"The Bean Tree" by Barbara Kingsolver is the story of a native of Kentucky, Marietta Greer who grew up poor and started out crossing two states making a new life for herself. She settles in Arizona where she meets Mattie owner of a used tire shop, where she finds a job. Along the way a child was thrown at her to take care of. She also meets Guatemalan illegal refuges Estevan and wife, Esperanza. Needing a place to live with child, Turtle, she makes a home with Lou Ann and her child who were abandoned by her husband, Angel.
The story goes on how she decides to legally adopt Turtle with the help of her friends. Marietta, who changes her name to Taylor, thru out the story finds herself along with her friends taking care of each other.
Like the wisteria tree with its bean pods needs the help of the bugs near its roots to bloom, we humans with the help of others we meet along life’s journey, we too have a beautiful, wonderful life. The end of the story is so apropos for how I feel as I move on further in life.
Thank you❤️ Dricka
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We attended the presentation of 2022 Appalachian Heritage Writer's Award to Barbara Kingsolver at Shepherd University and her lecture "Challenges of the Global Village and the Ties that Bind".
