Is there a Queen Bee?

After reading the book I wondered, is there a Queen Bee in this book?  I think my answer is Lily.

I know that is not the answer for most, but for me she is the main character and she is the one that really drives the story.  Without her, there is no story and it remains static.  Her curiosity is magnetic and as a reader I was really drawn to her more than the other characters so for me it's Lily.

Nature & Bees

Sue Monk Kidd does a fabulous job in keeping with the theme of nature throughout the book.  Tying the characters to nature with the wailing wall, bees, honey, and the river all of which help the story progress in some way or another.  The bees are a subtle way to show symbolism in how much we depend on such a tiny insect for something so beautiful and sweet.

“Most people don’t have any idea about all the complicated life going on inside a hive. Bees have a secret life we don’t know anything about.”

Lilly & Deborah

The beginning of the story reflects back to the death of Deborah, Lily's mother.  We come to know later in the novel that Lily's mother was going to leave Lily's father and that is why Lily had the memory of arguments.  Lily is curious in her own nature.  She fantasizes of what it would've been like to grow up with her mother.  Deborah becomes this "larger than life" character in Lilly's life.  When Lily finds out the truth of how he mother wanted to leave her father, and ultimately her as well, Lilly is filled with anger.  Lily turned the anger into love by searching of ways her mom still cared about her.  Lily comes to terms with the real/complex person her mother was.  No longer was her mother this memory of loving definition of simplicity; she had faults.  Lily also comes to find out that her mother's death was an accident that she caused by holding a loaded gun and accidently firing it at her mom when she was only three years old.  Lily slowly works her way out of the trauma she has suffered in her life by looking at the woman around her and herself and how far she has come.

T. Ray and change

There was a point in the novel where August was explaining to Lilly what had happened to her mother. In her mother's story she mentions that she came from a very good background, a rich background in fact, and at one point she met her husband. T. Ray, who was a war veteran I believe had completely swept her off her feet, once they got married things changed. Apparently he wasn;t the same person and it left Lilly's mom unhappy. What exactly left him to change? One would think that after having the chance to marry the person he wanted, he'd be much happier.
I wonder if the fact that T. Ray was not as rich as his wife's family wwas and that lleft her uneasy. Lilly's mom grew up with someone to be at her beck and call 24/7 and not she was put into teh position as being a wife and expected to take care of her husband. This has me wondering if T. Ray was just eh same person as always but it wasnt until reality set in for Deborah that she started to become unhappy in her marriage and it wasn't just T. Ray that changed.

May

May is an interesting character because the moods of the sisters seem to surround her. May is the sensative type who takes the world on her shoulders, and wheeps for those who mourn. To be honest, I was really upset by the passing of May and really didn't see it coming. Why hadn't the wall helped her with the emotions? It had helped many times before...just not now. And the way May went along with it all puzzled me. She drowned herself, a painful slow death. It was as if she decided to take on the pain of Zach being arrested to an extreme, and she hurt herself. Call it creptic or not, but I wonder why she chose such a slow way to die?
The reactions of May's death were just as I imagined...time seemed to stand still with the passing of an innocent soul. May was the type of person that could not hurt a roach, and led them out of the hhouse with marshmellows, yet she was willling to hurt her sisters by taking her own life. Even if May wasn't completley normal, I think that if anyone could withstand a passing of someone close it was her sisters. June and August had experienced the death of May's twin and both were able cope. May on the other hand could not cope with the passing of her sister, and it left her unstable.

Child as Murderer

I think this is a subject that bothered me throughout the book: did Lilly actually kill her mother as a child? It's probably due to my interesting imagination, but I have some hope that Lilly never actually did it. It puzzles me that a little girl could actually pick up a loaded gun, point and shoot it. I mean she was very young, how exactly did she have the strength to do that? I know it is a novel, and therefore anything can happen, but the tradgety of it all leaves me uneasy.
Part of me wonders if T-Ray actually made up the entire scene and somewhat "brain-washed" Lilly into thinking that she was the one who killed her mother. Either way, it explains a lot about Lilly's personality and how she doesn't really trust herself or anyone else around her. She is timid, but has spirit...but she doesn't know what to do with it.
The psycology of it all is very interesting, because of the fact that Lilly was so young when it all happened, and with a father like T-Ray I'm surprised that she was so normal.

