The Bean Trees | The Bean Trees

At a glance:

Author: Barbara Kingsolver
First Published: 1988
Type of Plot: Bildungsroman
Time of Work: The 1980’s
Setting: Principally Tucson, Arizona
Principal Characters: Taylor Greer, Turtle, Lou Ann Ruiz, Mattie, Estevan, Esperanza
Genres: Long fiction, Social realism, Bildungsroman, Family literature
Subjects: Family or family life, Self-discovery, Mothers, Parents and children, Friendship, Abandoned children, 1980’s, Child abuse, Native Americans or American Indians, Ethnic relations, Women’s issues, Women, Adoption or adopted children, Working class, Southwest, Central America or Central Americans, Aliens, illegal, Refugees
Locales: Tucson, AZ

The Bean Trees is the story of a spirited young woman who leaves her rural Kentucky home to head west and ends up forming a nontraditional family. Her new family works largely because of the simple goodwill of those involved and because of their mutual need to survive through difficult personal times. Shortly after Marietta Greer (who changes her name to Taylor once she gets on the road) sets out from Kentucky, she acquires an abused child, whom she takes in at first almost begrudgingly, but with increasing warmth and good humor. She settles in Tucson, Arizona,...

The Bean Trees | The Bean Trees

At a glance:

The Novel

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