The Bean Trees

A Piece of the Puzzle



Author's Note:  After Abby and me had sat down discussing our book, The Bean Trees, we were going over several ideas for how to portray this book.  Finally, we came up with the perfect project: A mosaic of a tree made up of various beans.  As we fiercely glued on piece after piece, (and getting a few burns in the process) we discovered more and more about details within the book.  Some of my views of the symbolism in this mosaic differs from Abby's,  but that in itself is a symbol of what the mosaic and Life is about.

Everything and anything in Life has meaning to it.   Whether it be small or large, forgotten or remembered, it all shows something.  When Abby and I discussed our independent book, The Bean Trees, we thought that the best way to show this would be within a mosaic. These various parts that don't seem to have any meaning, but together, make up something so much greater than any one part.   

We chose to do beans because of the simplicity of it.  As one, a bean can seem like nothing; a forgotten little piece of the puzzle, like Turtle was.  However, if it is nurtured and surrounded by love, it can grow into something even greater, like a tree.  Taylor, along with the others that have influenced Turtle, shows this kind of love by taking care of her when no one else would, and fighting for her adoption.  This allows Turtle to grow into something so beautiful.  It doesn't take a miracle; it takes someone who's willing to try. 

On the branches  of this tree are several jelly beans of different colors.  This shows just how much the characters in the story have went through, and the results of the journey they took.   Taylor was hoping for a new beginning when she left Kentucky, but found something much bigger than that;  a new family.  Turtle, Lou Ann, Mattie, and many of the other characters in the story have added these amazing colors into her life, the way the tree sprouts these amazing colors of leaves.  She thought she was looking out for Turtle, but honestly, they were looking out for each other.  Together, they created their tree full of color.              

Beneath the tree on our canvas lies a set of old puzzle pieces that Abby had found to show the grass beneath the tree.  Although puzzle pieces are meant to fit together,  we chose to fit them in a way in which they overlap with green and brown beads filling in the spaces, because that is really what Life and Love is.  This mash of things that wouldn't be pegged to work together, yet somehow they do.  Taylor isn't perfect, and neither is Turtle.  They aren't two puzzle pieces that should fit, yet somehow they do. 

Along the border of the canvas are a series of multi-colored beads, which symbolize the troubles that humans face.  Every day, all over the world, people are constantly sucked into things like alcohol, sex, and drugs, often in ways that are unexpected.  Colorful beads may be cool on the outside, but they cannot bring anything forth.  A bean brings life and promise, but a bead is just a painted piece of plastic.  When Taylor reaches Arizona, she comes across a place called "Fanny Heaven,"  which, needless to say, is full of grueling and ungodliness.  For something as profane as "Fanny" to be put up with something sacred like "Heaven" is simply unimaginable, yet people still seem to treat it like it is nothing.  These beads are spread to the outsides of the canvas, which to me shows that these things need to be avoided when dealing with the growth of a tree, of a human being.

One small act is all it takes to create something amazing, and I think that our mosaic truly does convey that message.  I enjoyed every minute of the project (except the burns)  and seeing the way Abby's and my  ideas fit together, united as a whole.  A tree of seemingly unfitting pieces brought into life, for better or worse, as one.  We have to stand together and surround ourselves with the ones that we need, and the ones that need us.  Life is not made up of one thing, but of several, and that is what created Turtle and Taylor, as well as this mosaic. 

Response 1

Author's Note:  For this response, I talked about the symbolism behind Taylor Greer's (the main character) car.  This is hers, and in a way, it sort of represents her new life.  She has to push it to start it, and that shows that if she wants a change, she will have to work for it.

No matter where the road goes, or where we want it to go, it is never as simple as it may seem.  Challenges are faced, obstacles are met, and  there's no veering off of the course.  We have to get ourselves started and give it a push.  Taylor Greer has entered that time.  If we want to stay on course, we have to steer the wheel ourselves, because we are the only ones who can.

Near the beginning of The Bean Trees, Taylor has lived in Kentucky her whole life.  Working in a hospital,  living with her mama, finally  she is ready to move on.  As she brings home the beaten down '55 Volkswagen, symbolically she is showing her freedom to the world.  This car hers,  and only hers, meaning that this time, she will leave, and she won't be turning back.  Even when she needs a push to get started, she is now responsible for her life.   

When the time comes for change, we have to be the  people who can change it.  As Taylor pushes that car, she is slowly pushing her way into the new world, step by step.  She pushes and she starts it and goes until she can't go any farther.  Out west is a way of freedom, because we all want to be free like cowboys.  With each up comes a down, and if she wants to find light, Taylor must first endure some of the dark.  Hope and promise exists in all living things, and to bring that out, we have to do what Barbara Kingsolver is asking us to do--push at it.  Sometimes there won't be an ignition, sometimes we have to start it ourselves and hope that there is hope.