49 pages 1 hour read

Barbara Kingsolver

The Bean Trees

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1988

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Essay Topics

1.

Describe how the natural environment functions in this novel. How do ecosystems mirror the emotional journeys of the characters?

2.

Compare and contrast Mattie’s and Taylor’s mothers. How do they provide models for motherhood?

3.

What is the significance of the Indigenous heritage of Turtle, Estevan, and Esperanza? What does The Bean Trees suggest about the historical and contemporary treatment of Indigenous peoples globally?