Full of Beans

“Move to New Jersey? I couldn’t imagine living anywhere but Key West! It was the only home I’d ever known.”

These lines of interior monologue from Beans let the reader know that he is a life-long Key Wester and that the possibility of his family moving to New Jersey takes him by surprise. It also contributes to his belief that grown-ups, even his parents, lie, as Beans pointedly asks his father if they might move away. Poppy tells Beans no—although Beans heard otherwise clearly the night before.

“But the kid wasn’t easy to brush off. If the dog was a termite, Too Bad was a flea.”

In these early chapters of the novel, the author “plants” several details that build in importance later. The dog that follows the Curry brothers, Beans and Kermit, will play a role in Beans’s character development late, as he comes to represent Beans’s conscience and his internal battle between good and bad choices. The introduction of Too Bad shows readers another example of a token Key West nickname, contributing to the character and flavor of the town, and establishes a minor personal conflict for Beans with a boy for whom he has little respect.

“Folks who lived near the fire alarm boxes had keys to set off the alarm. It was considered a big responsibility.”

This interior monologue from Beans establishes another key detail that will prove important in the story’s plot. It also suggests a dichotomy in how Beans might feel about Too Bad, whose family holds these keys; though Beans has little respect for Too Bad, he cannot deny that others trust Too Bad’s family with the important duty of ringing the fire alarm.

“So began my life of crime.”

A dramatic chapter cap ends the first section of the story, as Beans accepts the mystery job offer extended to him by Johnny Cakes. Beans shows through indirect characterization that he is a savvy 10-year-old, wise enough to the ways of the world to suspect Johnny Cakes of a less-than-ethical plan for him. When Winky publicly teases Beans about his vulnerability, however, Beans decides to take Johnny’s deal, motivated by the insult.

“You, sweet innocent children, are going to deliver this precious cargo to the fine establishments of our fair city. In your charming wagon, of course.”

These lines from Johnny Cakes as he explains the task he has in mind for Beans and Kermit demonstrate verbal irony, in which the speaker says the opposite of what they intend, often using sarcasm and understatement. Here, Johnny Cakes’s tone is almost lighthearted as he projects the image of a trick or simple deceit pulled on the people and authorities of Key West; his confidence also brims over as he assures Beans that no one will bother to stop two kids and a wagon.

“My good man […] you need to open your shutters […]. […] Because we want Key West to look hospitable.”

Despite his good intentions for the town’s people, Mr. Julius Stone, Jr. sets himself apart from the locals of Key West in several ways. For example, he represents the federal government, an entity that seems distant and far removed from daily life on the key. Here, he insists that a man open the shutters on his house for an improved cosmetic look and welcoming image, ignoring the practical concern of managing the extreme heat inside and revealing that he does not know how to deal with nesting scorpions outside.

“Did I mention Nana Philly was also our grandmother?”

In an early clue about Nana Philly, Ma jokingly tells Poppy they should leave her mother behind if the family does indeed end up in New Jersey. The reader recalls that detail here in Chapter 8 as Beans discusses Nana Philly’s malice and crass behavior. The reader sees her meanness when she throws a bucket of bloody water used to clean up gutted chickens all over Kermit, telling him he should not have been in the line of fire. Nana Philly is not exactly a kind and loving grandmother, and her image helps to further characterize some locals of Key West as tough and frank.

“My head snapped up. Five dollars? I’d be rich!”

This line of interior monologue further characterizes Beans indirectly. In the harsh daily existence and stilted economy of Key West, any cash promised is a blessing—and Johnny Cakes is promising a significant payout for ringing the fire alarm. It is notable that after Beans focuses his actions on making that money in a way that is carefully premeditated and carried out, he immediately wants to spend half on Ma’s hand cream, demonstrating Beans’s true conscience and good heart.

“I might just have to put you on my payroll permanently.”

Several chapters in Full of Beans contain standalone events or incidents that aim to establish atmosphere in the town or indirectly characterize Beans and other figures. This line from Johnny Cakes to Beans, however, indicates that the plot conflict involving Beans’s criminal activities will continue and develop as the story moves on.

“Ma joked that you couldn’t keep anything secret because of the ‘Conch Telegraph.’”

Beans refers here to the fact that Nana Philly heard through gossip that Poppy had no luck finding work in New Jersey. Indeed, this chapter leads with Poppy’s phone call and cloaked mention of how “nothing’s changed” (80); despite his careful words, Dot, Beans’s nemesis, hears on the party line and tells. This line of interior monologue also uses the term “Conch” to label the people of Key West; a conch is an edible marine mollusk, but the word also refers in the story to the first settler and long-time families of Key West. The term is still used today to denote a person born in Key West or who has lived there for a significant time.

“Rumor had it that the mysterious painter struck in the dark of night, like the mysterious Shadow on the radio show.”

