Secret Life Of Bees Essay

In this world, there will always be that one phase in life when a human face what the major of our society called as growing up. During that phase, the human will have to face a lot of element. Sue Monk Kidd’s “Secret Life of Bees” narrates a story of a girl named Lily who develops herself through others during her journey to find the truth about her mother.

T. Ray breaks the news that Lily’s mom had left Lily with him and had come back to pack up her stuff when the big argument between he and Lily’s mom happened. At that point, Lily has enough of T. Ray, so she starts to have a mini-mental breakdown. Amidst the chaos going on inside her mind, she hears a voice say, “Lily Melissa Owens, your jar is open” (41). That little voice means all the difference in the world to Lily. To Lily, it is as if her mother is saying to leave T. Ray and start a new life. Right then she knows that she has to

For example, only a few weeks after staying in the pink house, August asks Lily what she loves, Lily responds, “‘And since coming here, I’ve learned to love bee’s and honey.’ I wanted to add, And I love you, I love you, but I felt too awkward,” (Kidd, 140). Lily tells August about the many things that she loves, she even wants to communicate her deep admiration for August but is unable to. August is like a mother figure to Lily also because she cares a lot about her and provides Lily with a kind of support and love that no one has ever expressed to her. For example, when Lily finally tells August about how she killed her mother and expresses how she feels unlovable, August consoles her and ensures her that she is admirable. “‘That’s a terrible, terrible thing for you to live with. But you’re not unlovable. Even if you did accidentally kill her, you are still the most dear, most lovable girl I know,” (Kidd, 242). Throughout her entire life, T. Ray never cared enough to emotionally support Lily, and Rosaleen’s personality was too snarky for her to understand Lily’s position. Lily finally has someone to talk to and releases all her pent-up guilt, regret, and pain to August. August and the sisters of Mary also provide Lily with a sense of motherly instinct and protection. For example, when T. Ray tries to come and take Lily back to the peach farm, they all stand up for her and protect her from her

Lily feels alone in this world. She is ostracized at school, treated with an absence of love and lives day to day knowing that she has committed irreversible acts. When she thinks about her mother all of these complications melt away in the warm allure she feels.

Finally, Lily had built up the courage to leave when she heard a voice declare to her: “Lily Melissa Owens, your jar is open” (41). while she was looking at her jar with a bee imprisoned inside it. When Lily’s “jar” opened, she was able to escape her life with T. Ray and receive the freedom she’s desired, similar to how the bee would escape when its’ “jar is open”. Lily had matured because she was doing what she desired. Being free, Lily shed T. Ray’s imprisonment.

According to Lily “People who think dying is the worst thing don’t know anything about life.” (2) The Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd is a coming-of-age written novel. Sue Monk Kidd also wrote other books such as, the Mermaid Chair, and the Invention of wings. This novel took place in 1964, in South Carolina in two towns called, Sylvan and Tiburon, during the civil rights movement. The protagonist and narrator of this novel is Lily Owens, she is 14 and is rejected by her parents. T. Ray Owens (lily’s father) is the antagonist, which is cruel. In this novel there is cruelty that you will see throughout the novel and parts of the novel you will experience a show of hope.

Lily overhears a conversation between June Boatwright and August, where June explains that the color of her skin matters and that she does not belong in the Boatwright house “but she’s white, August” (5, 87). Lily “[wants] to make [August] love [her] so [she could stay in the pink house] forever” but she knows that she will never truly “belong”, because she is not the same as theirs. Another example of this is during the weekly meeting of the Daughter of Mary, each member and sister would go up to the Statue of Mary and touch her heart. Lily took part in this ritual and as it was her turn to go touch Mary’s heart, June turned off the music and lily again realized “I am not one of [them]” (6, 111). Lily desires to be a part of their family, but she struggles with the feeling of being an outsider. At the end of the novel, lily is faced with a demand from her father T.Ray to come “home”, lily then realizes that physical home is not “home”, she belongs in the Boatwright house “ Lily can have a home here for as long as she wants” (14,

In The Secret Life of Bees, author Sue Monk Kidd, portrays the transformation of Lily Owens from a child burdened with the guilt of her mother's death to a strong and confident young woman, as a result of living with May, Rosaleen, and August. Lily, burdened with the guilt of her mother's death becomes terrified of her father, T. Ray. August and May guide Lily’s growth to a life of faith and devotion while Rosaleen remains as Lily’s constant companion. As Lily finds her true identity she transforms into a strong and confident young woman which helps her face the world and all of its challenges.

