Living is about making choices. The choices people make shape their lives for better or worse. Even the decision not to choose has its effects, often not wanted. But the individual who chooses to make positive choices and to act accordingly is more likely to see his or her life reflect his or her beliefs and desires. Usually the individual who chooses to take action is also willing to face the risks and obstacles that such choices involve.

"The Bean Tree," by Barbara Kingsolver, is a warm, funny story about a personal journey of self-discovery, commitment, and risk-taking which illustrates these facts. Its spirited protagonist, Taylor Greer, grows up poor in rural Kentucky. In her town some families "had kids just about as fast as they could fall down the well and drown," and a boy with a job as a gas- meter man was considered a "high-class catch." Simply avoiding pregnancy was a major achievement for Taylor. She needed to get away from there to get ahead, and when she goes, she leaves almost everything behind, including her real na

and strength of character help her move forward. Despite some moments of hesitation and self doubt she makes her choices with full knowledge of what she is doing and why. Being neither her real mother or legal guardian, if Taylor gets caught Turtle will certainly be taken away from her and put into the custody of foster parents. But, if she does nothing she will lose Turtle anyway.

me. Taylor is the name she adopts at the place where her car runs out of gas, in Taylorville, Illinois.

She could have avoided all that by doing nothing for these three people. At one point she is in fact discouraged enough to feel she can do nothing to avoid losing Turtle, but her friend Lou Ann helps restore her usual self-reliance. Rather than passively give in to the obstacles facing Turtle she investigates her options and decides to act even though it involves risk to herself.

In the end, things work out for Taylor and the others, but the effects of even courageous choices are not always foreseeable. Unexpected events can arise, but choices made with some understanding of the alternatives will usually work out better than leaving matters to chance. Also, if choices are made with the welfare of others in mind they are more likely to be the right ones. In particular, if there is a problem to solve that involves conflict between the law and conscience, the best solution may be to follow one's heart. If a decision is guided by conscience, no one can better tell one what to do, or how to do it. That is how Taylor is able to take her loved ones out of Arizona, even though it means breaking the law. She feels she can not do otherwise, and the law has to take second place. Someone else might not do the same. Everything depends on both conscience and courage, but

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Approximate Word count = 1196
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)