Around the World in 80 Books discussion

Start discussion here for The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver.

From litloversdotcom:

Summary
Marietta Greer spent her childhood in rural Kentucky determined to do two things: avoid getting pregnant and escape rural Kentucky. At the start of the novel, she has headed west in a beat-up '55 Volkswagon, changing her name to "Taylor" when her car runs out of gas in Taylorville, Illinois. By the time two tires give way in Tucson she has with her a stunned, silent three-year-old Cherokee girl who was, literally, dropped into her arms one night. She has named the child Turtle, for her strong, snapping-turtle-like grip.

In Tucson Taylor finds friendship and support in Lou Ann Ruiz, a fellow Kentuckian and single mother, with whom she and Turtle share a house. Her newfound community also includes Mattie, who runs a safe house for political refugees in the upstairs rooms above her auto repair shop.

The novel's theme of fear, flight, homelessness, and finding sanctuary within a community are present in Taylor's struggle to find a place where she belongs, and the more urgent plight of two Central American refugees, Estevan and Esperanza. These fellow travelers help one another create new lives and redefine the meanings of home and family. (From the publisher)

Discussion Questions

I always think of a first novel as something like this big old purse you've been carrying around your whole life, throwing in ideas, characters, and all the things that have ever struck you as terribly important. One day,for whatever reason, you just have to dump that big purse out and there lies this pile of junk. You start picking through it, and assembling it into what you hope will be a statement of your life's great themes. That's how it was for me. It probably wasn't until midway through the writing that I had a grasp of the central question: What are the many ways, sometimes hidden and under-ground ways, that people help themselves and each other survive hard times?

1. The Bean Trees deals with the theme of being an outsider. In what ways are various characters outsiders? What does this suggest about what it takes to be an insider? How does feeling like an outsider affect one's life?

2. How and why do the characters change, especially Lou Ann, Taylor, and Turtle?

3. In many ways, the novel is "the education of Taylor Greer." What does she learn about human suffering? about love?
(Questions issued by publisher.)

I have been wanting to read this for a long time!

I loved the characters and the humor, from the beginning with the tire incident to the bug squishers in AZ. Mostly though, I loved the sense of community that came through in this while showing that we need to reach out to each other more often and that families can be created in the strangest ways.

Up to third chapter. I liked the first chapter the most so far, the strong-willed protagonist captivated me so. Despite being raised in a such an environment, I believed that her turning out alright (not dropping out, not getting knocked out) was all because she had a loving mother. It didn't matter that she was poor and that she didn't have a father (no dad would be better than an abusive dad), the most important thing was that she was loved and cherished by her parent.

I just finished the book. It was a quick and pleasant read. Not The Poisonwood Bible, but enjoyable all the same. There were a lot of themes in the book, such as the meaning of family (in this case very non-traditional), Taylor's coming of age, new motherhood, etc.. I found the Turtle story rather unbelievable and impossible, but then again it is only fiction.

I am happy to have finally read the book.

Mmm, I own this book and want to read it (I love Kingsolver!) but I feel that I joined the group a bit too late to read it within the time frame. Oh well, I'll read it later. :)

@Diane: Just finished the book too. So I'm wondering, which part of Turtle's story do you find unbelievable/impossible and why?

I just got the book from the library today. I should be able to finish in a few days and post some thoughts. :)

This was the first Barbara Kingsolver book I read, the first of many. I loved it. We do learn about Turtle in a companion novel.

I wonder how much of Taylor represents Kingsolver herself? Her origins are similar, from eastern Kentucky, then moved west, now splits her time between the two. Do you think she met people like these along the way, and that shaped her later writing career? Or is Taylor more like she wished that she was? Or just completely out of her imagination?