The Bean Trees Character Analysis

Juliette Williams
Mr. Gracyk
English 11: A Block
20 September 2015
Meaningful Names
Over the summer, St. Francis High School juniors were required to read Barbara Kingsolver's The Bean Trees. The protagonist of the novel, Marietta Greer, who is also known as Missy, lives with her mother, Alice Greer, in Pittman County, Kentucky. During high school, Missy is hired for a job at Pittman County Hospital. Within the first few years she worked at the hospital, Missy saves up enough money to buy a '55 Volkswagen Bug, intending to leave her hometown in Kentucky. Eventually she arrives in Taylorville, Oklahoma, where she changes her name to Taylor Greer. In Taylorville, she stops to eat at a diner, where she is given a toddler by an Indian woman, who

is unable to care for the child any longer.  Taylor decides to name the child Turtle because of her strong grip. Eventually, Taylor and Turtle arrive in Tuscon, Arizona, where she meets Mattie, the owner of Jesus is the Lord Used Tires. Mattie later Hires Taylor to work at her tire shop, after being fired from the Burger Derby.  While in Tuscon, Taylor searches for houses she and Turtle can potentially settle into. After visiting multiple homes, Taylor moves into the home of Lou Ann Ruiz, a recently single mother, and Dwayne Ray, her newly born son. Taylor also meets a couple from Guatemala, Esperanza and Estevan.  They fled to the United States during a raid in their old neighborhood, where they lost their daughter, Ismene. Later in the novel, Turtle is being babysat by her blind neighbor, Edna Poppy, when she is almost kidnapped. When the police begin this investigation, they learn Taylor has no legal claim to Turtle. Afterwords, Taylor is told Esperanza and Estevan might be deported to Guatemala. Therefore, Taylor volunteers to transport Esperanza and Estevan to another illegal immigrant sanctuary in Oklahoma. While there, Taylor plans to deceive the legal authorities in Oklahoma that Esperanza and Estevan are Turtle's biological parents. After the finalizing of Turtle's adoption papers, Taylor and Turtle head back to Tuscon, where their new family— Lou ann and Dwayne Ray— wait for their arrival. In this novel, names are significant. Three characters that prove to have meaningful names are Taylor, Estevan, and Esperanza.
Marietta Greer changes her name in meaningful ways that reflect who she is. At a young age, Marietta is taught by her mother, Alice Greer, to address her clients and their children by Miss or Mister as a sign of respect. After learning this, Marietta then decides to refer to herself as Miss Marietta, which later develops into the nickname Missi. Marietta explains, "When I was three supposedly I stamped my foot and told my mother not to call me Marietta but Miss Marietta, as I had to call people including children in the houses where she worked Miss or Mister that, and so she did that day forward” (2). Marietta notices that people whom are referred to as “Mrs” or “Mr” are highly respected. Therefore, Marietta demands that she deserves the same respect as the children of her mother’s employers, so she feels equally as important. While driving to Pitman, Marietta makes a promise to herself: “I would get myself a new name. I wasn't crazy about anything I had been called up to that point in life, and this seemed like the time to make a clean break” (12). Marietta had no particular name in mind but felt it was important to make a change. This symbolizes Marietta’s desire for a fresh start in her life outside of Kentucky. It also gives Marietta the opportunity to leave the past behind her and start a new beginning for herself. Marietta decides to let the gas tank choose her name: “Wherever It ran out, Id look for a sign” (12). As Marietta approaches Taylorville, her beat up Volkswagen finally runs out of gas. Thus, she becomes Taylor Greer. While driving to Oklahoma, Taylor explains her birth name, Marietta, to Estevan: “It’s a town in Georgia where Mama’s and my father’s car broke down… they stayed in a hotel and made me instead” (204). The name Marietta connects Taylor to a day, in which her mother and father made a irreversible decision that altered her mother and father’s lives drastically. Taylor also places the blame upon herself for her mother’s difficult life as a single mother. As Taylor’s name changes, she as a person evolves.
As Esperanza and Estevan's lives change, so do their names.

Esperanza's name specifically describes her situation. Estevan explains to Taylor that he and Esperanza lost their child, Ismene, during a raid in their hometown, Guatemala. Afterwords, Taylor visits Esperanza, hoping to lift her spirits by responding, "I think Esperanza's a beautiful name. Estevan told me that it means to wait, and also to hope. That in Spanish the same word means both things” (155). The words “to hope” seem to apply, not only to Esperanza’s name, but her circumstances, too. Esperanza must rely on hope to help herself through this difficult journey. Without hope, Esperanza’s prolonged depression would worsen with time. Esperanza’s name may also mean “to wait.” Esperanza has been longing to see her child and to become a family once again, but she must wait and be patient for the time being. Taylor also attempts to motivate Esperanza in her time of need: “Esperanza is all you get, no second chances. What you have to do is try to think of reasons to stick it out” (156). Taylor attempts to inspire Esperanza by giving her the “hope” she needs to move past this difficult time. This “hope” is necessary for Esperanza’s healing journey. After Esperanza, Estevan, Turtle, and Taylor pass the border line, Estevan explains to Taylor, "Our true first names are Indian names... you couldn't even pronounce them. We chose Spanish names when we moved to the city" (204). Estevan and Esperanza select the Spanish form

of their Mayan names, when they moved to Guatemala. They later change their names to Steven and Hope after moving to Oklahoma, hoping they will blend in more as an American citizen. By doing this, Esperanza and Estevan will decrease their chances of being deported by the police.
The importance of a characters’s name in The Bean Trees is demonstrated through Taylor, Estevan, and Esperanza.

Their selection of new names are hiding their past, but at the same time, representative of their future. Similarly, my great aunt’s name had an impact upon her life, as well as others. My great aunt, Ilene, had decided to change her name to Elizabeth, after graduating from William and Mary College as a English History major. My great aunt’s many family members thought this was an odd and irrational decision to suddenly change her name. Since she is an English History major and a great admirer of Queen Elizabeth I, my great aunt desired a unique name that reflects her love for the subject of her future. After careful thought, my family had come to realize how this choice is important to her new identity. My name also has a meaningful impact upon my life. My middle name, Christine, is connected to my grandmother’s first name. My mother chose the name Christine to honor my Grandmother, whom she strives to model each day, as do I. I am very blessed to have inherited her name and hope someday to obtain my grandmother’s courage, hospitality, wisdom, and kindness. In conclusion, a name defines who a person is and helps create the identity of a human being, which can influence how he or she is perceived by others. A name can never be taken away from oneself or others. If human beings did not have their own names, they are no longer individually unique.

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