Seedfolks Man and the Natural World Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #1

My class had sprouted lima beans in paper cups the year before. I now placed a bean in each of the holes. I covered them up, pressing the soil down firmly with my fingertips. I opened my thermos and watered them all. And I vowed to myself that those beans would thrive. (1.8)

Kim is the first character to take a stab at planting her own little garden. And thank goodness she decides to go interacting with nature, because otherwise this garden may never have gotten started. Kim may be young, but she's learned all the ingredients for planting her beans. Just give the girl some soil, some water, and some beans, and she'll get that garden going.

Quote #2

I stooped down. It was wet there and easy digging. I hacked and dug, but didn't find anything, except for a large white bean. I tried a new spot and found another, then a third. Then the truth of it slapped me full in the face. I said to myself, "What have you done?" Two beans had roots. I knew I'd done them harm. (2.5)

When Ana starts digging up Kim's lima beans, she realizes she's done something really bad. In fact, her one little action could totally mess up Kim's budding beans. Remember how Kim shows us back in chapter 1 that she has the ability to get plants started? Well, Ana has just reminded us that humans can destroy nature, too.

Quote #3

It was a weekend in May and hot. You'd have thought that those beans were hers. They needed water, especially in that heat. She said the girl hadn't come in four days—sick, probably, or gone out of town. (3.9)

Ana is super worried about Kim's plants, and she wants Wendell to help save them. Without water, those poor little beans are going to die. This reminds us that the plants can't necessarily survive on their own. These little lima beans need time and effort from Ana and Wendell if they're going to grow.