Individual Growth Influenced by Companionship

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Individual development and companionship are important characteristics of being a human being. Barbara Kingsolver’s novel, The Bean Trees, explores the concept of character development through the influence of companionship between the main characters.
The main character of the novel, Taylor Greer, despised the thoughts of forcefully being tied down to any place (especially to her hometown in Kentucky), and becoming a mother (Kingsolver). Taylor “intended to drive out of Pittman County and never look back” (Kingsolver 14). Her goal of escaping her old life was the main defining characteristic of Taylor. As she intended, Taylor left Kentucky without a clear, set destination (Kingsolver 16). Due to a malfunctioned rocker arm on her antique car, Taylor stopped at a restaurant in central Oklahoma in order to make repairs to the car, and to rest. While she was stopped, she was approached by a woman who proceeded to place a bundled up child into Taylor’s car. Struck with utter shock, Taylor told the woman that if she had wanted a baby, she never would have left Kentucky (Kingsolver 24); the woman insisted that Taylor should take the baby and implied that the infant would be endangered if it were to stay under her [the woman’s] care. Taylor felt confliction as well as a minute amount of compassion regarding the child, when she thought,
I can take this Indian child back into that bar and give it to Earl or whichever of those two guys is left. Just set it on the counter with the salt and pepper and get the hell out of here. Or I can go someplace and sleep, and think of something to do in the morning (Kingsolver 25).
After a short amount of time spent with the child, Taylor discovered that the young girl had been molested. Taylor slowly...

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...wo seemed absolutely elated to be with each other (Kingsolver 265) and Esperanza even called Turtle “Ismene” (Kingsolver 266). Turtle and Esperanza became attached to each other in an almost “inseparable” way. Taylor observed that “there was something going on inside of Esperanza. Something was thawing.” She described the change within Esperanza as a thawing river that “started to run again” (Kingsolver 277). Esperanza’s “eyes were clear and she spoke to Taylor and Estevan directly” and she appeared to be truly content when she held Turtle. (Kingsolver 277) Because of Esperanza’s companionship with Turtle and the love she felt for the child, she was filled with hope and regained her life.
Companionship often promotes healthy character development. Taylor, Turtle, Lou Ann, and Esperanza all experienced positive development through their friendships with each other.

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