Dan Black-Bean Trees, Discussion Director, Period 3
What are you thoughts on Taylor moving in with LouAnn? We all expected them to overlap each other in the story, but did you expect them to be this close? The tires. Do you think the author intentionally used the accident with Dewt at the beginning of the story to foreshadow her new job? Taylor’s first word. Bean. What do you think of this? Direct connection to the title? Also, what are your feelings on how close LouAnn and Taylor are becoming. Turtle is really three and she is not growing because of her abuse. What affect with this have on Taylor; it seems like she does not want to believe it? Finally, April. What are your thoughts on that?
-Dan
Category: Per 3 TBT DD 4 comments »
February 21st, 2009 at 1:58 pm
As you said, Taylor’s story overlapping with LouAnn’s was bound to happen. I actually expected them to be pretty close seeing that they have much in common. I think that the author did intentionally use the accident with Newt’s dad at the beginning of the story to the foreshadow Taylor’s new job because Mattie helps Taylor get over her fear of the tires, we get to see how she becomes familiar with things that she used to be afraid of and how much effort it takes for Taylor to overcome her fear. This is probably the main reason Newt’s dad was put into the story. Turtle’s first word; Bean has something to do with Taylor’s life, growing up in Kentucky Taylor loved beans; she used to pick them a lot. I believe this has significance with Turtle life maybe because she loves beans just as much as Taylor does and is like a mini-Taylor or her shadow. I get why beans has a connection with the title but I don’t understand yet how this is a major implication with either Taylor or Turtle. I think that Taylor is devastated to find out the Turtle will not be growing mentally, and denies it completely. She loved Turtle like her own and can’t bear to see her hurt. I think that April is Turtle’s real name, she recognizes it instantly. She knows her name when she hears it like a child would. I think that April is a nice name for Turtle and if Turtle likes it Taylor shouldn’t have a problem getting used to it.
-Kianat Zamir
February 21st, 2009 at 10:52 pm
Wow. You sure are not skimpy on the asking questions:)
To answer the first question,yes, I expected them to be this close. Their personalities are too alike for them to have a slow icky relationship. They are made to be close; they remind me of sisters.
For your next question, I think that, like all authors, Kingsolver had a vague idea of what she wanted to use the tire idea for and it manufested itself into her job. I mean, most authors have an idea to show a vulnerability of their characters; it helps the reader sympathize with them and support them, even if they do not particularly care for the character’s personality.
Your third question was one I also wondered about. I believe that the word bean is going to have something to do with Turtle’s and Taylor’s relationship. After all the name of the novel is “The Bean Trees”. The title needs to have something to do with the story, even be an indirect influence.
I am going to skip your next question, because I feel I have already answered it in the first question.
The second to the last question is one that is constantly brought to the attention of the reader. Taylor is obviously bothered by the x-ray results and by the doctor’s diagnosise, but she does not really know how to express it. She is a first time mother and has no experience in these areas whatsoever. I am sort of feeling sorry for her, especially when Lou Ann adds the name issue.
I agree with Lou Ann that April is a fine name, but I do not agree with the fact that they should use the name now that they know it. The name April is what Turtle obviously associates with beatings, abuse, and anger. She is turning over a new leaf, like Taylor once did with her old name, Missy, and keeping the old name is going to be more use for a negative reminder rather than concentrating on the prize of a new life.
There are my answers to the questions!
-Jenni Kantor
February 22nd, 2009 at 5:37 pm
Yes, I expected Taylor and LouAnn to meet up eventually, but I didn’t think that they would live together. Also, I did expect that the tire incident would be related to something; there would be no other purpose for it. Turtle’s first word, bean, is probably related to the title. Tree is often used to describe a family such as in family tree. Maybe the title means the family of beans, whatever that may mean. I really don’t have any opinions on Taylor and LouAnn’s relationship. It might make it easier to live, with one going to work and the other staying at home. Taylor has grown attached to Turtle, and she is probably trying to deny that Turtle won’t grow mentally. The name April has to have some other meaning to it. An obvious guess is that it’s the month that Turtle was born in, but it’s hard to say at this point.
-Brandon Greer
February 22nd, 2009 at 6:33 pm
I agree with what everyone has said. I think that the most important part of these chapters was learning about Turtle’s developmental problem. This will probably be important to the rest of the story. I think that the author intentionally used the tires with Dewt to forshadow the job and store. They all tie back into each other in some way or another. I also think that the first word, bean, will be directly linked to the title. I do not know how yet, and I do not have enough to make a good prediction.