Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Study guide The Bean Trees

For homework and classwork, write 5 sentences using the first 5 vocabulary words. Answer the first 6 study guide questions relating to Ch. 1. Read Chapters 2 and 3.


Study Guide for The Bean Trees, Barbara Kingsolver
1. Describe the “voice” or tone of the narrator.
2. How does Alice Greer compare to/contrast with Mr. Hardbine or Mr. Shanks in terms of parenting skills?
3. Why does Taylor leave Kentucky?
4. Describe Taylor’s reaction to the Cherokee Nation.
5. What is a “home”? How does Taylor’s definition of “home” change in Chapter One? (Think in terms of the comment she made in the letter to her mother about taking her “head rights” with her.)
6. How are women (or girls) treated in Chapter One?
7. Describe the shift in narration in Chapter Two. Who is telling the story now?
8. Why is it relevant that Lou Ann came from Kentucky?
9. How is Lou Ann different from Taylor?
10. Describe Angel.
11. How did Taylor react to Arizona? What made her decide to stay there?
12. Why does Taylor find “Jesus Is Lord Used Tires” and “1-800-THE-LORD” so humorous?
13. Compare/contrast Mattie’s garden to the Garden of Eden.
14. What is Lou Ann’s conflict in Chapter Four? How does she resolve it? What does this say about her character?
15. What does Chapter Four say about the bonds between women?
16. What does the Tug Fork water symbolize?
17. Describe Fei, La-Isha, and Timothy. How are they different from Lou Ann? Why does Taylor choose to live with Lou Ann instead of the others?
18. What does the description of Mattie’s garden in Chapter Six suggest?
19. Describe the attitude toward men on the part of the characters and author in Chapter Six.
20. How is Estevan different from the other male characters we’ve seen?
21. What does Mattie do for people like Estevan and Esperanza? What clues earlier in the story hinted at her activities?
22. What does the “Miracle of Dog Doo Park” refer to?
23. What does Taylor learn about Estevan and Esperanza’s past? How does this affect Taylor?
24. How does Taylor feel about Estevan?
25. How does Lou Ann demonstrate more confidence in herself in Chapters Ten and Eleven?
26. What does the snake symbolize in Chapter Twelve? Think about what is going on at home with Turtle…
27. What does the trapped bird symbolize?
28. What does Taylor learn about Turtle from the doctor?
29. What does the bird outside the window represent?
30. How does Taylor respond to the news that she has no legal claim over Turtle? How does Lou Ann respond? What perspective does Mattie bring to Taylor about parenting?
31. What does the Night-Blooming Cereus symbolize?
32. Describe what happens at the routine immigration check in Chapter Fourteen.
33. What changes have taken place at the Broken Arrow Motor Lodge?
34. What does Taylor discover about the Cherokee Nation in Chapter Fifteen that changes her impression of the area?
35. Why does Turtle bury her doll?
36. Describe what happens in Chapter Sixteen. What does this moment represent for Esperanza? What does Taylor mean when she says all of them buried someone they loved in Oklahoma?
37. Why does Taylor decide to call 1-800-THE-LORD? How does she feel about the conversation she has?
38. What does Taylor discover about wisteria? How is this discovery related to the theme of the novel?
39. What is a “family”? How does this novel ask you to question your definition of “family”?
40. How is “home” defined in terms of geography? How is it defined in terms of people?
In addition to these questions, we will also discuss several important quotations.
Themes we will discuss:
Themes are the fundamental and often universal ideas explored in a literary work.
1. The Shared Burden of Womanhood
2. The Plight of Illegal Immigrants
3. Respect for the Environment
Motifs we will discuss:
Motifs are recurring structures, contrasts, or literary devices that can help to develop and inform the text’s major themes.
1. Rebirth
2. Motherhood
Symbols we will be discussing:

Symbols are objects, characters, figures, or colors used to represent abstract ideas or concepts.
1. Beans and Bean Trees
2. Ismene
3. Birds
Vocabulary:
1. presume
2. ornery
3. indelible
4. repulse
5. transient
6. conniption
7. ascendant
8. reticent
9. apoplectic
10. meager
11. dilapidated
12. reverence
13. aptitude
14. pandemonium
15. picayune
16. invocation
17. perturbed
18. prudish
19. compulsion
20. gumption
21. deprivation
22. incarnate
23. dormant
24. pungent
25. noncommittal
26. befuddled
27. cantankerous
28. meandering
29. catharsis
30. rigamarole

41 comments:

  1. presume – to take for granted, assume, or suppose

    The teacher presumed that all the students would do well on their upcoming test, so she did not continue to review the topics.


    ornery – ugly and unpleasant in disposition or temper

    The teenager was declared an ornery troublemaker after an obnoxious outburst.


    indelible – making marks that cannot be erased, removed, or the like; that cannot be eliminated, forgotten, changed, or the like

    The indelible memories were haunting as she sat in the therapist’s office in silence.


    repulse – to drive back; repel; to repel with denial, discourtesy; refuse or reject

    The mother repulsed the idea that her son was involved in illegal drugs.


    transient – not lasting, enduring, or permanent; transitory; lasting only a short time; existing briefly; temporary

    The friendship was only transient, for the girls would not see each other again after that summer.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Angela Rollins

    1. presume- assuming something is a certain way.
    When he cracked the “your momma” joke, he presumed my mother was alive.