Beans refers here to the “mysterious” subject who goes around the neighborhood labeling outhouses “Queen Dot’s Throne” in pink paint. His voice is verbally ironic here, as he is the one sneaking out at night and painting the message. He alludes to an old-time radio drama that aired from 1930 to 1935 and returned from 1937 to 1954. The show opened with the famous line, “Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows!” and featured a caped do-gooder who used his hypnotic powers to fight crime.

“I realized Avery was right. Mr. Stone was making a Hollywood movie called Key West. And he didn’t want any kids acting in the movie. We’d just been left on the cutting room floor.”

This chapter opens with a scene in which Avery, the painter of images for Mr. Stone’s brochures and travel posters, claims tourists will come if sold a good story. The extended metaphor continues with these lines of interior monologue from Beans. Mr. Stone makes it clear that neither stray dogs nor stray kids have any role in his storified version of Key West; he orders the dogs rounded up by dogcatchers and relegates the children to a swampy, overgrown “playground.”

“For the first time in my life, I wished a grown-up would lie to me.”

This chapter cap succinctly shows Beans’s fear that Kermit might die after the doctor diagnoses him with rheumatic fever. Before his discovery that Kermit is very ill, Beans jokingly claims, in trying to get Kermit up for school, that if Kermit is dead, he will have the room to himself. This unfortunate ironic statement increases Beans’s worry and guilt over his little brother’s illness.

“I wish I had better news, but I don’t.”

In a reminder of the tough times and constant pressure to find and keep work, this line from Poppy in his letter to Ma sums up his status. Though he left Key West for New Jersey, he has been unable to find work. His letter also indicates that he cannot afford to come home to see sick Kermit because he mentions borrowing money from his sister only if “things change” (112). This unwelcome news prompts Beans to keep Poppy’s letter a secret from Ma; instead of showing her the note, he uses the paper in the outhouse.

“This Depression was bearing down on my family like a hurricane.”

Beans’s voice is spare and forthright most of the time, so when he uses figurative language, it stands out in effective displays of imagery. This simile suggests how the economic hardships of the Depression seem to approach the Curry family with dangerous intensity; the mental image of a hurricane connotes dark and stormy colors and atmosphere as well.

“The lie tripped off my tongue.”

Here Beans uses metaphorical language to represent the idea of stumbling over his choices. He constructs a more-bold-than-usual lie about getting the money from Mrs. Higgs for the dress Ma made, followed by this fib about his injured feet. Ironically, Ma praises Beans for his actions, then tends to his sore feet.

“I took off running in my pajamas, faster than I’ve ever run in my life.”

Beans does not mention his emotions in this panicky passage, but his actions show indirectly that his fear and guilt are intense. His best pal’s home is burning, and when the firemen do not come, Beans knows it is his fault for ringing false alarms a few nights before. Without stopping to think it over, he runs to get the firemen himself.

“You are a true hero in our community.”

The irony is painful to Beans with these words from Cem in front of all his neighbors—especially Pork Chop and the rest of the Soldanos. Only Beans and Johnny Cakes know he is at fault for the extensive damage to the Soldanos’ house. It is even more ironic that Cem awards Beans with an honorary fire alarm key.

“Now I don’t know what to do! I don’t know if it would be worse if I told the truth or not!”

Beans admits his greatest internal struggle to the least likely person: his grandmother, Nana Philly, known mostly for her meanness to everyone. Ironically, Nana Philly cannot respond in words to Beans, nor can she gesture or move; a stroke left her recently incapacitated. Beans thinks she tells him with two blinks not to tell on himself, but after this advice, he only feels worse.

“At this point, it will take a genuine miracle to save this town.”

This line of dialogue from Mr. Stone to Beans supplies a suspenseful chapter cap; it also gives Beans one last chance to assuage his guilt over the fire at Pork Chop’s house. Soon, Beans gets the brainstorm to bring his peers on board the recovery effort for the sake of Key West. The line is the climax for both the town’s storyline and Beans’s internal conflict.

“Maybe all we needed was divinity.”

Beans tries to rally the children of Key West to help clean and prep the town for tourists, but no one except his gang and Too Bad agree to help for no payment. Beans does not lose hope and soon gets the idea to “pay” the kids in divinity, a candy treat supplied by Mrs. Albury that he loves. The line calls to mind Beans’s creative thinking talent and resourcefulness.

“We held our breath as the picture started rolling.”

This chapter cap continues the extended metaphor of Key West’s extensive cosmetic changes to lure tourists as a movie ready for audiences. The tourists’ arrival and a subsequent economic upturn for the Key are part of the falling action and resolution of the story. The imagery in the line connotes feelings of suspense and anticipation.

“What a smart little businessman you are. Even mothers need a vacation.”

This line from the anonymous reporter who comes to Key West for a story on its recovery gives Beans the idea for the Diaper Gang. Unlike his previous business ventures, this one develops with honest work, strong leadership, and skill. Six months later, the Diaper Gang is going strong.