The Bean Trees
Hopeless, it seems like everything has gone wrong, and there is no way you can start over. Numerous regrets and thing you could have done better creep into your mind, and you realize you just want to start over. In the novel The Bean Trees Taylor and Lou Ann both have troubled paths, and feel they just need to start over. You can choose how you want to live your life, and you can make sufficient changes to be able to become almost a new person, to be reborn. This is an important part of modern society, because there are so many new ideas and philosophies out there, that you could have a radically different belief than your parents, or community.
Taylor feels like she just doesn’t fit in Kentucky. Everyone seems to not have much hope for their future, and just wants to glide by without much hope for success. An example of what she could have been in Newt Hardbine, he dropped out of school to help support his family. He represents someone who doesn’t have determination, as he is willing to help out, but not ready to work hard to achieve something great. Taylor on the other hand is determined and intelligent enough to set a goal and reach for it. The way out is a new beginning, a new town, and a new life. Taylor demonstrates that sometimes the difference between success and failure is the willingness to try new things.
Another reason for Taylor’s success is her ability to adapt to new things. She is thrown out into the middle of nowhere with no one to turn to. It is in these tough situations that your true beings manifests itself, and you genuinely find out what kind of a person you are, and what is really important to you. In a stroke of luck Taylor is able to find friends who are willing to support and defend her every move. She proves that women can be strong, but she also explains the many challenges that she faces "There seemed to be no end of to the things that could be hiding, waiting it out, right where you thought you could see it all." In the end she proves to everyone, mainly herself that she can be independent and take responsibility.
Besides Taylor, Turtle also goes through the experience of being reborn into a new life. Her past is so troubled and bleak that Taylor decides it would just be best to try to forget about it. When Turtle gets to Taylor it is not obvious whether she is dead or alive, but soon she shows signs of life. The bean trees are almost a good representation of Turtle’s life, she started as a wrinkled-up seed, and when planted she sprouted into a lovely plant. In the end of the novel she finally is ready to give up her past by trying to bury the doll that represents her mom; she is essentially burying her past and moving ahead. She was reborn readily and willingly to begin a new life as Taylor’s daughter.
Lou Ann has an experience similar to Turtle as she loses part of her family, and is unsure whether to trust them. She does not have much confidence or trust before Taylor meets her, and she is depressed. Another problem that ails her is that she is too self-critical she analyzes herself in this quote "I feel like the only reason I have any friends at all is because I'm always careful not to say something totally dumb, and if I blow it just one time, then that's it." After Angel leaves her she is down one family member, but Taylor fills this spot well. They almost start to function like a normal family, and Lou Ann realizes that she isn’t a failure and that there is still hope for her. Taylor aids her in this rebirthing process and soon she knows that giving up is out of the question, and takes a job to gain her confidence back, and to prove that she can take care of her son.
Overall throughout the book there are examples of the continuous cycle of life and death. This embodies the title of the book The Bean Trees, because the characters much like trees, start out as a shriveled up mess, and grow to sprout into healthy beautiful trees. The help and support they receive is the water that makes them grow, and it gives them to hope to grow into a stronger person. All of the characters in the book take life into their own hands, and aren’t willing to settle for second best. They realize that they are their own person, who can make their own decisions. Only you know what is best for you, and only you have the determination and the guts to make it happen.
Hopeless, it seems like everything has gone wrong, and there is no way you can start over. Numerous regrets and thing you could have done better creep into your mind, and you realize you just want to start over. In the novel The Bean Trees Taylor and Lou Ann both have troubled paths, and feel they just need to start over. You can choose how you want to live your life, and you can make sufficient changes to be able to become almost a new person, to be reborn. This is an important part of modern society, because there are so many new ideas and philosophies out there, that you could have a radically different belief than your parents, or community.
Taylor feels like she just doesn’t fit in Kentucky. Everyone seems to not have much hope for their future, and just wants to glide by without much hope for success. An example of what she could have been in Newt Hardbine, he dropped out of school to help support his family. He represents someone who doesn’t have determination, as he is willing to help out, but not ready to work hard to achieve something great. Taylor on the other hand is determined and intelligent enough to set a goal and reach for it. The way out is a new beginning, a new town, and a new life. Taylor demonstrates that sometimes the difference between success and failure is the willingness to try new things.
Another reason for Taylor’s success is her ability to adapt to new things. She is thrown out into the middle of nowhere with no one to turn to. It is in these tough situations that your true beings manifests itself, and you genuinely find out what kind of a person you are, and what is really important to you. In a stroke of luck Taylor is able to find friends who are willing to support and defend her every move. She proves that women can be strong, but she also explains the many challenges that she faces "There seemed to be no end of to the things that could be hiding, waiting it out, right where you thought you could see it all." In the end she proves to everyone, mainly herself that she can be independent and take responsibility.
Besides Taylor, Turtle also goes through the experience of being reborn into a new life. Her past is so troubled and bleak that Taylor decides it would just be best to try to forget about it. When Turtle gets to Taylor it is not obvious whether she is dead or alive, but soon she shows signs of life. The bean trees are almost a good representation of Turtle’s life, she started as a wrinkled-up seed, and when planted she sprouted into a lovely plant. In the end of the novel she finally is ready to give up her past by trying to bury the doll that represents her mom; she is essentially burying her past and moving ahead. She was reborn readily and willingly to begin a new life as Taylor’s daughter.
Lou Ann has an experience similar to Turtle as she loses part of her family, and is unsure whether to trust them. She does not have much confidence or trust before Taylor meets her, and she is depressed. Another problem that ails her is that she is too self-critical she analyzes herself in this quote "I feel like the only reason I have any friends at all is because I'm always careful not to say something totally dumb, and if I blow it just one time, then that's it." After Angel leaves her she is down one family member, but Taylor fills this spot well. They almost start to function like a normal family, and Lou Ann realizes that she isn’t a failure and that there is still hope for her. Taylor aids her in this rebirthing process and soon she knows that giving up is out of the question, and takes a job to gain her confidence back, and to prove that she can take care of her son.
Overall throughout the book there are examples of the continuous cycle of life and death. This embodies the title of the book The Bean Trees, because the characters much like trees, start out as a shriveled up mess, and grow to sprout into healthy beautiful trees. The help and support they receive is the water that makes them grow, and it gives them to hope to grow into a stronger person. All of the characters in the book take life into their own hands, and aren’t willing to settle for second best. They realize that they are their own person, who can make their own decisions. Only you know what is best for you, and only you have the determination and the guts to make it happen.
Nick, this is an accomplished essay. You turn out excellent work as long as you take the time to organize and plan in advance. It has been a pleasure to be your teacher for the lsat two years, and to see the growth in your writing ability. You also leave me with a real ability to read literature. Thanks so much for everything you've brought to class.
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