Why is it called Bean Trees?

Why is it called Bean Trees?

Beans and Bean Trees “Bean,” Turtle’s first word, symbolizes the promise that, like a dried-up seed that grows, a mistreated woman may thrive if given enough care. The bean trees, another name for the wisteria vine that Turtle spots in Dog Doo Park, symbolize transformation, a spot of life in the midst of barrenness.

What does The Bean Trees teach us?

Major themes in The Bean Trees include the importance of family and the need for community as emotional support systems for individuals facing hardships. Kingsolver uses her feminist beliefs, her interest in political issues, and her background in biology as vehicles to relate her thematic messages.

What happened in The Bean Trees?

The Bean Trees begins when Taylor (whose real name is Marietta) decides that it’s time to leave Pittman, Kentucky, where she lives with her mother, and make something of herself. She buys a 1955 Volkswagen and embarks on a personal journey of self-discovery, leaving everything behind, including her name.

What happened to Turtle The Bean Trees?

Lou Ann tells her something has happened to Turtle. Turtle was in the park with Edna Poppy, who was baby-sitting her, when a man attacked Turtle. Because of her blindness, Edna does not know exactly what happened, but she says that she heard struggling and swung her cane in the direction of the noise.

Are catalpa beans edible?

The tree is famous for its long seed pods, which resemble beans or cigars. Despite the common name of “bean tree,” however, this catalpa has no known edible uses. PFAF calls its roots highly poisonous, but various medicinal teas have been made from its bark, seeds and pods, each addressing different ailments.

What do the birds mean in The Bean Trees?

symbol of freedom
Birds serve as a symbol of freedom in the novel because of their ability to fly, but it is a delicate, vulnerable freedom. Birds represent the freedom of nature, but this freedom is threatened by the confines of modern life in an American city like Tucson.

What figurative language is used in The Bean Trees?

In The Bean Trees, figurative language includes metaphors and similes. Metaphors compare two unlike things without using words of comparison (like or as). In the novel, for example, when Taylor and Turtle are nearing Tucson, it begins to hail and the roads are covered with ice.

What are the social issues in The Bean Trees?

The Bean Trees addresses the plight of refugees, illegal immigration, single mothers, poverty, and Native American rights.

What’s the climax of The Bean Trees?

The climax occurs when Taylor takes a stand on her relationship with Turtle and her feelings for Estevan. She risks her own safety to secure the adoption of Turtle and to transport Estevan and Esperanza to a safe house.

How did The Bean Trees end?

At the end of the novel, she takes a trip to Oklahoma before returning to Tucson. falling action Estevan and Esperanza pretend to be Turtle’s biological parents so that Taylor may adopt the little girl legally; Taylor delivers Estevan and Esperanza to their new home; Taylor and Turtle head back home to Tucson.

What does the night blooming cereus symbolize in The Bean Trees?

The cereus flower continues to represent hope and good fortune for Taylor. Though Taylor may be taking a risk, Estevan and Esperanza are taking an even bigger one. They must rebuild in another new home, with fewer possessions to their name than Taylor is taking for a one-week trip.

How old was Turtle in The Bean Trees?

three years old
This silence, however, is due to Turtle’s history: although she is only three years old, Turtle has already been physically and sexually abused. Although Taylor has spent her life avoiding pregnancy, she keeps Turtle with her.

What is the catalpa tree used for?

Modern industrial uses of Catalpa bignonioides include general construction work, interior finish, cabinetwork, fence posts, rails, and fuel. The tree is also used as an ornamental shade tree and planted in urban areas as a street and lawn tree. Southern Catalpa is planted in windbreaks for conservation purposes.

What are some symbols in The Bean Trees?

The Bean Trees

• Family and Motherhood.
• Feminism and Solidarity Among Women.
• Nature.
• Disaster and Survival.
• Belonging and Homeland.

What literary elements are used in the Bean Trees?

Literary Elements in The Bean Trees

• Allusion.
• Coming of Age.
• Hero.
• Idiom.
• Irony.
• Metaphor.
• Personification.
• Proverb.

Who are Edna poppy and Virgie Mae Parsons?

Edna Poppy A blind, elderly woman who lives with, and depends on, a woman named Virgie Mae. The two women are Taylor and Lou Ann’s neighbors. Edna always dresses in red. She is a kind woman who occasionally baby-sits Turtle and Dwayne Ray.

How does Taylor Change in The Bean Trees?

Although never naïve, Taylor becomes even more worldly after learning about the political corruption and personal tragedy faced by Estevan and Esperanza and the abuse inflicted on Turtle. Her sympathetic reaction to the difficulties of others reveals Taylor’s tenderheartedness.

Why is the setting significant to The Bean Trees?

Arizona’s desert landscape is the perfect symbolic setting for the lessons Taylor learns through raising Turtle. Even though life itself can sometimes be as dry and thorny as a cactus in a drought, The Bean Trees suggests that a child can always thrive if she has enough love and community to support and nourish her.

Why did Taylor leave Pittman County?

With the money Taylor earns from her job, she buys a rundown ’55 Volkswagen bug and decides to leave Pittman for good. Her mother realizes that Taylor wants to leave and makes her daughter prove that she can change the car tires and tend to the car if it breaks down.