There were many sacrificial elements that existed in The Bean Trees. In the novel, the characters survived to benefit others or themselves. These survival techniques played a significant role to the development of other characters in the novel. Some prime examples of surviving are Mattie's will to offer sanction to illegal immigrants, the fact that Taylor survived the whole success of her excursion when accepting an unwanted, abused Native-American infant, and Estevan and Esperanza's decision ... us to go after Ismene is what they wanted" (Kingsolver 184). They had to sacrifice Ismene for the...

• Word Count: 640
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

This summer I read The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver. In this novel Marietta "Missy" Greer runs away from her hometown in Pittman, Kentucky. As Missy drives away from home, she tells herself that she will change her name to the first town she has to stop in. She ends up in Taylorville, so she becomes known as Taylor Greer. While traveling through the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, she stops ... she grabs a hold of, Taylor names the girl Turtle. The two continue on the road until they hit two flat tires in Tucson, Arizona where they stumble upon Mattie, the owner of a local tire shop. Mattie...

• Word Count: 371
• Approx Pages: 1
• Grade Level: High School

... reader, Taylor, the protagonist of The Bean Trees is important in drawing my interest because she narrates much of the story and most of the ideas have been seen through her eyes and point of view. She undergoes major changes in her life and develops herself throughout the story, which enriches the novel. Taylor's loves and cares for people also have a strong impact on other characters, which helps ... them develop and improve themselves. This affects the ... who always looks her beloved son with all her love. This makes Taylor to become more worldly and grown-up, which sparks the inter...

• Word Count: 689
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... that there are roller coasters and mountains we must climb throughout life doesn't make it any easier. What can make it easier is the help of others. That is the case in Barbara Kingsolver's novel, The Bean Trees, where all of the characters do their best to help each other get through hard times. While on her journey across country, Taylor has to make an unfortunate pit stop ... in Arizona because she has two tires that need to be replaced. This is where she meets one of the most helpful and influential people in Mattie. Since ... were kids we have been reminded of stories in which pe...

• Word Count: 608
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School