Final answer:
Taylor compares the second-hand store 'New To You' to her mother's family because the store offers a variety of choices, unlike a family where relations are not chosen. This emphasizes her desire for independence and choice in shaping her life.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the book The Bean Trees, Taylor says that the store 'New To You' was just like Mama's people, only you had more choice about what you got because the store offered a variety of previously owned goods that one could choose from, much like a family, where you don't get to choose the members you're related to. This analogy captures Taylor's sense of agency and independence, choosing what she can from the store's collection as opposed to the given nature of one's family.
To elaborate, Mama's people, meaning family, are those to whom you are inherently connected without choice. On the other hand, at 'New To You,' Taylor can sift through items and decide which ones she wants to incorporate into her life, symbolizing her desire for control and selectivity in her personal journey which contrasts with the lack of choice inherently present in the composition of one's family.