Mary and Hope

It is a commen concept that hope is evident in African American religous circles. Because of the bondage that their race has had to go through and the pain that they've had to endure hope is something that many hold onto. The representation of hope is valid throughout the novel, mostly in the character of Lilly. In some ways it reminds me of the theology of hope that Jorgwn Moltmann writes about.
Through Mary, Jesus' mother the characters live with strength which in turns gives a stronger sense of hope for a better tomorrow. I like to think that becuase of the story and their love for Mary that are given a sense of power and a meaning to themselves that they are someone. Especially in the likes of Lilly, who is on a search to find out who she is through her mother's past. Lilly is not content with who she is until she finds out who her mother was befre she was killed. Even when Lilly becomes "closer" to Mary, she still does not find that sense of comfort. Yet, she is given hope that she will one day find out ood things about her mother, and the love that her mother bestowed on her before she died.

Lily's Whale Pin

May's Suicide

Zach and Lily

August and the Bees

Wood and Black Mary

Otis and T. Ray

The Poetry of The Secret Life of Bees

I have discussed the themes, motifs and symbolism in this book. However, I have not written about what a joy it has been to read and soak it up. This is my favorite reading during this entire class. I am from the South, born and raised. In 1964, I was seven years-old and I do remember the bigotry that was prevalent here in Florida and other states. Sue Monk Kidd paints vivid pictures of my childhood with her "southern speak." It isn't just the story, it is her presentation. Her voice is the voice of my youth. Her remembrances parallel some of my own. I know this place she speaks of. It is my home.

I see the river, I hear the cicadas, I smell the grass mixed with honeycomb. When Lily walks into August's bedroom, with all the various shades of blue, I see it and I feel her tension as she waits for August. I feel that soft first kiss, like moths, brushing my lips and my stomach has the butterflies that only a first kiss brings.

If I could write half this well, I would do nothing else. I would starve if I had to just so that the world could share the words that I would paint like an artist's paints her canvas.

I want to read it all again...to hear the sounds, smell the smells, and drink the memories of turbulence and transition. The storytelling ability of Sue Monk Kidd is truly extraordinary! If I got nothing else out of this class (and I did..much more), just reading this book would be well worth it! Thanks Maryssa for asking me to be in your group and read this book! It inspires me to work harder and do better!

Lily as Savior?

The Lady of Chains

June's music

Encouraging Words

The Secret Life of Bees and the Color Purple

Movie version

Rosaleen

Love for Mothers

Did Lily kill her mom?

T. Ray

The Wailing Wall

WHY QUOTATIONS AND WHAT DO THEY MEAN?

Epigraphs (quotations) from a book about bees is given before each of the fourteen chapters in "The Secret Life of Bees." In this way, Sue Monk Kidd weaves together the chapters and relates them back to the bee motif. They are a preview of what the following chapter contains. The epigraph in Chapter One gives the reasons as to why the queen bee is so important to the hive. Chapter One then introduces us to Lily, who is a motherless girl who is needing a mother's love.

THE BEES AND WHAT THEY REPRESENT

Bees are the central motif of "The Secret Life of Bees." The very first words of Lily's story begin with the Bees. They come to her room and give her a message that she should leave T. Ray's house and be on her own. Like guides throughout the story, they continue to show Lily how to live and to see the "secrets" that influence her own life. Lily follows the trail of the honey lable with the Black Mary on it left by her mother. It leads her to Tiburon and to the truth she seeks about her mother. In Tiburon, she lives in the honey house and she becomes a beekeeper. Bees are near the top of the list she gives August about what she loves.

For Lily, bees are a symbol of rebirth, sexual maturity, and her pown personal growth. They are her companions and drive her forward. The bees or their products (honey, wax, etc.) have a role in every important action that Lily takes. She finds a correlation between their "secret lives" and her own. The way that they care for the mother (queen) and their ability to work and survive spurs Lily on to accomplish the same things in her own life. Their reliance on an all-female community corresponds to her own dependence. The bee community helps Lily to perceive the human one.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF STORYTELLING

Lily is a great reader and she finds comfort and escape in books. She realizes that she can go above her circumstances by reading. Even though T-Ray makes fun of her, calling her "Julius Shakespeare" (which by the way shows just how illiterate he is), she basks in the praise afforded her by one of her teachers. The teacher encourages Lily by lending her books and complimenting Lily's intelligence. Lily talks about books that have influenced her and that she related to. She even compares herself to THoreau's experiences at Walden Pond as she travels to Tiburon. She sees that books allow readers to escape into a fantasy world, and she makes up stories to explain why she and Rosaleen have come to Tiburon.

