The Bean Trees Lesson Plan

How does Taylor end up adopting Turtle? Do you think it was right of her to do it this way? Why or why not?

Taylor asks Estevan and Esperanza to pose as Turtle's parents and to sign their "rights" over to her in front of a notary. The plan works, and Taylor legally adopts Turtle. Some students may feel that this was right, or the best option available—they may say Turtle is better off with Taylor, and it would likely have been impossible to find her natural family. Others might argue that Taylor should have made the effort, and is denying Turtle a connection to her cultural heritage and background by not searching for family members.

Why does Esperanza have such a...