    2. ornery- bad tempered
    After his Dad walked out he became very ornery and would bully his classmates.

    3. indelible- memorable, hard to forget.

    That summer was indelible; I could never forget the scene of the sunset on the lake.

    4. repulse- you think something is disgusting or horrible.

    The surgery scene on the doctors show was repulsive.

    5. transient- something that last a short time or is constantly changing.

    The emotions in my house were transient; I could never be sure when someone was happy or furious.

    ReplyDelete
  3. 1. Presume: to assume true without truth.
    “My presumptuous brother thought that I had stolen his pencil without any proof whatsoever.”
    2. Ornery: cantankerous, stubborn, disagreeable.
    “The ornery child threw a temper tantrum when his mother told him it was time to leave the aquarium.”
    3. Indelible: having the quality of being difficult to remove, wash away, blot out, or efface; incapable of being canceled, lost, or forgotten.
    “‘Grass stains are so indelible,’” my mother whined after seeing my jeans.
    4. Repulse: tending to rouse aversion or to repulse;(physics) having the capacity to repel.
    “The I tried my best to choke down the repulsive meal.”
    5. Transient: adjective--passing or disappearing with time; transitory; remaining for only a brief time. Noun- Something which is transient; a transient phenomenon, especially an electric current; a very brief surge.
    “My mother assured me that the zit on my forehead was only transient.“

    ReplyDelete
  4. Presume: to take for granted, assume, or suppose
    Sentence: One is always presumed to be innocent until found guilty.

    Ornery: ugly and unpleasant in disposition or temper; stubborn
    Sentence: No one can get along with or win an argument with my ornery father.

    Indelible: cannot be eliminated, forgotten, changed or the like; making marks that cannot be erased, removed, or the like
    Sentence: A permanent marker contains indelible ink.

    Repulse: to drive back; repel
    Sentence: He tried to repulse people by having a loathsome attitude because he preferred to be alone that day.

    Transient: not lasting, enduring, or permanent; transitory; lasting only a short time; existing briefly; temporary
    Sentence: My residence at the hotel is transient while my apartment is being refurbished.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Vocab words:
    presume; to assume true without proof
    ornery; stubborn, disagreeable
    indelible; difficult to remove, wash away
    repulse; to reject
    transient; remaining for only a brief time


    She always presumes that someone doesn’t like her when she says something wrong.

    His friend seemed like he had an ornery sort of personality when he snapped at him for trying to change his mind.

    She beseeched her indelible tattoo to go away.

    The abuse towards the little baby can repulse even adults.

    Missy knew her time in Kentucky was transient.

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  6. 1. To dare without prior knowledge.
    Though he didn't get an invitation, he presumed he was invited to the party because it was being thrown by his cousin.
    2. Mean-spirited.
    My sisters ornery remarks are the reason she has no friends.
    3. Marks that can't be removed.
    My grandfather still shakes sometimes from the indelible memories of the World War II.
    4. To cause feelings of repulsion in.
    The movie had so much gore that my repulsed mother left half way through.
    5. Only lasting a short time.
    The transient guests overstayed their welcome after they made my grandfather pay their dinner bill.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Presume - To take for granted as being true in the absence of proof to the contrary.

    Ornery - To be ugly and unpleasant in disposition or temper.

    Indelible - Something that cannot be removed, washed away, or erased, making marks that cannot easily be removed.

    Repulse - to drive or beat back, repel. To repel by discourtesy, coldness, or denial.

    Transient - passing especially quickly into and out of existence, transitory passing through or by a place with only a brief stay or sojourn, affecting something or producing results beyond itself.

    ----

    We presumed the woman was innocent before her trial.
    His contorted face was just as ornery as his temper.
    Her lipstick made an indelible smudge on his cheek.
    The boy's unkind attitude repulsed the girl.
    Her mind was transient as she went in and out of consciousness.

    ReplyDelete
  8. 1.) Presume-take for granted that something existed or is in the case

    I presume that you’re tired after the 14 hour drive from Atlanta

    2.) Ornery – Stubborn
    The singer’s ornery mad it hard for the band to make progress

    3.) Indelible – not able to be forgotten or removed
    The memories of her bad childhood were indelible to Katherine

    4.) Repulse- refuse to accept
    The mother was repulse to her daughter’s excuse has to why she was late to dinner.

    5.) Transient- staying or working in a place for a short time
    The made was upset that they transient guests at the hotel left a big mess to clean up.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Ashley Lawson

    1.) Presume (v.)- To assume or suppose

    2.) Ornery (adj.)- Ugly or unpleasant

    3.) Indelible (adj.)- Marks that cannot be erased, removed, eliminated, forgotten, or changed

    4.) Repulse (v.)- To drive back or repel

    5.) Transient (adj.)- Not lasting, enduring, or permanent


    1.) Shall I presume that what happened to the little Indian girl will scar her for life?

