact with her to make her feel special. From this, the reader can infer that that with the help from Mattie, Taylor's connection with Turtle has advanced in many ways. This is also shown when Taylor and Lou Ann are at home together with Turtle, Taylor decided that she wants to celebrate Turtles first words, Taylor thinks to herself “I had originally planned to make navy-bean soup...but by the end of the week she had said so many new words I couldn't have fit them all in Hungarian goulash”(135). Beans represent a new growth,which is important because it shows how many things Turtle has
accomplished. From this the reader can infer that Turtle is learning by example, which is creating an even stronger bond between Turtle and her mom. A final example of this is when