The Impact of Racism in Sue Monk Kidds' The Secret Life of Bees

(TS) In Sue Monk Kidd’s novel The Secret Life of Bees, Lily Owens does not have an empathetic relationship with her parents as a result of the loss of her mother and an abusive father; however, Lily gains a new family figure, August Boatwright, who shows her the true empathy that is present between a parent and their child. (PS) Lily Owens’s absence of a mother and a “real” father causes Lily not to have a relationship with her parents that is filled with affection for one another. (SS) When Lily lost her mother, Deborah Fontell, she was told that she had shot and killed Deborah. (SS) Lily would say, “I would meet her saying, ‘Mother forgive. Please forgive,’” and she would kiss my skin till I grew chapped and tell me I was not to blame”

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd is a book discussing the internal strife of a young white girl, in a very racist 1960’s south. The main character, Lily Owens, faces many problems she must overcome, including her personal dilemma of killing her own mother in an accident. Sue Monk Kidd accurately displays the irrationality of racism in the South during mid- 1960's not only by using beautiful language, but very thoroughly developed plot and character development. Kidd shows the irrationality of racism through the characters in her book, The Secret Life of Bees and shows that even during that time period, some unique people, were able to see beyond the heavy curtain of racism that separated people from each

Honey Spot is a play written by an Australian playwright Jack Davis, Honey Spot is a play about a young aboriginal family, Tim the main character, his mother and his cousin William and his friend Peggy, her father the ranger and her mother. Tim becomes great friends with Peggy and teaches her about being Aboriginal. The main theme of the story was racism and prejudice, throughout the play script it gives examples of racism and prejudice, thus it being the main theme.

Once Lily accepts what she has done and learns that her mother's death did not make her a bad person, her conflict can finally be resolved. As a result of resolving her conflict, she is able to mature because of the struggle, just like other people are able to grow and evolve from their own mistakes. This is evident when she admits "Before coming here, my whole life had been nothing but a hole where my mother should have been, and this hole had made me different, left me always aching for something, but never once did I think what he'd lost or how it might've changed him" (Kidd 293). Lily finally realizes that her mother's death has not only affected her, but also her father, T. Ray, and the calendar sisters. Through the course of Lily's struggle, Lily learns a lot about life and matures into a wiser

In the novel The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd, the main character, Lily Owens struggles with the notion that she killed her mother and has to live with her abusive, neglectful father, T-Ray. Throughout, Lily searches for information about her mother and why she left her. Unexpectedly, she stumbles upon new mother figures that play an important role in changing Lily to the person she is in later. The typical sequence of a hero’s journey includes a departure, initiation and trials, and reintegration into society. By the end, Lily Owens developes into a more mature, independent young women after experiencing a difficult childhood.

At this period in her life, Anne was just beginning to expose herself to the issues surrounding race-relations and efforts by African American organizations to improve the status of southern blacks. After she heard of Emmett Till’s murder from a group of students, she began to discuss the NAACP and other topics with her teacher Mrs. Rice (who was fired by the school at the end of the year). This brief educational experience transformed Anne’s feelings toward southern whites from resentment to unbridled hatred. More importantly, it instilled in her a perception of the black community as weak and cowardly (for their refusal to confront white bigotry and violence). For Anne and many young African Americans who would eventually join the Civil Rights Movement (either through the NAACP, CORE, or SNCC), it was difficult to understand the submissiveness and resignation of the older generation of southern blacks (i.e., their parents and grandparents). This quotation in particular expresses two implicit questions that stick with Anne for the rest of the book: Why do older blacks not seem to care about their conditions? How can they stand idly by while their own people are being assaulted and

Every family has parents and maybe some siblings too, it is what makes the family a family. Some kids are adopted and some are not and some like Lily Owens in The Secret Life of Bees got to choose her family. In the novel, The Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd, the theme that appears a lot is how much family means, even if it is chosen.