    2.) The sight of the bruises everywhere on the little girl was ornery and unpleasant.

    3.) Bruises are not indelible, although the emotional pain will last forever.

    4.) Taylor tried hard to repulse from vomiting when she realized what had happened to the little girl.

    5.) Taylor’s stay at the motel is only transient; she will be leaving in the morning.

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  10. Presume:To take for granted as being true in the absence of proof to the contrary

    The judge presumed the case would be an easy one.


    Ornery:stubborn or vile-tempered

    She refused to baby sit any ornery children

    Indelible:Impossible to remove, erase, or wash away; permanent

    This Christmas will be indelible.

    Repulse:To drive back; repel.

    The smell of spinach is repulsive to some people.

    Transient:Passing with time; transitory

    my mother said that my mood swings were transient.

    ReplyDelete
  11. 1.) Presume- to assume without evidence

    The teacher presumed that the student would fail the exam because he did not study or get good grades in that class.

    2.) Ornery - stubborn, cantankerous.

    The man at the pawn shop was ornery with the employee because the man thought he should have got more money for what he was selling.

    3.) Indelible - unable to wash away

    The woman had an indelible stain on her dress from spilling fruit punch on it.

    4.) Repulse - To go back, repulsive

    The doctor felt repulsed when he saw an injured victim from a car crash because there were so many cuts and bruises.

    5.) Transient - To only stay for a short time

    My father was transient; he only stayed around for the first few months of my life.

    ReplyDelete
  12. 1. This is the right way to the castle, I presume.

    2. My ornery sister stomped on my foot when I told her that the carriage had already come and left.

    3. The indelible memory of the sight of that mangled child still haunts me.

    4. The sight repulsed as much on this day as it did all those years ago.

    5. The king held transient authority.

    ReplyDelete
  13. 1.) Presume- To suppose that something is the case on the basis of probability.

    The girl presumed that her dog was dead after a car had hit him.

    2.) Ornery- Bad-tempered, stubborn.

    The old man was mean and ornery; therefore no one talked or associated with him.

    3.) Indelible- Not able to be forgotten or removed.

    The movie left an indelible impression on me, so I had to see it again.

    4.) Repulse- To fail to welcome or refuse to accept an object.

    The boy left the party early because he had been repulsed.

    5.) Transient- Staying or lasting for only a short time.

    The teenagers father was upset by the way his daughter was acting, but his mother reassured him, saying that what she was going through was transient and that she would be back to normal in no time.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Erin Cotton
    Gamzon-vocabulary definitions and sentences

    1. Presume- to take for granted; assume
    -Looking at the woman, I presumed that she lived a very wild life.
    2. Ornery- ugly and unpleasant in disposition or temper
    -After sitting and talking with the manager for a while, I realized that he had an ornery attitude toward many things.
    3. Indelible- making marks that cannot be erased or removed
    -After the childhood that I had, it left an indelible mark on me emotionally.
    4. Repulse- to drive back; repel; to cause feelings of repulsion
    -Her attitude and demeanor was very nasty and it repulsed me.
    5. Transient- not lasting, enduring or permanent
    -After everything that we went through as children, my best friend became a transient fixture on my life.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Kaisean Roseboro
    Vocabulary words.

    Presume – to take for granted, assume, or suppose: “I presume you always put five dollars of gas in your gas tank when you put the fifty dollar bill instead.”

    Ornery-ugly or unpleasant: “I can’t say this was an ornery situation for the both of us.”

    Indelible -that cannot be eliminated, forgotten, changed, or the like: the indelible memories of prison makes me sick.”

    Repulse -to cause feelings of repulsion in: “my actions came back to me with a repulse.”

    Transient -not lasting, enduring, or permanent: the technology and lifestyle today may be transient; for our future is predicted.”

    Conniption -a fit of hysterical excitement or anger: “his PTSD has put him in a state of conniption.”

    Ascendant -a position of dominance or controlling influence: his ascendant speech made us feel like barbarians.”

    Reticent -disposed to be silent or not to speak freely: “in this topic, I choose to be reticent.”

    Apoplectic -of or pertaining to apoplexy: “a apoplectic turn.”

    Meager -deficient in quantity or quality; lacking fullness or richness; scanty; inadequate: “a meager amount of cash.”

    ReplyDelete
  16. Gabriela Julia

    Presume - to assume or suppose
    I presume you are exhausted after that irritating practice.

    Ornery – ugly or unpleasant in disposition
    Her ornery attitude caused negative behavior to spread throughout the younger classes.

    Indelible - making marks that cannot be erased
    The harsh words she spoke were indelible, and stayed in the back of her mind throughout the entire evening.

    Repulse – to drive back; repel
    She began to repulse any offers that did not appease her wishes.

    Transient – not lasting or enduring
    Her submissive demeanor was transient and went away in the matter of minutes.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Haris Heganovic

    Presume – to take something for granted or assume without any evidence
    Ornery – to be mean spirited, disagreeable, or stubborn
    Indelible – to be unforgotten, removed, or erased away
    Repulse – to drive back, reject with rudeness or denial
    Transient – to pass with short time only; temporary

    He always presumed that he was innocent in court because of there was no evidence held against him in the court of law.

