History Of Taylor And Turtle example essay topic

The Bean Trees In the novel The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver, many social issues are discussed. One social issue that is addressed is adoption. Adopting a child is an experience that promises to bring great joy as it changes a couple or individual's life forever. Adoption offers a chance at anew beginning for many children previously cared for by orphanages and foster homes. Families constitute the building blocks of society. They provide children with the love and security needed to grow into healthy adults.

This paper will discuss how Kingsolver illustrates adoption in her novel. Taylor was sitting in Cynthia's office with Turtle. It was their third week of seeing her. Turtle was talking again, after the incident in the park. As the history of Taylor and Turtle slowly began to seep out of Taylor, Cynthia has no choice but to inform Taylor that she has no legal claim to Turtle because she has no papers on Turtle. She cannot prove the way she got Turtle.

Taylor, felt that if she has no claim to Turtle then no one else should either. The state of Arizona would take Turtle into custody. Taylor, depending on how long she had been a resident in the state, and depending on her income and stability, might be able to adopt Turtle in the future. Taylor does not know how to respond to this news. She is beginning to think that she will not be a good mother for Turtle. Kingsolver expresses how people may get discouraged, but they are somehow encouraged by the people around them.

She conveys this message through the way Taylor feels about her role in Turtle's life. However, the people in her life help her to realize her love and need for this child. I believe this is a common problem faced by many people who want to adopt. They begin to doubt whether they would be good parents.

They have many questions that they need to consider. For example, will they feel like the child's parents? Or would they treat an adopted child differently than their birth child? Most importantly, will they be able to handle the emotions, if and when, their child wants to meet their birth family? These fears come between the questions and the answers.

It thrives on the unknown. In most, the fear is turned around, as exemplified in Taylor's case. Another scene that articulates adoption is the scene with Mr. Armistead. Taylor, Turtle, Estevan and Esperanza were all together. Taylor, wanting to find the woman who gave her Turtle, agreed to bring Estevan and Esperanza to a different safe house farther from the border. During their travels, Taylor asks the couple if they would pose as Turtle's parents, so that Taylor would be able to keep Turtle.

Without hesitation or reluctance, they agreed. Mr. Armistead's office was not located far from the Cherokee Nation. Estevan and Esperanza told Mr. Armistead, that they loved "their daughter", but they just could not care for her in the way she deserved. Esperanza became very emotional and cried, as any mother would do in that type of situation. All together the couple acted very well because no one else in the office, other than the four of them, knew what was going on. Kingsolver illustrates how, with a little bit of hope, things can work out.

I do not believe that Kingsolver is promoting people to break the law, but instead to follow their hearts, and do what they believe is best. I agree with Kingsolver that people should follow their hearts, but I would maybe think the consequences through more. This is something Taylor failed to do. Her heart was in the right place, but there could have been serious consequences to her hasty actions.

If Taylor had brought Turtle to social services or the police when she got her, then she would not have had all this trouble. I believe that Taylor should have taken Turtle to some place that could care for her properly. Taylor was just on the run and could not provide a good home for a child. Yet, I have to give her credit, she did everything to make sure that Turtle was taken care of. Turtle has made Taylor look at life through a different light. Through this, I believe that Kingsolver conveys how some things can change your life completely.

My views on adoption and Kingsolver's views are similar in some ways and different in others. Our views are similar in that we both agree Taylor only wants what is best for Turtle. Yet they are different in that we disagree about the action Taylor took to keep Turtle. I believe that she should have brought the child to the police or social services when she first got it.

She did not even know what she was going to do with her life and she took another person's life into her hands. I also do not believe that she should have broken the law when she adopted Turtle. She could have found an alternate way to keep Turtle. Taylor took the risk of losing the child she had grown to love, a risk I would not have taken. Kingsolver and I also agree that Taylor " she art was in the right place. She went from being just a girl to being a mother.

The change must have been hard, but she handled it with wisdom, and a positive attitude..