Introduction
Every person needs to grow up with a sense of belonging to a family or community, a perspective deeply supported by the nurture theory of human development. In The Bean Trees, the author explores the importance of family and emotional support systems for those who are facing hardships. A beautiful and heartwarming moment in chapter seventeen, “Rhizobia,” is when Taylor explains to Turtle that she adopted her. It shows bonding between the two characters on a new level as even though Turtle knows that her biological mother passed, she now has someone to call ‘Ma,’ and that person is Taylor. It illustrates that even though Taylor understands that raising the girl would be a challenge, she is excited about their journey, especially since they have already gone through a lot together.
Taylor and Turtle’s Newfound Family
The relationship between Taylor and Turtle has been developing throughout the novel. Even though Taylor is a free-spirited young woman whose adventure began as a solo endeavor, her encountering Turtle on the journey made her reconsider everything she knew about life and family. She did not choose to be a mother and was somewhat forced to care for a child she knew very little about. The quote that describes Taylor’s experience the best is Mama saying that she doesn’t think that “blood’s the only way kids come by things honest. Not even the main way. It’s what you tell them, Taylor” (Kingsolver 236). This reassured Taylor that her decision to adopt Turtle was the right one and that she would be okay.
When the two have some time to kill in Oklahoma City, waiting for the paperwork to be completed, Taylor decides to tell Turtle the main news. Having spent some time with people who cared for her, the girl was no longer shy or quiet and rather talked up a storm, which is great to see considering her history. Taylor asks the girl whether she is hungry, and she responds that she is not. She asks what Turtle would like to do, and the girl says that she would like to see “Ma Woo-Ahn.” At this point, Taylor decides to tell Turtle about their official family status. She says, “Starting right now, you’ve got one Ma in the whole world. You know who that is? […] That’s me. […] But from here on in, I’m your ma, and that means I love you the most. Forever” (Kingsolver 239). Taylor’s conviction in her decision is strengthened by the deep love and care she feels for Turtle, which makes their conversation very beautiful.
The young child, although innocent and inexperienced, responds to love and friendship, which is illustrated in the way Turtle opens up to her newfound mother. For the most part of the novel, she is silent as if she decided that staying quiet would make her unnoticed and thus unmolested. However, her being chatty and happy when Taylor tells her the news is heartwarming, especially with her cute attempts of trying to repeat words after her Ma. “You and me, we’re sticking together. You’re my Turtle.” “Urdle,” she declared, pointing to herself. “That’s right. April Turtle Greer.” “Ableurdledear.” “Exactly.” (Kingsolver 239). This dialogue points to the immense positive influence that Taylor has on the girl, supporting the importance of nurture in child development.
The described moment speaks volumes about how love and care can transform the life of a person who has experienced abuse in life. It was hard for Turtle to trust people because prior to meeting Taylor, she was sexually abused. The young woman could only imagine how Turtle felt at those moments but decided never to let that happen again. When she tells the girl that she will be her mother officially, she declares her love and the intention to protect her, which is a beautiful and monumental point in their relationship.
Finally, it must be mentioned that the beauty of the described moment can be attributed to the overall idea of the novel and how it relates to motherhood and family. The charm of Kingsolver’s message to readers is that love and a sense of unity do not always come from a biological family, as there are life circumstances that make it impossible. Turtle was in desperate need of someone who would care for her and give her a sense of belonging, and fate gave her Taylor, LouAnn, Edna, Mattie, Estevan, and Esperanza, whom she could consider her acquired family.
Conclusion
To conclude, the beautiful moment when Taylor reveals that became Turtle’s legal mother is a peak point in their relationship, signifying a new chapter in their lives. During her journey, Taylor learns what it means to be a mother, such as being willing to do everything for their child, while Turtle learns what it means to be loved and cared for and have a family. It is important not how a person acquires a family but rather the commitment of people to maintain strong relationships and support one another.
Work Cited
Kingsolver, Barbara. The Bean Trees. Harper Perennial, 1988.