Throughout the novel The Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd, the characters are determined to achieve a goal or get some answers in some way. The novel’s main character and narrator is Lily Owens, a fourteen year old girl; the story is set in South Carolina during the summer of 1964. During this summer, Lily searches for answers about her mother’s life. Hardships cause people to show their determination in life because they strive to achieve a specific goal as demonstrated by Lily, T. Ray, and Rosaleen.

In Sue Monk Kidd’s The Secret Life Of Bees the main theme is the development of the principal character, Lily. Lily is a girl who has lived a very rough childhood; she has killed her mother, and her father abuses her. She has grown without a female role model. She leaves her house with Rosaleen (her stand-in mother) to find answers about her mom. She arrives at the Boatwright sisters house, where they help her find not just answers, but some peace and forgiveness. When Lily gets the answers to all her questions she does not like all of them, but she knows it is better to know the truth than to live in a lie. At the beginning of the novel Lily is really

In “The Secret Life of Bees” by Sue Monk Kidd we see a young troubled Lily Owens who longs for answers about her mother and that maternal love which she never received. Lily blossoms from a fragile hurt little girl into and strong and independent young woman with the help of the Boatwright sisters. The major themes shown throughout the book are a longing for maternal love and the power and strength of female community.

As Lily starts understanding why T.Ray is the way he is, she starts to forgive him. When T.Ray came to Sylvan to get Lily, Lily decides that she has had enough of her father’s cruelty and decides to stand up to him. T.Ray does not like that Lily is finally standing up for herself, but then he realizes that it is best if Lily stays in Sylvan and lets her

As the years pass many things get old and lose worth, like books, but what can never get old or lose value is the message each book holds with it forever. In the very beginning of the book, “The Secret Life of Bees” by Sue Monk Kidd, the understanding of the message delivered is that Lily’s mother died while she was very young, and she does not know what happened. Even though this book takes place in the early sixties and moves forward to almost early seventies, but no matter what time period of the events taking place or the circumstances, the challenges Lily faces in Secret Life Of Bee’s are still relevant even today.

After a conversation with T-Ray, it becomes apparent to her, that even when being at home, she would still be a prisoner. It is then, that Lily decides to break Rosaleen out of jail, and hit the road. Through little information, Lily and Rosaleen find Lily’s mother's old friends, the Boatwright sisters. Basically telling the sisters that they need a place to stay, Rosaleen is put to work in the kitchen, and Lily, works as the apprentice of a beekeeper. Life continues with good grace until things start to fall apart. During the climax, or the turning point of the story, the Boatwright sisters other apprentice, Zach is sent to jail for committing a crime he didn’t enact. The most empathetic sister, May, commits suicide by drowning herself. Nothing seems right at this point. It is also during this time, that Lily starts to ask questions about her mother, and finds out that she abandoned Lily as a toddler, and left her with T-Ray. This information puts Lily into a downward spiral for a couple days until she finally comes to terms with it, and forgives her mother and herself. In the resolution of our story, Lily seems to have finally found a loving home, with proper maternal

In the book, The Secret Life of Bees, there is a significant bond within the female community in Lily’s life. These women not only teach Lily to love herself and others, but to pursue love. It is through the guidance of her community, Deborah. Rosaleen, the Boatwright sisters, and the Daughters of Mary, that Lily is able to gain strength and growth, mentally and emotionally. Her journey begins with two women who are Lily’s first mother figures, Deborah and Rosaleen.