Lily has a great desire to become a writer. When Zach realizes this, he encourages her by giving her a small notebook to put her thoughts and stories in. August also tells stories to Lily to help teach her to love and to trust. Lily is able to see possibilities for her own future through these stories and books.

THE STRENGTH OF WOMEN:THE DAUGHTERS OF MARY

Lily is motherless and actually feels the void in her life because of it. She clings to the small group of possessions that once belonged to her mother. The absence of Deborah becomes a primary influence, so that even in death, her mother has an indelible influence in Lily's life. In Rosaleen, Lily does have female companionship and Lily looks to her for the only love that she has even known from anyone.

Rosaleen's arrest catapults both of them into a larger and more satisfying group of women. In a time where men ruled the world, Lily and Rosaleen entered into a world composed almost entirely of women, with women who actually ruled the home. Although the Boatwright sisters seem to all have a voice, August is the head of the house....make no mistake. Still, all three women are strong willed in their own way, and each is in charge of her own destiny, and well aware of that. Actually, Rosaleen took her destiny into her own hands when she faced off with the town bigots and bullies.

The rest of the Daughters of Mary are also in the picture. Lily is given a look into the way that strong women can support, comfort, take care of, encourage and love each other. She sees the bonds formed by all of these women, and her inclusion in the group empowers Lily to feel strong enough to also take her destiny in her own hands. Because of the love and support of the women, she is able to stand up to T-Ray, something she has never done before. She does this fearlessly because she has the encouragement and support of August and the other women.

The Senselessness of Bigotry

In "The Secret Life of Bees" we see Lily's journey from the prejudice that she was raised in, to overcoming her own prejudice. We are able to see her own struggle when she realizes that she was treating Rosaleen like a "puppy dog." When she comes to know those living in the "pepto bismol house," she sees even more clearly that all African Americans are not "uneducated menial laborers." She begins to see past color, as the many layers of August, June and May become clear. Lily begins to not only see it, she wishes to become like them as well as accepted by them. Lily begins to see the injustice and erroneousness of the racial stereotypes she was taught.

Another big leap in her journey happens when she meets Zach. She has been taught all her life that black boys could not be attractive because of their facial features. When she looks at Zach, she realizes just how wrong that is, and then foolishly ignores the problems that her love for Zach might bring. Zach clearly reciprocates her feelings, but he understands that while they live as they do in the South, they cannot openly show it. They both realize the catastrophic events that could take place because of it. Still, they both have hope that they can do things to change this, and in the end we see that Zach takes steps by being one of the first to go to a white high school and his goal of becoming a lawyer. Lily becomes friends with the lawyer's daughter and they both fight the prejudice by openly sitting with and socializing with Zach at the high school. Zach promises Lily that they will be together becuase he will become a lawyer and fight to make that happen.

Finally, Lily realizes that her greatest joy has come from the fact that the Daughters of Mary treat her as an equal, and that they no longer "see" white, when they look at her....they just see "Lily."

Lily Helps Rosaleen Escape

Rosaleen was planning to do something she'd never done...register to vote. Only recently had the laws changed that would allow her to vote. Still, the Jim Crow laws were alive and well in the South. Prejudiced whites came up with all kinds of ingenious ways to prevent African Americans from voting. This was the reason that Rosaleen had practiced writing her name so carefully. If she didn't, they could use it as a reason to stop her from voting.

Many Southerns still felt as though the African American was "less than" a white person. Although slavery had died almost 100 years before, the attitude of many white southerners was still that the black people were "less than human." They were treated like chattel, without the same rights and priviledges that the white man took for granted. The sixties were a time when all of this was coming to a head. The Civil Rights Movement was gathering steam.