    The whole soccer team was very ornery at me when the opposing team scored a goal on me again.

    Mario was indelible of what his life was like in Italy when he was a kid.

    The teacher was repulse against me because of her bad attitude with the bad students in the class.

    I was transient at my job at the factory for only a short temporary time
    because of the money.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I unintentionally presumed my mom who would make me breakfast and wash dishes afterwards, which resembled in her irritability.
    the small child I had to care for was highly ornery in public, thus causing me to forcefully remove and punish him later in private.
    I could no longer repulse the agony of spending forty minutes in integrated algebra.
    Since I am a fan of sharpie markers, I took my mothers water bottle and made indeliable and obvious scrpts, and caused her to infuriate with anger and annoyance.
    This disillusion I suffer through my high school career is only transient and all memories will hopefully be repressed when I embrace my freshman year of college.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Briyanna Brinkley
    Vocabulary

    1. Presume- to take for granted, assume, or suppose
    2. Ornery- ugly and inpleasant in disposition or temper
    3. Indelible- making marks that cannot be erased, removed
    4. Repulse- to drive back: repel
    5. Transient- not lasting, enduring, or permanent: transitory.

    I presume you had a good time with your friends at the party.

    No one can get along with ornery Lisa Wilson.

    His experience in prison left indelible nightmares with the young man.

    the scences in the new horror movie may repulse some younger viewers.

    Transient guests stayed in the hotel only two days and then left for their hometown.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Sam'antae Hardaway

    My friend Donyel is a very nice but ornery person at times

    The English teacher corrected my work very indelibly right before my eyes.

    Ashley presumed that I was done writing my story and snatched my paper away

    Floyd Mays had to repulse as his crush made him feel highly uncomfortable

    As Desia walked into her P.E. class she had a transient look with a boy from her earlier class

    Presume- To asume or suppose

    Ornery- Bad tempered or combative

    Indelibly- Making marks that cannot be removed

    Repulse- Drive back an enemy by force

    Transient –lasting only for a short time.

    ReplyDelete
  21. 1. Conniption: A fit of anger or panic; conniption fit.
    “’Don’t have a conniption fit!’ I urgently advised my friend.”
    2. Ascendant: Rising, moving upward, surpassing or controlling.
    “Michael Phelps, ascendant of many swimmers, recently won eight gold medals.”
    3. Reticent: Keeping one's thoughts and opinions to oneself; reserved or restrained.
    “As a child, Sally was a very reticent and quiet girl.”
    4. Apoplectic: Of, or relating to apoplexy, marked by extreme anger or fury.
    “I sighed and waited for my friend’s apoplectic breakdown to pass.”
    5. Meager: Having little flesh; lean; thin, poor, deficient or inferior in amount, quality or extent; paltry; scanty; inadequate; unsatisfying.
    “’What meager kisses your boyfriend gives you,’ I teased my friend.”

    ReplyDelete
  22. Conniption- a fit of hysterical excitement or anger

    Ascendant- a position of dominance or controlling influence; an ancestor

    Reticent- reluctant or restrained

    Apoplexy- a sudden, usually marked loss of bodily function due to rupture or occlusion of a blood vessel

    Meager- deficient in quantity or quality; lacking fullness or richness

    I had a conniption when I realized that green Day was coming to Rochester.

    I wish Thomas Jefferson were one of my ascendants so I could have gone on TV show and met all of my cousins.

    I refuse to be reticent when it comes to sitting next to Mawia, who happens to be more insane than myself.

    I experienced apoplexy when I learned that I had gotten a 76 on the math exam, because my IQ level isn’t usually sufficient enough for me to get a grade that decent.

    I am meager when it comes money, money situations or money gifts, basically money in general.

    ReplyDelete
  23. conniption – a fit of hysterical excitement or anger

    The woman was in a conniption when she found out the man was cheating on her and she burst out with a string of profanities.


    ascendant – a position of dominance or controlling influence: possession of power, superiority, or preeminence

    I was an ascendant when I worked as a teacher’s assistant over the summer, but I didn’t feel respected within the kids I was in charge of.


    reticent – disposed to be silent or not to speak freely; reserved

    He was a very reticent man, so when he spoke, it was known that he felt very strongly.


    apoplectic – intense enough to threaten or cause apoplexy
    apoplexy – a sudden, usually marked loss of bodily function due to rupture or occlusion of a blood vessel

    The accident was extremely apoplectic and the doctor’s weren’t sure if the paralysis of the man’s lower body would ever be curable.


    meager – deficient in quantity or quality; lacking fullness or richness; scanty; inadequate

    The salary was a bit meager, but the woman decided that she’d take the job and try to make ends meet.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Haris Heganovic

    Conniption- a fit of rage, hysteria, or delusional

    My brother went into conniptions when I didn’t let him drink soda in the house.

    Ascendant- rising, or in a state or position of dominant power or importance

    Hanks career was ascendant when his boss moved him to be a manager of the business.

