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257 - "'So what's all happened? You've decided to take Angel back? Or go up there and live in his yurdle, or whatever?' 'Angel? Heck no, not if you paid me.'"

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257 - "'So what's all happened? You've decided to take Angel back? Or go up there and live in his yurdle, or whatever?' 'Angel? Heck no, not if you paid me.'"

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This is a direct contrast to what Lou Ann said earlier in the novel, and clearly shows her maturity and how she's grown as a person. Her new-found confidence and sense of self worth would not have been possible without her community- specifically (maybe especially?) Taylor.

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"After a while I said, 'Lou Ann, I have to know something for Turtle's and my sake, so tell me the honest truth. If Angel wanted to come back, I mean, move back in and have everything the way it was before, would you say yes?' She looked at me, surprised. 'Well, what else could I do? He's my husband, isn't he?"

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"After a while I said, 'Lou Ann, I have to know something for Turtle's and my sake, so tell me the honest truth. If Angel wanted to come back, I mean, move back in and have everything the way it was before, would you say yes?' She looked at me, surprised. 'Well, what else could I do? He's my husband, isn't he?"

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this is proof of the lack of self respect and dignity Lou Ann has near the beginning of the book.

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"Within a few weeks, she was talking again."

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"Within a few weeks, she was talking again."

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This strongly suggests that Taylor's work to reverse Turtle's stunted growth both mentally and physically was not in vain. Were it not for Taylor's efforts throughout the novel up to this point, Turtle would not have recovered as efficiently as she did.

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pg 188 - "I've just spent about the last eight or nine months trying to convince her that nobody would ever hurt her again. Why should she believe me now?"

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pg 188 - "I've just spent about the last eight or nine months trying to convince her that nobody would ever hurt her again. Why should she believe me now?"

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This is concrete proof that Taylor has been helping Turtle become more confident, both in general and in herself. Of course, all hope seems to be lost when this tragic event happens, but not even three pages later, it's evident that Turtle recovers quickly when Taylor says:

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"'You know what really gets me?' I asked him. 'How people call you "illegals." That just pisses me off, I don't know how you can stand it. A human being can be good or bad or right or wrong, maybe. But how can you say a person is illegal?' 'I don't know, you tell me.' 'You can't, you just can't,' I said. 'Thats all there is to it.'"

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"'You know what really gets me?' I asked him. 'How people call you "illegals." That just pisses me off, I don't know how you can stand it. A human being can be good or bad or right or wrong, maybe. But how can you say a person is illegal?' 'I don't know, you tell me.' 'You can't, you just can't,' I said. 'Thats all there is to it.'"

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Taylor's maturity is evident in the novel, especially towards the end of the book. While driving Estevan and Esperanza to sanctuary in Oklahoma, Taylor expresses her frustration to Estevan:
Taylor realizes just how inhumane people can be. This is not the first time Taylor is exposed to this inhumanity, but it is a sort of a turning point, as she's finally starting to accept that she'll never understand why people say the things they do. In other words, Taylor is finally accepting that the world is cruel, and (depending on who you ask,) that acceptance is maturity.

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"Her eyes rolled back and forth under her eyelids, and sometimes her mouth worked too. Whoever she was talking to in her dream, she told them a whole lot more than she'd ever told me. I would have paid good money to be in that dream."

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"Her eyes rolled back and forth under her eyelids, and sometimes her mouth worked too. Whoever she was talking to in her dream, she told them a whole lot more than she'd ever told me. I would have paid good money to be in that dream."

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Page 204
This is a good example of Taylors development throughout the novel. Earlier in the book, when she had just met Turtle, she wouldn't have cared as much about Turtle and her inner thoughts. But through her character arc, Taylor develops a deep care for Turtle. It however, would not have been possible for Taylor to be able to take care and provide for Turtle were it not for the help of those around her:

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Even though Lou Ann is not considered to be the protagonist of The Bean Trees, it is still evident to the reader that she goes through major character development throughout the novel. This development can largely be attributed to the influence and support that the people around her provide.

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Even though Lou Ann is not considered to be the protagonist of The Bean Trees, it is still evident to the reader that she goes through major character development throughout the novel. This development can largely be attributed to the influence and support that the people around her provide.

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"In many ways it was a perfect arrangement. You couldn't ask for better than Mattie. She was patient and kind and let me bring Turtle in with me when I needed to. Lou Ann kept her some days, but if she had to go out shopping or to the doctor, one baby was two hands full."

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"In many ways it was a perfect arrangement. You couldn't ask for better than Mattie. She was patient and kind and let me bring Turtle in with me when I needed to. Lou Ann kept her some days, but if she had to go out shopping or to the doctor, one baby was two hands full."

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This is a perfect example of the dependence that Taylor has on her community. She relies on Mattie and Lou Ann in many ways, some more obvious and some less obvious. A more tangible example of this reliance is asking Mattie and Lou Ann to take care of Turtle some days.

This is a good example of the way that Turtle's community allows her to develop in a literal sense. Through this system, Turtle is being taken care of by people she knows and loves, which is certainly not harmfu/ towards her growth.

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"I'm not her real mother, but I'm taking care of her now. She's not with her original family anymore."

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"I'm not her real mother, but I'm taking care of her now. She's not with her original family anymore."

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this quote displays the beginning of taylor's acceptance that she is a mother to turtle. she spends a lot of the novel denying to herself that she loves turtle, and cares deeply for her. It is this care and love that gives turtle the confidence to open up and be herself, even after going through a traumatic experience.

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Taylor and her community already help with the development of a single woman (turtle!)

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Taylor and her community already help with the development of a single woman (turtle!)

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Taylor relies on her community, and in turn develops and matures from her community.

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Taylor relies on her community, and in turn develops and matures from her community.

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Communities of women are crucial towards the development and maturity of a single woman.

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Communities of women are crucial towards the development and maturity of a single woman.