Theme of fear in the "Bean Trees" by Barbara Kingsolver.

Essay by eric674High School, 11th gradeA, January 2006

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"The Bean Trees" by Barbara Kingsolver tells the riveting tale of Taylor Greer as she heads west from Kentucky to find a new life in Arizona. Throughout the course of the book, Lou Ann, Taylor and Esperanza all overcome irrational fears and phobias. Lou Ann overcomes her fear of losing Angel, Taylor overcomes her fear of tires, and Esperanza overcome her fear of losing Turtle. There are many examples of other fears presented during the novel.

Lou Ann overcomes irrational fears and phobias in the book, the main fear she overcomes is her fear of losing Angel. One example of this is can be seen when she wakes up the day after her mother and grandmother leave. "He moved around there for quite a while before he said anything to Lou Ann, and it struck her that his presence was different from the feeling of women filling up the house.

He could be there, or not, and it hardly made a difference." (63). This shows that Lou Ann was getting over Angel, no longer caring whether he was there or not. Another example of Lou Ann getting over Angel is in ch.6 when she agrees with Taylor cynicism against men.