    Reticent- inclined to be silent or uncommunicative in speech or restrained in expression

    The class became very reticent when the teacher raised her voice at the class.

    Apoplectic- cause of a stroke or affected with symptoms of a stroke

    The old woman was apoplectic when her blood couldn’t pass through her neck and
    she couldn’t breathe.

    Meager- having little flesh or lacking desirable qualities such as richness or strength

    The homeless people on the street led a meager life without any education or money in their lives.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Shannon Kalia

    Discussion Questions (1-6)

    1.) The narrator’s voice takes place from the point of view of the protagonist, Taylor Greer, and switches into third person point of view when another character, Lou Anne, enters the story. The tone of the narrator seems very young when it’s from point of view of Taylor, because in the beginning of the novel, she is just a teenager, at about seventeen years old. The tone is very relaxed, and it’s easy to understand because you can imagine what the setting is like because you see it through the eyes of the narrator. It has a bit of a country tone too it, because the protagonist is from the southern state of Kentucky, and then travels to Arizona, Tuscon, and Oklahoma.

    2.) Both Mr. Hardbine and Mr. Shanks were not very wealthy, and their family was poor. The Hardbines’ had kids “…just about as fast as they could fall down a well and drown.” Mr. Hardbine was abusive and killed his son, and Mr. shanks was mean and called his daughter a slut all the time, damaging her self esteem.

    3.) Taylor Greer leaves Kentucky just to travel to different places, and to discover what she wants to do with her life. She additionally wants to escape her small town where most girls get pregnant in high school and, according to Taylor, are “…dropping by the wayside like seeds of a poppyseed bun.”

    4.) Taylor doesn’t really like the Cherokee Nation. It’s not very busy, and is just a bunch of flat plains of land. She even writes in a postcard to her mother that the ‘…Cherokee Nation is crap.” And that she’s going to travel further west.

    5.) At first, Taylor believes a home as a place you physically live in, like Kentucky or her house. At the end, her opinion changes and she thinks it’s when you have a relationship with someone, like when she finds Turtle.

    6.) In Chapter One, women and young girls are not treated very well. They aren’t discriminated against or anything, but it’s obvious that they are not as respected as males. They are expected to get pregnant in high school, and then drop out. Taylor says in the book that it’s an accomplishment just to graduate, and that usually by senior year there are two boys for every girl.

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  27. Donyel Jackson




    Presume: to take for granted, assume, or suppose

    I presume you’re tired after the baseball game.


    Ornery: ugly and unpleasant in disposition or temper

    The 10th grade teacher is a very ornery woman.

    Indelible: making marks that cannot be erased, removed, or the like

    the thoughts of the war are indelible

    Repulse: to drive back; repel

    The sudden stop of the car made me repulse

    Transient: not lasting, enduring, or permanent; transitory.

    My cousin’s visit was very transient

    ReplyDelete
  28. Temielle Floyd-Fruster 1/5/10



    1.Presume
    I presume to go to the mall when my parents says no.



    2. ornery
    I can never do anything without my ornery sister.

    3.Indelible
    I hate when I get indelible ink on my clothes


    4.Repulse
    The movie Final Destination Three may repulse many of my friends.


    5.Transient
    I hate all the transient kids at my school


    6.Conniption
    My friends conniption feelings are very confusing


    7.Ascendant
    The soldiers in the ascendant soon will win the war.


    8.Reticent
    I was very reticent in class today.


    9.Apoplectic
    The kids who picked on Rita gave her an apoplectic rage


    10.Meager
    I can tell the dog was a stray his body was meager with hunger.

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  29. Haris H. and Carolyn W.

    1. Describe the “voice” or tone of the narrator.
    Sounds kind of Southern

    2. How does Alice Greer compare to/contrast with Mr. Hardbine or Mr. Shanks in terms of parenting skills?
    She praises Taylor and encourages her.

    3. Why does Taylor leave Kentucky?
    Because she’s tired of the town and pregnancy epidemic. Plus the mountainous lands, so she didn’t like Kentucky very much.

    4. Describe Taylor’s reaction to the Cherokee Nation.
    She begins to laugh when she first arrived and she was glad that’s he was Cherokee. Then she thinks the Cherokee Nation is crappy.

    5. What is a “home”? How does Taylor’s definition of “home” change in Chapter One? (Think in terms of the comment she made in the letter to her mother about taking her “head rights” with her.)
    Home is where the heart is. When she thinks of head rights, she probably means it’s where she found her place.

    6. How are women (or girls) treated in Chapter One?
    They are seen as just useful for getting pregnant.

    7. Describe the shift in narration in Chapter Two. Who is telling the story now?
    It is in third person. Lou Ann Ruiz is telling the story now.

    8. Why is it relevant that Lou Ann came from Kentucky?
    Because Taylor is from Kentucky.

    9. How is Lou Ann different from Taylor?
    Lou Ann isn’t sarcastic or non-pregnant. Lou is sort of inquisitive and sort of curious.

    10. Describe Angel.
    Angel is her husband. He is Mexican. He’s kind of proud, and accusing. He has a prosthetic leg due to the accident he was in and eventually leaves Lou Ann.

