The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver

520 Words2 Pages

1) Taylor is a practical and worldly young girl from Kentucky that lives with her mother, Lou Ann. She views her hometown as tiny and stifling, and she wants to avoid getting pregnant by escaping to a more interesting life. Some qualities that make her “escape” are that she has a sense of personal pride and knows how to stand up for herself as well as a determined mind to preserve herself. She is also a strong and compassionate person, committing her courage for the good of others.
2) Taylor’s mother influences Taylor to act more boldly and fight hard for her rights. She also influences her to marry a tobacco farmer saying that being pregnant and barefoot was not her style. She plays a soft, motherly, and worrisome role, fearing her own death and her child’s death. She is a very traditional woman, and believes that marriage and live should last forever. She has the innocence of a young girl and transforms from a dependent housewife to a strong single mother.
3) The symbolism of the exploding tires is the fear and sympathy towards Newt and Jolene that Taylor feels throughout the nove...

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