The Secret Life Of Bees Research Paper

‘The Secret Life of Bees’ includes loveable characters that each have their own unique personalities. In Erin Collazo Miller’s book review, he states that “’The Secret Life of Bees’ has loveable, well written characters.” Lily is determined to find out about her mother; even if it means going to Tiburon, South Carolina. In ‘The Secret Life of Bees’ it says, “I always promised myself one day, when I was grown up enough, I would take the bus over there. I wanted to go everyplace she had ever been.” (pg.15) Rosaleen is a strong and brave woman who doesn’t give up on what she wants. In the ‘The Secret Life of Bees’ it says, “Coming alongside the men, Rosaleen lifted her snuff jug, which was filled with black spit, and calmly poured across the tops of the men’s shoes…” (pg.32) Rosaleen is on her way to vote when these men give her a hard time. She however, doesn’t let them get in her way. She is brave to do something like that.

In The Secret Life of Bees, Sue Monk Kidd alludes to the Cold War to demonstrate the tension of the Civil Rights Era. For instance, “‘What happened?’ I asked. “Did they drop the atom bomb?’ Ever since we’d started bomb drills at school, I couldn't help but thinking my days were numbered” (19). Lily uttered this statement because the news broadcast on the television agitated Rosaleen. Alternatively, what Lily thought was the start of another war, was actually the signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. As for the Cold War, this was a time of great tension between the United States and the Soviet Union that lasted from around 1947 until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. In fact, most Americans worried that the Soviet Union would drop

In the end of The Secret Life of Bees, Lily sees T.Ray as a psychotic and inhuman version of himself. He shoves and waves a knife in Lily's face as he threatens her about leaving again. T. Ray begins to call Lily by her mothers name, “Deborah”. Lily kept on calling him dad, to get him to realize it is her and not her mother. Afterwards T.Ray leaves and August comes to Lily and tells her about her mother. Apparently when Lily was young her mother was packing up to leave and she pulled out a gun, T. Ray knocked it away, Lily grabbed it and shot her mother. Zach gets out of jail and his family and him, plan to attend the same school as Lily. Zach and Lily go on a walk behind the bee house and share a special moment. Zach gives Lily his dog tag

In the book, Lily is a fourteen-year-old girl who doesn't have a mother figure in her life, because of her mother dying, at an early age Lily is left with her unloving and irresponsible father, T-Ray, this is relevant to the book because throughout the book we see how Lily changed through having the correct and

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.

The novel is written in Lily’s point of view to show Lily’s growth and maturation. Lily blames herself for her mother’s actions and it is not until the end of the story that she accepts the fact that she has no control over the death of her mother. After T. Ray finds Lily, he decides to leave her with August and the Daughters of Mary because she is better off. As T. Ray leaves, she looks back and says, “And there they were. All these mothers. I have more mothers than any eight girls off the street” (302). When Lily is looking back at August and the Daughters of Mary, she realizes that they all have a role as her mother. Up until this point in the novel, Lily constantly feels the guilt of killing her mother on her conscience. The novel is written in Lily’s point of view to show her growth. In the beginning of the novel Lily feels lost, guilty, and abandoned. By the end of the novel, Lily feels like she has found her home with August and the Daughters of Mary. They accept her for who she is and love her unconditionally. Lily’s maturation is displayed when she comes to the realization that after living in the racist South, she too has grown up with a little racism in her heart. She realizes this when August surprises her with all the knowledge she has about life and

Sue monk kidd wrote a book called secret life of bees published on november 8, 2001 . The book was about a girl named lily and how she wants to know more about her mom and wants to run from her father T. ray. In the book their is a well developed character named June boatwright. June was going to have a wedding and her fiance left her at the alter. August , sister of June took care of a little girl named Debra Owens during the time of segregation. Since june was born during this dark time I believe that she distrusted every white person that she didn't know because most were racist during this time. Due to the segregation and the distrust she had it was hard for her to trust white people like debras daughter lily and for her to gain confidence to marry again.

T. Ray, Lily’s dad, is very aggressive towards Lily and he has made a big impact on the person Lily is today. “I said I’m not leaving.”, is what Lily says to T. Ray when he finds her at August’s house and tries to take her back. Although, Lily has developed into a very strong young woman and there is nothing that will make her leave, especially not with T. Ray. The Boatwright house is her home now and that is where she will stay. T. Ray has abused Lily her whole life, and because of it, she is able to stand up for herself and her decisions.

Throughout the story Lily has a void in her life which she so desperately needs filled and that void is her longing for maternal love and answers about her mother who died when Lily was only a young child. It is clear that Lily is unhappy in Sylvan where she lives with her abusive and unloving father T. Ray and after seeing

We learn that she had accidentally killed her mother at the age of four, and has been made to feel guilty and unworthy of love. The story starts to develop when she helps her black babysitter, Rosaleen escape from prison. Lily loved Rosaleen like a mother. They use this opportunity to escape from Sylvan and her unhappy home. As Lily develops over the course of the story, we can see and learn about Lily’s many unique

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

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

“There is nothing perfect,’ August said from the doorway. ‘There is only life” (Kidd 256). This quote from The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd explains Lily Owens life, a young girl with an unloving father and a mother who abandoned her and was later shot and killed by her own daughter, Lily. Lily has a hard time finding her place in the world and understanding why her life is the way it is. She decides it is time for her to take charge of her own life. She finds herself in Tiburon, South Carolina with her nanny Rosaleen and three black women, August, June and May who unravel the story to her mother’s past. Lily’s story can be seen in different layers, the most significant layers are the religious, thematic and symbolic layers. These three layers are essential when trying to gain understanding of The Secret Life of Bees.

Setting of Novel: The Secret Life of Bees took place in the 1960s in Sylvan, South Carolina