the bean trees

A detailed Summary of the bean trees

"What goes around, comes around." People say this all the time. But is it true? When an individual shares what he has with others, does he ever get anything in return? Barbara Kingsolver, author of The Bean Trees, makes sharing the main theme in Chapter Seven, "How They Eat in Heaven." Through the use of characterization and symbolism, Kingsolver shows that giving is receiving. To get through life successfully, people must share.

Lou Ann and Taylor, two friends and single mothers, live together who share the bills, the food, the responsibilities, and their deepest secrets. Taylor is an independent woman looking for a new life away from Pittman County, Kentucky. She moves to Arizona, but she finds she must face all the problems she was hoping to avoid. Taylor becomes a mother to an Indian girl named Turtle. Taylor moves in with Lou Ann and they come together like a family. When Taylor says, "We had things worked out. I cooked on weekends and also on and week nights that Lou Ann had kept Turtle." (p.100) They share the responsibilities around the house just as a real family would. Not only is Taylor helping Turtle, but she is also helping Lou Ann. Taylor and Lou Ann confide in each other and trust eac

All of the characters demonstrate sharing. In particular, Taylor and Estevan are very giving and get much in return. Estevan gives Taylor his friendship and in return she shares her heart. Sharing is one of the most important experiences in life. To succeed in life, people need to share what they have and not be so greedy. Sharing can be summed up in the saying: "What goes around, come around." This means in the long run, we get back what we give

ose we could have honked and wave..." (p.96) Usually men would not stop for a family of birds, but Estevan is different from other men. He cares for other people or in this case-for other animals. Also the quails represent a sense of togetherness just as a family. Estevan tries to discover a better life away from Guatemala and he succeeds in doing this. He also makes new friends in return for being so caring.

Estevan and Taylor show their different ways of sharing during chapter seven. Kingsolver uses different symbols and examples throughout the chapter to show that sharing is very important to all of the characters. During Chapter Seven, "How They Eat in Heaven," Lou Ann invites Taylor, Turtle, Estevan, and Esperanza to her favorite picnic spot. Lou Ann visited this special picnic spot with her ex-husband, Angel. It is a very unusual picnic spot that Lou Ann only took Angel to, but now she wants to share it with

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Approximate Word count = 925
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Novels