    11. How did Taylor react to Arizona? What made her decide to stay there?
    She liked Arizona, she thought it was too goofy an too much. The way the setting looked towards her enticed her and she liked it.

    12. Why does Taylor find “Jesus Is Lord Used Tires” and “1-800-THE-LORD” so humorous?
    Because she wanted to call the Lord to see who’d she get.

    13. Compare/contrast Mattie’s garden to the Garden of Eden.
    There were a lot of tires and rabbits having sex.

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  30. Dilapidated- to fall in despair or ruin
    Kim knew her computer was severely dilapidated from the water when her computer screen went blank

    Reverence- deep respect for someone or something
    Being silent was a way to show reverence when the clan leader spoke

    Aptitude- natural ability to do something
    The softball coach was impressed at the rookie’s ability to throw a baseball.

    Pandemonium- wild and noisy disorder or confusion
    After the rock concert a large pandemonium broke out among the people.

    Picayune- worthless
    John didn’t want to seem picayune by criticizing.

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  31. Haris Heganovic

    Dilapidated – decayed, deteriorated, or fallen into partial ruin

    Reverence – honor or respect or a bow of respect

    Aptitude – a natural ability or capacity for learning

    Pandemonium – destruction, havoc or the infernal regions
    or a wild uproar

    Picayune – a Spanish half real price formerly current in the South or something trivial

    The deer was dilapidated while on the street when a couple of days passed by.

    The servant showed a great amount of reverence when he bowed down before the king.

    The magician had a great type of aptitude to peform his magic tricks in front of his audience on stage.

    During the Watts Riot in the 1960s, pandemonium was spreading through the fights and killings in the streets of Los Angeles.

    Johnny was in the South and used picayunes since that was the southern money currency.

    ReplyDelete
  32. 1. Dilapidated-reduced to or fallen into partial ruin or decay, as from age, wear or neglect
    -Over the years, I watched my grandmother become very dilapidated in more ways than one.
    2. Reverence-a feeling or attitude of deep respect tingled with awe; veneration
    -I show much reverence to Barak Obama for being the first African American president of the United States.
    3. Aptitude-capability; ability
    -My aptitude for electronics and computers is very high.
    4. Pandemonium-wild uproar or unrestrained disorder; chaos
    -Pandemonium broke out in the cafeteria because of the fight that was going on.
    5. Picayune-of little value or account
    -The pawnshop worker thought the diamond ring was picayune, but to his knowledge it was worth thousands of dollars.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Sam’antae Hardaway 2/9/10


    Conniption- a fit of rage or hysterics

    Ascendant- rising in power or influence

    Reticent- not revealing ones thoughts or feelings

    Apoplectic- overcome with anger, extremely indignant

    Meager- lacking in quality or quantity


    I was on my way to see my father in his office and I had a conniption when I saw Lauren kissing Cordell.

    The reformers are in the ascendant.

    Josh was very reticent for some reason after his weekend with The Jackson 5ive.

    I was apoplectic when my younger brother spilled orange juice in my Jordan sevens.

    Mason’s bundle of money was quite meager even after he ran his daily paper route

    ReplyDelete
  34. Dilapidated- to squander; waste
    Don’t dilapidate the rest of that candy bar!

    Reverence- a gesture indicative of deep respect
    My shirt says the word ‘reverence’ on it and when I walk down the hallway every nod their head because they know what I mean.

    Aptitude- innate or acquired capability for something
    I took an aptitude test and the results suggested I become a woman of the night.

    Pandemonium- wild uproar or unrestrained disorder
    My 15th birthday caused massive pandemonium since I threw a gangsta party.

    Picayune- petty, carpeting or prejudiced
    Don’t be picayune towards black people!

    Invocation- any petitioning or supplication for aid
    I need invocation when it comes to math.

    Perturbed- to throw into great disorder; derange
    I was perturbed when I was watching Law & Order: SVU.

    Prudish- excessive proper or modest in speech, conduct and dress etc.
    Some kid called me prudish because I walk with swagg

    Compulsion- governed by an obsessive need to conform,
    I experience compulsion when it comes to a damn good book. I just cannot put that book down.

    Gumption- initiative, aggressiveness, resourcefulness
    They say to have gumption when you face this kid, but I’m just going to run like hell when he comes up the street,

    ReplyDelete
  35. 14. Lou Ann’s mom and grandmother want her to come back with them, but she doesn’t because Nagel is coming back. She resolves it by staying. This says that she is very resistant about her character.

    15. Chapter four says that’s sometimes women argue and get angry at each other, but no matter what the bond women shares are unbreakable. (Unless one of them steals their husband or something.)

    16. Tug Fork water symbolizes, maybe, Angel’s and Lou Ann’s marriage and how its going own the drain, just like the Tug Fork water.

    (doing the rest at home, try to post tomorrow)

    ReplyDelete
  36. Taylor Rugg February 11, 2010
    The Bean Trees questions


    1. Describe the “voice” or tone of the narrator.
    The tone of the narrator is very childish at first, with the fear of filling a tire and the uncertainty of whether she wants a job or not. But once Taylor decides to leave home, her “voice” changes to be more mature.