Brother Gerald's attitude was a typical one for a Southerner. We wouldn't even think he was a Christian today, but his attitude towards the black people was typical of the times. While he wasn't radical in the way that Franklin Posey was, hitting Rosaleen with a flashlight, he still intended to press charges against Rosaleen for "stealing" two paper fans that were probably given to the church. I remember those fans. Insurance companies and funeral homes were two types of businesses that bought these fans as an advertisement and gave them to various churchs. If it had been a white teenage boy, I guarantee that it wouldn't have even been mentioned. In fact, if a white person had asked for the fans, they would have been gladly given.

I hate to say it, but the attitude of the policeman was typical of that time also. The South was still kicking and screaming when it came to the black population. If they couldn't own the African Americans, they could at least treat them as they would anything of little or no worth to them. Everyone in the South was not this way, but the prevailing opinion was along those lines.

Lily was white, and some might wonder why her feelings weren't the tainted ones that even her father seemed to share. The answer that is clear to me is that the only person living that loved her was Rosaleen, a black woman. No one else had ever shown her anything but meaness and mistreatment. How could she let the only person in the world that loved her be beaten to death? She had to do something. The fact that T-Ray told Lily that her mother hadn't cared for her compounded her desire to leave. She says that she had the first religious experience in her life when she heard a voice tell her, "Lily Melissa Owens, your jar is open." This is a reference to her leaving open the jar that she'd captured the bees in, so that they could get out and fly away. It was a sign that she her jail door had been left open and she could fly away. So, at 14 years old she devises a plan and she and Rosaleen escape. She says that she went from 14 to 40 because of what had happened to Rosaleen.

So, Lily sneaks out and pretends to be the wife of the policeman Avery Gaston, and draws the guard away from Rosaleen's hospital door. Then, she helps Rosaleen into clothes and they make their escape.

Lily decides to go to Tiburon, South Carolina because her mother left the picture of the black Madonna and that was what was written on its back. Even if Lily doesn't realize it yet, she is still searching for her mother. She is a girl who has never had any experience of motherly love and she longs for it. Later she says that it's a big gapping hole in her life that she is trying to fill.

Beginninngs

Lily has very little memory of her mother. She actually says that the only memory she has is of the day she died, December 3, 1954. I find it interesting that her most profound memory is a memory of smell. My daddy died when I was 13. That was almost 41 years ago. I knew him longer than Lily knew her mother, and we have lots of pictures. Still, my strongest memory also is the way he smelled. My daddy was a mechanic, and even though my mother laundered his clothes, it still retained a hint of that smell of grease. I remember standing with him in front of the gas heater in the colder mornings and hugging him after he had his uniform on. That's what he smelled like, washing powders with a hint of the grease that he lubbed the cars with. When I concentrate, I can still smell it.

Lily remembers her mother's smell and looks for it diligently until she discovers from her teacher (who smells the same) that what she is smelling is Ponds Cold Creme. After going in to the store and smelling all the fragrances there, it is as simple as that. It is also quite poignant when she finds the one picture of her mother, and the old gloves her mother had worn. Putting them on her hands is almost like touching those hands. It is even more moving when she fills the gloves with cotton and holds them all night long. It's as if she is sleeping with her mother, holding her hands.

Odd things made her miss her mom: training bras, junior cheerleader tryouts, and when she got her period at age 12. For a girl, these are coming of age moments, and it is difficult if you have to move through them alone. The fact that her father is very self-centered, and shows no compassion or love for his daughter makes the longing for her mother even more profound.

Another thing that I can really relate to is Lily's "Pentecostal" clothes. Although I didn't make my own clothes, my mother made them. I remember standing there as she hemmed my dresses.....made to hit me right in the middle of my knee. I wasn't allowed to wear pants, and I too might as well have worn a sign on my back saying, "I AM NOT POPULAR AND NEVER WILL BE." During the sixties and seventies, it wasn't easy being a young girl and a teen-ager. I couldn't wear make-up, cut my hair, wear anything sleeveless, and the list goes on. On top of that, the fact that I wanted to do these things carried a weight of gilt that I'd want to be so "worldly." I totally understand these feelings.