Throughout the novel it is apparent that everyday instances of racism occur, causing people of color to feel outcasted. There are two very obvious occasions where this happened. In the first instance two African American woman are in a workspace of primarily all white co-workers. When a woman they worked with got these two names mixed up, it was stated that she had a “fifty-fifty chance of getting it right” insinuating that these two women are the only black ones working here. Later, the woman who had the mix-up with the names wrote an apology note; however, in the note she stated it was “our mistake” and seemingly put part of the blame on the to women. This is a primary example of how African Americans can be thrown against a white background making them seem different than everyone else.

There is the prejudice of facing whites against blacks, and also the prejudice of lighter-skinned blacks toward darker-skinned blacks, and of people with money against poorer people something that shouldn’t be a factor . As Dr.King stated" I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character". Anne experiences each kind of prejudice, which causes her great pain. In fact, being the victim of prejudice tends to disgust Anne herself against whites and lighter-skinned blacks. Her aversion is shown by the fact that she basically refuses to attend Tugaloo College, the place where she joins the civil rights movement, because she fears that it has too many light-skinned black students.With not trusting her professors because they are white, and the Reverend Edward King, who is, worse yet, a southern white. Finally, after meeting lighter-skinned blacks and whites who do not look down on her, Anne agrees that not all people of these associations are disloyal . However, racism nearly costs her essential opportunities in her life, and makes her a suspicious and pessimistic

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.

The Civil Right Act occurred in 1960 which allowed African-Americans more rights. In the novel The Secret Life of Bees many characters challenges and uncover the meaning of accepting taboo ideas. Set in 1964, Sue Monk Kidd’s The Secret Life of Bees suggests that accepting taboo actions does not necessarily compromises a person’s moral compass and can lead to an awareness and understanding of the world.

Additionally, another prevailing theme is dealing with race. Being that the backdrop of this story is Southern America in 1964, it is expected that white America is shown as derogatory towards black people. The author integrates race relations into the novel to give an accurate depiction of life during this time period. Rosaleen works as a good representative of black America. An example being, when she tries to register her vote and a handful of white men harass her. Rosaleen does not tolerate this and fights backs for the rights she deserves. This attitude is what delivers her a harsh beating and an unrightful place in jail. Furthermore, as Lily becomes more acquainted with the honey-making sisters, she discovers her own underlying prejudice

In the Novel The Secret Life of Bees, Lily deals with race differently than Scout does. Lily notices that people have a different skin color than her, and it doesn’t bother her, like it doesn’t bother Scout. Lily doesn't like that the whites, who think they are more privileged, have the nerve to beat the blacks because they did something to stand up for themselves. When it was the whites that were harming them or verbally abusing them. (INSERT QUOTE

Considering all concepts relating to the rejection of negativity, Lily develops a greater understanding of the realities and truths life has to offer, especially the finding of peace and happiness. To begin with, when Lily lived in an environment where individuals would be classified as inferior or superior, and nothing but insecurity and meanness were inspired, she had difficulties finding happiness and stability. However, once she departs and arrives at the Boatwright house, she begins to discover the truths of life and how to approach all obstacles she may face. As seen by one of the truths told to Lily, “After you get stung, you can’t get unstung no matter how much you whine about it,” (Kidd 167), Lily was beginning to truly comprehend

s they get older and experience new things, most people will change. Whether it will be the way they think that changes, the way the act, or the way they feel, something about them will be different. In the novel The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd, the character Lily is shaped by her past experiences but matures and grows as a person as she experiences new things after running away from home. One example of Lily’s growth because of a new experience is her change of opinion about her father. When Lily first runs away from home she resents her father, but with the help of August she learns to put herself in his shoes and understand him. Another example of Lily becoming more mature is her realization of equality. Lily originally acknowledges that she has prejudice but learns that she is wrong after staying with the Boatwrights and realizing that they are no less intelligent than anyone else. Lastly, after Lily leaves her father she thinks that she is unlovable. After talking with the Daughters of Mary and receiving love from the Boatwrights she starts to think otherwise. In The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd, the character Lily matures and grows through her different ventures, revealing the theme that maturity comes with new experiences.