In "The Bean Eaters," what is the couple doing while eating?
English · Middle School · Thu Feb 04 2021
Answered on
In the poem "The Bean Eaters" by Gwendolyn Brooks, the elderly couple is depicted as eating dinner together in their small dining room. The poem illustrates a simple and humble scene, focusing on their routine act of eating beans, which metaphorically suggests their modest means and a life of simplicity. As they eat, they are also reminiscing about the past. The couple is surrounded by memories and the remnants of their lives together, indicated by the items mentioned in the poem like "beads and receipts", "souvenirs", "tobacco crumbs, vases and fringes." The poem paints a picture of two lives deeply intertwined with each other through years of shared experiences.