What signs are there that Turtle is beginning to recover? What is symbolic about the beans she buried in the garden?

In Chapter Eight, Turtle, the previously catatonic child, who has a history but no defining characteristics, emerges as a more three-dimensional character with her first noises and words. This also reflects the deepening relationship between Taylor and Turtle, as the unexpected caretaker begins to view her charge as less of a burden and more of an actual person and even a daughter. The beans serve as a symbol of Turtle's transformation.