    2. How does Alice Greer compare to/contrast with Mr. Hardbine or Mr. Shanks in terms of parenting skills?
    Alice Greer is a big part of her daughter’s life and doesn’t try to control Taylor’s childhood, but supports her.

    3. Why does Taylor leave Kentucky?
    She leaves Kentucky because she wants a change of scenery and she thinks that it’d benefit her to leave and start somewhere new.

    4. Describe Taylor’s reaction to the Cherokee Nation.
    Taylor’s reaction is that it’s plain and cliché; she makes a comment that her ancestor was right to have left because the Cherokee Nation is a place that you go to only if you are escaping someone or your life is in danger.

    5. What is a “home”? How does Taylor’s definition of “home” change in Chapter One? (Think in terms of the comment she made in the letter to her mother about taking her “head rights” with her.)
    A home is the place that you can go where you are comfortable and content; you don’t feel like you are judged there and you feel like you belong. Taylor’s definition of “home” changes because she no longer wants to be in Kentucky, where she has grown up, but she wants to find her own way and settle down in a place that she chooses. She writes to her mother saying she’s taking her “head rights” with her because she has accepted the Indian in her.

    6. How are women (or girls) treated in Chapter One?
    Women are not looked at as equals, which isn’t so unusual where Taylor’s grown up.

    7. Describe the shift in narration in Chapter Two. Who is telling the story now?
    Lou Ann is the narrator in Chapter Two, instead of Taylor.

    8. Why is it relevant that Lou Ann came from Kentucky?
    It’s relevant because she is from the same hometown that Taylor is from.

    9. How is Lou Ann different from Taylor?
    Lou Ann is different because she is soft spoken and doesn’t have any confidence. Taylor is like a firecracker, with a sarcastic sense of humor and smart-ass remarks if she feels it’s necessary, but she is opinionated and doesn’t mind asking questions.

    10. Describe Angel.
    Angel is Lou Ann’s husband who leaves her right before their child is born. He is an ex-rodeo man with a prosthetic leg from the knee down. He is not very considerate of Lou Ann’s feelings, especially when he leaves without saying a word to her.

    ReplyDelete
  37. 11. How did Taylor react to Arizona? What made her decide to stay there?
    She finds Arizona a lot more welcoming than she found Oklahoma because she didn’t like Oklahoma since it was all plains with no hills.

    12. Why does Taylor find “Jesus Is Lord Used Tires” and “1-800-THE-LORD” so humorous?
    She finds this humorous because there’s nothing that involves Jesus in them.

    13. Compare/contrast Mattie’s garden to the Garden of Eden.
    Mattie’s garden is very welcoming and overflowing with all different types of fruits and vegetables. The Garden of Eden is also very overflowing and beautiful, but in Mattie’s garden, you are welcome to whatever she is, whereas the Garden of Eden had limitations.

    14. What is Lou Ann’s conflict in Chapter Four? How does she resolve it? What does this say about her character?
    Lou Ann’s conflict is that her mother and grandmother are in town and they do not know about Angel. She resolves this by having him stop by to pretend he still lives there and not mentioning anything to her family. This says that her character is meek and doesn’t stand up to people well, especially her family.

    15. What does Chapter Four say about the bonds between women?
    Chapter Four describes the bonds between women as very heavy and prominent, like a weight in the air that you can feel even after they are gone.

    16. What does the Tug Fork water symbolize?
    It symbolizes that the baby is a part of the family and that he’s expected to be baptized in the same way that the rest of Lou Ann’s family was.

    17. Describe Fei, La-Isha, and Timothy. How are they different from Lou Ann? Why does Taylor choose to live with Lou Ann instead of the others?
    These characters are very much like stereotypical hippies. Lou Ann is very talkative and friendly, making Taylor feel at home at once, whereas when she went to check the rent for Fei, La-Isha, and Timothy, she felt like an intruder and very awkward. Taylor chooses to live with Lou Ann because she is more comfortable to be around.

    18. What does the description of Mattie’s garden in Chapter Six suggest?
    It suggests that Mattie takes good care of her garden and she enjoys her gardening a lot.

    19. Describe the attitude toward men on the part of the characters and author in Chapter Six.
    Lou Ann still feels love for Angel and despite her tries, she cannot feel true anger towards him because she won’t accept that there’s nothing she could’ve done. Taylor is very choosy with the men in her life.

    20. How is Estevan different from the other male characters we’ve seen?
    Esteven is very literate and polite, with easy conversation and a sweet way with words.

    ReplyDelete
  38. 21. What does Mattie do for people like Estevan and Esperanza? What clues earlier in the story hinted at her activities?
    Mattie houses these people when they do not have a place to stay. The clues that are hinted are through dialogue that Estevan has with Taylor.

    22. What does the “Miracle of Dog Doo Park” refer to?
    This refers to how one thing seems like it won’t be anything more than ugly or bland, and then it turns out to be beautiful.

