The Bean Trees

Compare and contrast Mattie’s and Taylor’s mothers. How do they provide models for motherhood?

What is the significance of the Indigenous heritage of Turtle, Estevan, and Esperanza? What does The Bean Trees suggest about the historical and contemporary treatment of Indigenous peoples globally?

While most of the novel is told in Taylor’s first-person point of view, some chapters describe Lou Ann using the third-person point of view. What is the impact of this split perspective? Why aren’t Lou Ann’s chapters also in first person?

The motif of language and colloquialism is used throughout the novel to characterize people from different regions and socioeconomic backgrounds. How does language help different characters form their identities?

What is the symbolic importance of Taylor’s fear of exploding tires? How does this fear connect to her broader development as a character?

Using a feminist lens, what does this novel suggest about how living in a patriarchal society affects women? What solutions does the novel suggest to address this issue?

The novel reveals that Edna Poppy is blind. Discuss how the story portrays her disability and the accommodations she uses. How do other characters like Angel Ruiz perceive disability?

Both Lou Ann and Taylor grew up without fathers. Discuss how intergenerational trauma impacts their perspective on femininity and motherhood.