Take a story's temperature by studying its tone. Is it hopeful? Cynical? Snarky? Playful?
Friendly, Frank, and Funny
It's hard not to imagine that Barbara Kingsolver had Huckleberry Finn in mind when she created Taylor Greer. Like Mark Twain's infamous street kid, Taylor is clever, resourceful, and kind. And, while she may not have had the best education that money can buy, she has enough good heart and good sense to know when people are treating one another badly. As Taylor puts it herself:
"There may have been a world of things I didn't understand, but I knew when rudeness passed between one human being and another." (8.86)
Throughout The Bean Trees, Taylor's narration is consistently friendly and straightforward. She doesn't mince words or sugarcoat events, but she doesn't let heartbreak or cynicism cloud her language either. Although the novel deals with some truly disturbing and difficult issues, on the whole, it aims to keep its readers' spirits high.