Although it's fine to say that "education" is a major theme in The Bean Trees, it would actually be more correct to say that the book is interested in miseducation. Throughout the novel, Taylor realizes time and again that the limited education she received in Pittman County, Kentucky hasn't taught her much about the world. In fact, one of the novel's clearest messages is that miseducation helps to perpetuate social injustice by keeping people in the dark about the forces that shape and control their lives. Are you evaluating your schooling experiences yet?
Questions About Education
- How much historical knowledge does Taylor seem to have about Indigenous-colonial relations in North America? For instance, what exactly does she know about Cherokee history?
- Towards the end of the novel, when Taylor reflects on her high school history books, what is it about them that upsets her? Should we take that to say more about Taylor, or about the state of U.S. education?
- How does Taylor's limited education affect her friendship with Estevan? What about her friendships with Lou Ann and Mattie?
Chew on This
Not one, but two kinds of ignorance appear in The Bean Trees: the kind that comes from prejudice and bigotry, and the kind that simply comes from lack of knowledge. Whereas characters like Granny Logan and Virgie Mae Parsons demonstrate the first kind, women like Taylor and Lou Ann demonstrate the second. Taylor may not know a lot about the world, but one of the strengths of her character is that she is willing to learn.
Through her friendship with Estevan and Esperanza, Taylor begins to realize how little she knows about America's actions in the big wide world. Taylor's real education doesn't happen in school: she learns her most important lessons from the friends and role models in her life.