The Secret Life of Bees Essay

important part of literature for the modern student. This type of literature is relatable to students throughout the United States, and gives advice through different time periods in American history. The novel The Secret Life of Bees focuses on a young girl by the name of Lily Owens whose life revolves around that fact that she accidently shot her mother when she was only four years old. Lily’s “stand-in-mother” Rosaleen is her only real friend, and when she insults a group of racists when she goes to

big as the sky, anything is possible. Sue Monk Kidd ,born on August 12,1948, knew that she was born to be a writer. Growing close to her father who wrote and as he shared his stories, Kidd became instantly encouraged and started leaning towards a life in literature. As a teen living in the south, Kidd became influenced by, Henry David Thoreau's work and this only strengthened her love for literature. When Kidd turned thirty years of age she finally found her confidence in writing. Coming in strong

Title of Novel: The Secret Life of Bees Author: Sue Monk Kidd Year Written: November 8, 2001 Author’s Nationality: American Type of Novel: Bildungsroman and/or Historical Fiction Setting of Novel: The Secret Life of Bees took place in the 1960s in Sylvan, South Carolina Protagonist: Lily Melissa Owens Antagonist: Terence (T. Ray) Brief Plot Summary: Lily Melissa Owens, a fourteen-year-old white girl, lives on a peach farm with her father, T. Ray, who is both neglectful and abusive. Lily has

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.” Chapter three begins with Lily waking up

In life, relatively anything can happen for a reason. Whether it occurs upon our own actions or not, instances may arise for a new change. Within the novel, The Secret Life of Bees, our main protagonist, Lily, is tested by making a life-changing decision to either return to her father, T. Ray’s captivity, or stay with the Boatwright sisters, whom she befriended on her runaway adventure. Even through tough times Lily has endured with T. Ray, when it was time for her to decide who should receive custody

Written by Sue Monk Kidd the novel "The Secret Life of Bees" traces the life of a 14 year old girl searching for love and care. The story begins in a peach farm in Sylvan, South Carolina but travels toward and ends in Tiburon, South Carolina. The city of Tiburon unleashes many truths that lily has wondered throughout her life. The town brings her what she has been longing for since she was a child. Fourteen year old Lily Owens lives with her cruel father who has piled her with the guilt and responsibility

connections throughout The Secret Life of Bees. As Lily grows and matures her knowledge of bees continues to do the same, and reflects who she is and what she’s doing at different points in the story. In the beginning of the book Lily, is an innocent child who just wants to be loved desperately. Even though T-Ray is cruel to her she still yearns for his affection because she feels lost and unloved without her mother. Just like the bees in her bedroom, she is aimless -- “The way those bees flew, not even looking

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

From the beginning, the reader can clearly distinguish the main theme of racism in The Secret Life of Bees. Kidd first introduces racism in Chapter One when three white men insult Rosaleen on her way to town to register to vote. Lily describes the attack that follows narrating, “They lunged at her...Rosaleen lay sprawled on the ground, pinned, twisting her fingers around clumps of grass. Blood ran from a cut beneath her eye,” (33). Soon after, the police arrest Rosaleen and call Lily’s father

‘The Secret Life of Bees’ by Sue Monk Kidd is a wonderful and beautifully written story. ‘The Secret Life of Bees’ includes loveable characters that each have their own unique personalities. ‘The Secret Life of Bees’ also includes mystery and love, which makes it enjoyable. Although it’s not realistic, it’s still a really good read because of how the characters grow and develop throughout. Erin Collazo Miller’s book review on ‘The Secret Life of Bees’ is right about all of these things mentioned