Sue Monk Kidd is a contemporary African American author who did grow up in the sixties. She makes mention in the very first chapter of things that were currently going on in those times. While anyone can do research and write about a time, having lived in that era, and being that age helps her to give an account that is very believeable. When Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act on July 2, 1964, the law was finally changed to support equal rights for the black race in America. Passing a law during that time was just a beginning in the South. Things did happen to southerners, black and white, who supported this act. The law just laid the groundwork that would allow the South to change, but it most definitely did not guarantee anything.

Although I was a bit younger than Lily, I can still remember the political upheaval and unrest that was going on. I remember my parents driving to a Ku Klux Klan outside meeting and we sat in the car to see what they were doing. There was a huge cross sitting behind the platform, and they lit that before we left. My parents didn't get out of the car, but they were young and curious, so they loaded me and my sister into the car in our pajamas and went to watch.

I also remember separate water fountains in the Winn Dixie, which we called "Quick Check," back then. I remember when my elementary school went from being segregated to integrated. All of these things were going on during my first years in elementary school, and I heard my parents talk about voting for Barry Goldwater, and other things that were happening at that time.

So Sue Monk Kidd's observations of the time rings very authentic and true. It was a time of change in our country, but especially in the South. To have change, there is much upheaval and that is what Lily is experiencing. Of course, in some ways she relates to the black people. She has only know love from Rosaleen and that is where you turn. It seems that Rosaleen is the only one to show Lily love. Is it no wonder that Lily will find peace and harmony in the house of three black women?

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The Boatwright sisters are all unique in their own way. Lily originally describes them as "smart" and "cultured" and it surprises her that black women can be so sophisticated. She lives on a peach farm with her father, and they have many Africans working for them. However, the tides are turned when she is on the run and taken in by August when she has nowhere else to go. August is motherly and compassionate; loving Lily and Rosaleen from the very beginning unconditionally. June is extremely hesitant to trust Lily in the beginning. She resents her for being white and resents August for allowing her to stay. June is cold and often rude to Lily. June is prideful and refuses to marry Neil, because she has been hurt in her past. She remains distant and unfeeling toward Lily until the scene with the water hose. May is special; she is loving and childlike in her own unique way. She feels things more than ordinary people, and is pained by the suffering of the world. When she eventually commits suicide, the tragic accident is felt deeply by all involved. May loved deeply and could not take the suffering of day to day life. The sisters' characters are well developed and show the creativity of the author in how distinct each of them are.

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Hints of spirituality are infused through the entire novel. Lily originally reflects on her father's sense of spirituality, and how it seems to have had no affect on his life. She wonders how someone can actually go to church and "get worse." This is troubling Lily, because she wants to believe in morality, but her only example is T. Ray. When Lily meets the Boatwright sisters and the Daughters of Mary, she realizes some people genuinely live out their religion, and it seems to give Lily hope. It is difficult at first for Lily to feel accepted into the odd spirituality the Boatwrights share, for the religion is deeply rooted in their past as Africans and the suffering they experienced through their lives of pain and discrimination. While the Daughters pray to Mary, August does reflect on the fact that Jesus is the significant one, but they want to celebrate the woman who gave him birth. This fits with the rest of the novel, in that this novel celebrates the value and worth of women on every page. While I found the religion unorthodox and unique of praying to Mary (I do not agree with having idols) this was significant to the rest of the novel. The spirituality of August is evident in how she lives her life. She willingly takes in two strangers--one of them being white (Lily), and loves them unconditionally, as if they were family. August lives out the words of the Bible in her work ethic, how she takes care of those around her, and how she loves people endlessly.

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Blog 10: Dreams ----- Many people throughout the story had dreams or goals in life which they either pursued or pushed under the carpet. Lily wanted to teach or write but was always told she wasn't good enough. The only person who knew about her passion was Zach. He bought her a notebook and told her to write. He thought that she could do whatever she put her mind to. Zach had big dreams of his own. He wanted to be a lawyer for black people. Not only did he want to help people, he wanted to make a difference in the world. He told Lily, "'We can't think of changing our skin...Change the world-that's how we gotta think'" (216). Zach knew that the chances of getting into a college to be a lawyer were slim for a black boy and that making a living after college was going to be difficult. But he pursued his dream because he was passionate about it. August also had dreams, even though she seemed to be living them out in front of everyone. She wanted to own her own house, which she did. She also wanted to be able to support her sisters and not have to worry about money. She did this through her business selling honey. She was happy tending the bees, living with her family, and being able to provide. In the end Lily, Zach and August all were pursuing their dreams for the future.