    23. What does Taylor learn about Estevan and Esperanza’s past? How does this affect Taylor?
    She learns that Esperanza’s brother was killed in a raid, as well as two other men. She also learns that the government took their daughter away and they never got her back. Estevan and Esperanza leave Guatemala and are not laying low at Mattie’s house.

    24. How does Taylor feel about Estevan?
    She feels a strong attraction for him; his proper English, his ease of conversation, and the feeling that she gets around him.

    ReplyDelete
  39. Angela Boyle
    11. dilapidated-Having fallen into a state of disrepair or deterioration, as through neglect; broken-down and shabby.

    The old Manor was dilapidated, and no one cared.

    12. reverence- honor or respect felt or shown.

    At my Uncle Johns wake,we all showed reverence as we remembered him together.

    13. aptitude- capacity for learning

    The entire class had to take an aptitude test before entering college.

    14. pandemonium- the infernal regions

    No one wanted to end up in pandemonium.

    15. picayune- something trivial

    High school is the epitome of picayune.

    16. invocation- a formula for conjuring

    Some people try using invocation for the wrong reasons.

    17. perturbed-to throw into confusion

    Anthony was perturbed by his teachers question about the book The Bean Trees.

    18. prudish-Marked by or exhibiting the characteristics of a prude

    People often make it seem like being prudish is a bad quality to have.

    19. compulsion-an irresistible persistent impulse to perform an act
    Ashley eats vanilla ice cream with hot fudge with compulsion.

    20. gumption- enterprise, initiative

    Jewels had shown much gumption towards the end of her teen years.

    21. deprivation-an act or instance of loss.

    Food deprivation is a very serious problem in third world countries.

    22. incarnate- invested with bodily and especially human nature and form

    Incarnate is a very hard word to put into a sentence.

    23. dormant- temporarily devoid of external activity

    There are many dormant volcanoes all over the world.

    24. pungent- sharply painful

    The are omitted a very distinct, pungent odor.

    25. noncommittal-giving no clear indication of attitude or feeling

    The entire conversation had a very noncommittal feel.

    26. befuddled- confuse, perplex

    Angela was befuddled with the assignment given to her.

    27. cantankerous-difficult or irritating to deal with

    Some students are cantankerous.

    28. meandering-to wander aimlessly or casually without urgent destination.

    When I get bored i am very meandering.

    29. catharsis- purification or purgation of the emotions (as pity and fear) primarily through art

    SOTA is a great place for catharsis.

    ReplyDelete
  40. Evan bartter

    1.Presume: to take for granted, assume, or suppose
    The Teacher presumed that I was late just because I woke up late not because stuff has been crappy lately

    2. Ornery: Ugly and unpleasant in disposition or temper
    No one wants to be around my very ornery Uncle

    3. Indelible: Making marks that cannot be erased, removed
    The ink was ink was indelible when the kid got it on his clothes

    4 Repulse: To drive back; repel:
    My brother repulsed every girl that came around.

    5 Transient: Not lasting, enduring, or permanent
    When I got my first paycheck I found out it can be very transient

    ReplyDelete
  41. Angela Boyle
    1. Describe the “voice” or tone of the narrator.
    It begins wish a childish feel, and then slowly becomes more mature.

    2. How does Alice Greer compare to/contrast with Mr. Hardbine or Mr. Shanks in terms of parenting skills?
    Alice is very much involved in her daughters life. She doesn't try to control her daughters life, instead, she supports her.


    3. Why does Taylor leave Kentucky?
    She leaves because she thinks that it will be the best thing for her future, and because she doesn't want to be in the same place anymore.

    4. Describe Taylor’s reaction to the Cherokee Nation.
    She doesn't really like it. She says that she now understands why her family left.

    5. What is a “home”? How does Taylor’s definition of “home” change in Chapter One? (Think in terms of the comment she made in the letter to her mother about taking her “head rights” with her.)
    I think home is where the heart is. While that's is a total cliche' i believe it to be true. You have top be comfortable where you call home. Her definition of home changes because she no longer has a definite home. She wants to change where her home is located. And the comment about her headrights just shows that she is embracing a new place and another part of herself.

    6. How are women (or girls) treated in Chapter One?
    They are treated quite poorly. Unequally, but that was normal in Taylors town and in her time period.

    7. Describe the shift in narration in Chapter Two. Who is telling the story now?
    The story goes from a stong personiality to a weak one. Lou Ann Ruiz is now telling the story.

    8. Why is it relevant that Lou Ann came from Kentucky?
    Because shes from the same town as Taylor.

    9. How is Lou Ann different from Taylor?
    Lou Ann is much weaker and much quieter than Taylor.

    10. Describe Angel.
    Angle is a mean person who never listens to his wife, or asks her how she is. All he does is complain. He is quite heartless, seeing how he just left his wife while she was pregnant, without even saying anything to her.

    ReplyDelete

Montana 1948 Readings/Natalie Goldberg Test 1 "I remember"

  Montana 1948 Readings/Natalie Goldberg Test 1 "I remember" Marcy Gamzon • Sep 21 (Edited Sep 21) 100 points Due Tomorrow AGENDA:...