Lily In The Secret Life Of Bees

Have you ever had someone that has had a big impact on your life? We all have, and that even means book characters like Lily Owens. But, who is Lily Owens? She comes from “The Secret Life of Bees”, a book by Sue Monk Kidd. Taking place in the Summer of 1964 in South Carolina, Lily Owens lived with her father and housemaid, T-Ray and Rosaleen.

In The Secret Life of Bees, Sue Monk Kidd indirectly characterizes Lily as brave to demonstrate the narrator's growing maturity. After T-Ray rescues Lily from prison, they argue on the way back to their house. Once they return home, Lily slowly begins to rebel. “‘You don't scare me,’ I repeated, louder this time” (38). Two key points in the passage indirectly characterizes Lily. Firstlly, when Lily says, “You don’t scare me,” she daringly talks back to T-Ray. It clearly presents Lily as a rebellious child. Furthermore, Lily is portrayed as a more mature character because she was no longer scared of her father. Secondly, “I repeated, louder this time,” reveals that her boldness grew, and in that moment she fully committed to fight T-Ray. Through

"New beekeepers are told that the way to find the elusive queen is by first locating her circle of attendants." (57) This quote is at the beginning of chapter three and not only foreshadows many things to come, but within the quote, two of the novel’s main metaphors are mentioned, bees and the queen, which is referring to society and a mother figure. Although this quote is largely interpreted as a metaphor for Lily looking for a new queen or mother figure, and perhaps August being that mother, I believe that it has another meaning as well. I believe that the Black Madonna also serves as a “queen” and mother figure to all the women in “The Secret Life of Bees.”

When lily went to South Carolina she goes to a lady named August. August is very artifice. Lily stays at her honey house for several months with her aunt Rooselyn. As she lives there she goes through many adventures and meets a ton of new people. She meets her true love Zach and two sister of August named May and June. She finds out a lot about her mother. She finds out that her mother Deborah stayed at the same honey house. She also finds out that her mother ran away from T-Ray when he was abusive. At the end T-Ray finds Lily at Augusts house and he threatens her that she has to come back home with him. Lily fights and eventually convinces T-Ray that she is better off with August and forgives him.

Lily has been told her past and doesn’t know otherwise until she starts remembering things herself, and hears stories from May, August, and Rosaleen. Lily’s memories consist mostly of her mom, which is why she is so curious about her. For a while, Lily killing Deborah and Deborah leaving Lily and T. Ray, were memories that she

The classic tale of the hero's journey can be recognized in almost every situation. It is not only apparent through daily life and historical events, but in this circumstance, a fictional novel, as well. As an epic voyage, it can be recognized in the vast majority of books throughout the course of history. One specific example where it is carefully and intricately exhibited is in Sue Monk Kidd's novel, The Secret Life of Bees, in which a young woman's search for acceptance and the truth becomes a heart-warming chronicle. Through the obstacles and people she meets, Lily is able to experience the trials and self-fulfilling incidents that are required in the hero's journey she partakes in.

Lily and Rosaleen are both fighting and seeking a better life that doesn’t involve cruelty. What really got them moving out of the town they are living in is the danger they would face if Rosaleen got caught escaping from jail. Lily said to Rosaleen,

Ray permanently because of his harsh ways. For example, T. Ray always reminds Lily that it was her fault and she was the one who killed her mother. Deborah’s death causes Lily to feel guilty and embark on a journey to find out more about her mother’s life. Lily continues to link together her mother’s background with stories from different characters.

Rosaleen had the biggest impact on Lily's growth and development because Rosaleen stayed by Lily’s side her whole life and acted as a mother figure towards her in a time of need.

In addition to the Black Mary, Rosaleen showers Lily with love and support. Rosaleen treats Lily like she is her own daughter. Rosaleen accepts the way Lily is and has faith in her. "'Here you go. Happy Birthday" (28). Rosaleen cares about Lily and knows when something is important to her, like her Birthday. Lily never gets anything from T-Ray on her Birthday, but Rosaleen cares so much about her that she still gets Lily something. Rosaleen can tell when Lily is in pain or is sad like most mothers can. "'Well why don't we sit down on the side of the road awhile?'" (28). Rosaleen acknowledges the fact that Lily feels upset, and is comfortable expressing the need to rest and relax. Since Lily has known Rosaleen a long time she is comfortable expressing herself around Rosaleen and knows that Rosaleen will listen to her problems and insecurities. "'I was the only one who knew that despite her sharp ways, her heart was more tender than a flower skin and she loved me beyond reason'" (11). Rosaleen and Lily have a connection that most mothers and daughters have. They care

A Secret Life of Bees author and the director of the film, both had the same creative intention and wanted to have Lily missing someone important in her life. Lily lost her mother when she was very young and never was blessed with a motherly figure to grow up with. “I can't think of anything I'd rather have more than somebody lovin' me.”(Kidd 146). As Lily grows and learns, she realizes that she wants to have

Lily starts off stuck living in an unloving, abusive household and decides to free herself from the negative atmosphere that she had been living in her whole life. Lily is perpetually abused by her father. He forces her to kneel on Martha White's, gets exasperated every time she speaks, and yells at her for no reason. Lily is not the only one noticing the terrible treatment, Rosaleen does too. Once after Lily had to kneel on the Martha White's Rosaleen said to her, “Look at you, child. Look what he’s done to you” (Kidd 25). Noticing the unloving treatment Lily gets, Rosaleen knew that their household was demoralizing place for Lily to be in, which is why she didn’t question when Lily when she later runs away. Lily one day realizes she needs to do something about her horrible life at home. While sitting in her room she hears a voice in her

The Secret Life of Bees delineates an inspirational story in which the community, friendship and faith guide the human spirit to overcome anything. The story follows Lily Owens, a 14 year old girl who desperately wants to discover the cause of her mothers death. Her father T. Ray gives her no answers, which leads their maid, Rosaleen, to act as her guardian. Together, Lily and Rosaleen run away to Tiburon, South Carolina and find a welcoming community. It is in Tiburon that Lily learns many life lessons, including many about herself. In her novel The Secret Life of Bees, Sue Monk Kidd explores a theme of spiritual growth through Lily's search for home as well as a maternal figure.

She went out of her way to help Rosaleen escape from the hospital and help her be happy unlike others that would have seen Rosaleen as just a house maid and wouldn’t really care for her as much as Lily did. After this particular event happened in the story, a different impression on Lily came to my mind. I now see her as an overall strong person. I see her this way because despite her dealing with her Mom dying and having a rough life living with Dad, she still managed to push that away and helped others when she felt like they needed

The essence of the relationship between a mother and child is a mutual ascendency in regards to identity. Children are subject to an instinctive longing for a mother. It is the mother’s influence that guides them in their process of discovering all the realities the world posses and in that processing discerning their identity. Conversely when a woman becomes a mother the presence of her child causes her to evaluate and develop her identity under the pretense of motherhood. Paula Nicolson touches on the value of both these scenarios in her article “Motherhood and Women’s Lives” where she expresses how the mother child relationship gives the pretense for both parties to find their authentic identities (Nicolson). Sue Monk Kidd evaluates the