Ataris's Full Review: Barbara Kingsolver - The Bean Trees
I must say that before I even opened up to the first page of this book, I already had thought that it would be another incredibly boring novel that I couldn't relate too. Later my opinion was swayed after I found myself more and more involved in it. One of the most positive things about reading a story for and English Class it that you discuss and scrutinize the novel with other classmates and therefore understand more about the
author's style and ideas.
Marietta Greer's mama called her Missy, because, according to family legend, when she was three, she stamped her foot "and told my own mother not to call me Marietta but MISS Marietta, as I had to call all the people including children in the houses where she worked Miss this or Mister that..." Her growing up years in Pittnam County, Kentucky, taught her two things: don't get pregnant, and get out as quick as you can. With
Mama's expert training in old-car trouble-shooting, Marietta hits the road in her 1955 windowless, jump-start Volkswagen, determined to rename herself after the first place she has to buy gas. Relieved at missing Homer, Illinois, and keeping her "fingers crossed through Sidney, Sadorus, Cerro Gordo, Decatur, and Blue Mound," she "coasted into
Taylorville on the fumes." Now Taylor Greer, she discovers that car trouble can change more than just her name: when her rocker arm breaks in Oklahoma, she unexpectedly has a small baby thrust upon her.
While all this is taking place, another main character, Lou Ann, is having her own troubles. Her and her husband have fallen apart while Lou Ann is pregnant with her first child. From there the two characters develop as the book transpires. Lou Ann and Taylor meet up when she has two flat tires in Tucson. Taylor limps into Jesus Is Lord Used Tires, where she begins to learn that her troubles are minor compared to people hiding from Guatemalan death squads.
As far as character's go Lou Ann starts off with a low self-esteem and very unsure of herself. But later on she takes a dramatic turn with her new job. Taylor on the other hand is very determined, she knows what she doesn't want but doesn't know what she wants. She is very direct and doesn't beat around the bush.
Kingsolver has a very unique style to her writing. She doesn't go into long paragraphs describing the setting and scenery. She lets the image come to you through dialogue and short descriptions. She is very realistic and writes everything how it would be in reality. This is good because it is easier to relate too. She also uses extended metaphors and similes to help better understand the story. Quotes from her book helps us
better understand the setting. "We crossed Arizona State line at sunup. The clouds were pink and fat and hilarious-looking like the hippo ballerinas in a Disney movie."
Another point on Kingsolver is one can be certain that she has quite a distaste for the “Y” chromosome. Throughout the Novel, Lou Ann is constantly man-bashing. In fact, the majority of the dialogue on pages 118 and 119 revolves around Lou Ann’s favorite saying about men: “Parts are included for all installations, but no installation requires all of the parts (p.118).” I kept getting distracted by her obvious displeasure with males.
I would recommend The Bean Trees to anyone who doesn’t need a lot of flashy description to enjoy a story, and also to anyone who enjoys reading well developed characters. But I give a warning to any guys that might read this book: read with an open mind and take anything in good humor.
Plot Summary: The wisteria vines on their own would just barely get by, is how I explained it to Turtle, but put them together with rhizobia and they ...More at HotBookSale
Taylor Greer grew up poor in Kentucky in the 60s and 70s, managed to avoid pregnancy through high school, and earned enough money to buy a Volkswagen ...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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