Barbra Kingsolver wrote the book The Bean Trees and uses many symbols for life. ... Taylor grew up in a less-than glamorous town, called Pittman County where " there was nothing- (112). ... The doctor does his routine first check, and says that "she seems to be a healthy two-year-old" (122). ... They call that condition a failure to thrive. ... All Turtle needs is love to grow, and that is what she receives from Taylor. ...

• Word Count: 1076
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

Similarly, in The Bean Trees, Kingsolver focuses on several characters who all experience different types of loss throughout their lives. ... When Taylor first accepts responsibility for Turtle, the child is underdeveloped, both physically and mentally. As the novel develops, Turtle becomes able to deal with her loss of a happy childhood, and does begin to develop as a normal child. Taylor tells of Turtle's recovery when she says, "Turtle turned out to be, as the social worker predicted, resilient. ... In The Sweet Hereafter, and The Bean Trees, the authors use characterization to dev...

• Word Count: 2556
• Approx Pages: 10
• Grade Level: High School