The Bean Tree by Barbara Kingsolver - Essay Example

The Bean Tree The Bean Tree by Barbara Kingsolver is a literal piece that focuses on the theme of awakening, out of which springs hope. The story centers around hope which enables people to rise again when they fall and achieve dreams which may at first seem impossible. The novel is based on the notion that people cannot survive without hope. It highlights the need for strong familial relationships in order to overcome social, political, economic and cultural challenges. The story line addresses contemporary social and political evils, offering hope in situations that seem hard to live by and adapt to. Taylor Greer is the protagonist, narrator and the main character of the novel. Taylor is a wise, smart, open-minded and strong willed young lady who overcomes major challenges in life. She is ambitious, determined, and she knows what she wants. The novel focuses on her growth and maturity, beginning from when she decides to make something out of her life. In order to do that, she leaves Pittman, Kentucky, where she lives with her mother. Her early years in Kentucky have instilled in her the view that the region is backward in every way, except the rates of teenage pregnancies. Her determination and strong character enable her to leave her dull hometown. The strength of her relationships helps her get through her challenges. She gains support, courage and comfort from those around her. After saving enough money to purchase a 1955 Volkswagen which has neither a window nor a starter, she begins her journey. She leaves her past behind, including her real name –Marietta. The decision to change her name shows her strong personality and how determined she is to shape her life. Her new name gives her a wider, newer perspective of the world. Her strong personality is evident from when she was a child and she insisted that her mother call her “Missy,” the same way her mother called her wealthy employees whom she cleaned houses for. The decision to leave home on her own portrays her as gutsy and a risk taker. She views her mother as her role mentor: “There were two things about Mama. One is that she expected the best out of me. And the other is that no matter what I did, whatever I came home with, she acted like it was the Moon I had just hung up in the sky and plugged in all the stars (Kingsolver 13). Taylor is assertive and independent, determined not to rely on a man. She portrays little regard for marriage. She also gives little regard to motherhood until her car breaks down in the middle of Oklahoma, and a Cherokee woman puts a child wrapped in a blanket on her car’s front seat. The woman asks her to take the child. “If I wanted a baby, I would have stayed in Kentucky”, she tells the woman (Kingsolver 24). The woman leaves and vanishes into a pickup. Owing to her kind and loving nature, Taylor decides to take the child with her. That scenario portrays a great sense of responsibility on her part. Taylor suspects that the child has been physically and sexually abused, “a kind of misery” she could not imagine (Kingsolver 31). She is pained and empathizes with the child, indicating compassion. Her independent nature and maturity are highlighted when she takes a job as a maid over Christmas holidays, although she finds no hope in it. She holds onto it for Turtle’s sake, portraying selflessness and tenderness. Taylor is open minded and willing to learn. When she meets Mattie who teachers her about motherhood, she wonders “how many other things were lurking around waiting to take a child’s life when you weren’t paying attention” (Kingsolver 60). She is also adaptable. She easily gets along with people and quickly adapts to situations. Her fears do not hinder her from achieving her ambitions. Her character sharply contrasts that of Lou Ann Ruiz, a fellow Kentucky emigre, Lou. Abandoned by her husband, Angel, while seven months pregnant, Lou faces rejection and ridicule. Unlike Taylor, who is confident and has high self esteem, Lou Ann is generally insecure. Lou Ann shows great attachment to her husband and she believes that marriage and love should last forever. Lou Ann’s fears dwindle when she gets a job and focuses her energy on the job. “Lou Ann loved her job…If Red hot Mama’s had given out enthusiastic-employee awards, Lou Ann would have needed a trophy case” (Kingsolver 204). On the other hand, Taylor depicts tenacity and the ability to support a child on her own without the ideal support of a husband. She takes up single parenthood without complaining and without wishing a husband would help her support Turtle. After getting to know Estevan and Esperanza, Taylor becomes familiar with discrimination and social injustice. Taylor portrays kindness through her sympathetic reactions to the challenges faced by those around her. She continuously cares for both Estevan and Esperanza in their difficult times. Taylor’s love for her “family” is outstanding, especially her love for Turtle. Her growth is depicted through her constant love to others. Her bravery and love is often tested, but her selflessness sets her apart. Her motherly treatment towards Turtle greatly helps Turtle overcome her psychological challenges and grow. Mattie regards Taylor a hero f or risking her own safety in order to make people around her safe. Throughout the novel, Taylor’s wit and confidence are outstanding. Her character is admirable. At the end of the novel, Taylor is pleased with Turtles transformation and the fact that she can speak. On their drive back to Tucson, Turtle entertained her “with her vegetable-soup song, except now there were people mixed in with the beans and potatoes… Taylor being the main ingredient” (Kingsolver 311-312). Although Kingsolver’s work is colored by great humor and storytelling prowess, her literature is rather obvious and her use of symbolism is quite clumsy (Goossen 96-97). Despite establishing an interesting story line, strong characters and a creative style, her novel is restricted to scenes that overtly pass sociopolitical messages. Additionally, her work is extremely feminist. She has a “deep female consciousness that feels like bedrock when put up against some of the preachier, more explicitly feminist works” (Randall 1). Her female characters are strong, convincing, hold high moral standing and tend to act ideally in all situations. However, her male characters are one dimensional. All the men in the novel except Estevan are seen as unreliable; or are merely established to move the story line. Kingsolver portrays Taylor as too noble minded to be realistic. According to Butler (15), Taylor “becomes too perfect, too right. She confronts prejudice, trauma, self abnegation, chauvinism and always, always has the right attitude.” Jack further argues that the novel over manipulates Taylor’s character, making the story seem like an upbeat novel for teenagers. Taylor’s weaknesses are used not to imply human error, but to emphasize how she overcomes her faults. Also, her strong character is mostly overemphasized in the beginning of the novel. She becomes less convincing and passionate in the final chapters of the novel. The novel overemphasizes sociopolitical and environmental problems and ends up being rather plain in terms of creating conflict and challenging the reader’s thoughts. She forms strong opinions regarding social issues, arguing that unity among people affected by these issues is paramount in finding solutions. In her desire to send a message of social justice and advocate empathy and compassion, Kingsolver tends to lose touch with reality. Although she highlights the distortions in the world, Kingsolver does not connect with the world as it really is. She portrays a picture on how the world ought to be, rather than how it is. Taylor is too good a person to be true. She is too selfless, too determined and simply perfect. She succeeds in everything she does, which is quite unbelievable. Though she faces numerous challenges, she emerges a hero, presenting the image of a “super girl” who rescues and comforts everyone around her. Works Cited Butler, Jack. “She Hung the Moon and Plugged in All the Stars.” The New York Times Book Review, April 10, 1988: p.15. Print. Goossen, Lois Ann. Review of High Tide in Tucson By Barbara Kingsolver. Western American Literature 33, no. 1 (Spring 1998): 96-7. Print. Kingsolver, Barbara. The Bean Tree. New York: Harper and Row Publishers, 1988. Print. Randall, Margaret. “Human Comedy.” The Women’s Review of Books, Vol. V, No. 8, May 1998: p. 1. Print. Read More