The Bean Trees Essay -- Character Analysis, Taylor

The Bean Trees is a novel which shows Taylors maturation it is a bildungsroman story. Taylor is a developing or dynamic character. Her moral qualities and outlook brook a permanent change. When the novel begins, Taylor is an independent-minded young woman embarking on an adventure to a new world. She has no cares or worries. She is confident in her abilities, and is determined to brighten it through life on her own. As she discovers new things and meets new people, Taylor is exposed to the realities of the world. She learns about the plight of abandoned children and of illegal immigrants. She learns how to give wait on and how to depend upon the wait on of others. As she interacts with others, those people are likewise affected by Taylor. The other developing characters are Lou Ann Ruiz, Turtle, and Esperanza. Together they learn the importance of interdependence and find their confidence.At the beginning of the novel, Taylor is intensely independent. She stands apart from the ot her high school girls at Pittman County. She is the only girl not wearing beige or pink Bobbie stick out matching sweater-and-skirt outfits (5). She is determined to avoid teenage pregnancy, which is so common in her high school. She is the only girl brave enough to ask the science instructor for a job. Taylor believes that she can survive on her own. She finds herself a rickety car. It is a 55 Volkswagen bug with no windows to speak of, and no seat and no fresher (11-12). She learns how to push start it all by herself. Her mother helps her to be independent and to conquer her fears. Mrs. Greer lets the air out of one of the tires and also the spare, forcing Taylor to pump the tire herself in spite of her fear of exploding tires. Taylor learns that nobody was goi... ...ope.Taylor, Turtle, Lou Ann, and Esperanza all develop because of their relationship with and to others. An iron is sharpened when it rubs against another piece of iron. Similarly, it is through contact and relat ionships that character is developed. The characters discover that they need for each one other to survive, just like the symbiotic relationship between the wisteria and the rhizobia. Taylor learns to depend upon the help of her friends. Turtle overcomes her emotional shock through Taylors relish and care. Lou Ann finds her self-confidence through Taylors encouragement. Esperanza finds hope through her love for Turtle. All the characters learn how to be like the people in heaven. They are well-fed because they help and serve each other. The interaction among the characters provides nourishment and life. They develop into better people through this interaction.