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Blog 9: Character Analysis - Rosaleen ---- Rosaleen was probably the strongest character in the book. From the very beginning she is portrayed as the woman in charge of Lily and keeping the house running. Rosaleen raised Lily even though they were not blood related. She was there for her through thick and thin and taught her more than Lily realized. The reason Lily made the journey to Tiburon in the first place is because of Rosaleen. Rosaleen's character showed through when she decided to register to vote, soon after the privelage was awarded. Rosaleen knew that most people in their town would not approve of her registering to vote and yet she proudly walked into town. On the way to register, Rosaleen stole fans from a church because she was hot. She then spit on a group of white men's shoes as she walked by them after they had made comments about her being black. The men attacked her asking for an apology and she would give none. When taken to the prison, she still wouldn't apologize when beaten. Rosaleen made comments throughout the book about Lily talking to her as if she needed someone to speak for her. She showed her strong side when needed, but her soft side when allowed. She became close to May and was devastated when May committed suicide. Rosaleen was Lily's strong tower until she got to the Boatwright's and learned about her family. Rosaleen stayed by Lily's side no matter what happened.

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The black Mary, found on the label of "BLACK MADONNA HONEY," is a symbol for the African Americans in this novel. Even Lily feels the power of Mary; even though initially she is intrigued but perplexed by the idea of the mother of Jesus actually being black. In a way, the image of the black Mary gives her the strength to leave her home and find Tiburon, because the label was a keepsake of her mother's. The daughters of Mary have their own religion, unorthodox and unique to each person as an African American. Mary is described as: She had a faded red heart painted on her breast and a yellow crescent moon, worn down and crooked, painted where her body would have blended into the ship's wood. A candle inside a tall red glass threw glints and glimmers across her body. She was a mix of mighty and humble all in one." Mary is a symbol of remembrance for them that dates back to the time of slavery. She was a symbol of hope for the slaves and they carried her memory with them through the years. The image of Mary in the Boatwright's home has a power that the characters have trouble describing. Lily reflects: "I didn't know what to think, but what I felt was magnetic and so big it ached like the moon had entered my chest and filled it up." When Lily stands before the Mary, she thinks, "That's what black Mary did to me, made me feel m glory and my shame at the same time." Mary was called by the daughters, "Our Lady in Chains." The daughters even had a special day devoted solely to Mary, "Mary Day," one of their favorite days of the year.

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Blog 8: Lily's Mothers ----- Lily has many mother figures throughout the story. There is her biological mother, who died when Lily was a toddler. Lily holds onto the memories of her mother, even when T. Ray tells her that her mother wanted nothing to do with her. When Lily finds out that her mother actually left her and came to August's house, she is extremely upset and doesn't think she will ever be able to experience forgiveness towards her mom. But then she realizes that her mom was just trying to get away from T. Ray and that she was ultimately coming back for her, even though she died trying to reach her. Lily's next "mom" is Rosaleen, the black woman who raised her on the peach farm. Lily makes the comment, "I used to have daydreams in which she was white and married T. Ray, and became my real mother. Other times I was a Negro orphan she found in a cornfield and adopted. Once in a while I had us living in a foreign country like New York, where she could adopt me and we could both stay our natural color" (12). Lily dreamed about having Rosaleen be her real mom because she was missing something inside of her. While she lived with the Boatwright's, each of the sisters became a mother to her in different ways. May was someone she could trust and talk to, even about her crush on Zach. June taught her about strength and how to stand up for what you want. August was probably the one closest to Lily and taught her about her real biological mother as well as life itself. August took care of Lily and was a comforter when she needed one. At the end of the book Lily says, "This is the autumn of wonders, yet every day, every single day, I go back to that burned afternoon in August when T. Ray left. I go back to that one moment when I stood in the driveway with small rocks and clumps of dirt around my feet and looked back at the porch. And there they were. All these mothers. I have more mothers than any eight girls off the street. They are the moons shining over me" (302).

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Racism is a theme that is constant through the novel. When Lily goes to Tiburon, she realizes how odd it is to stay in August's house. "Staying in a colored house with colored women, eating off thier dishes, lying on their sheets-- it was not something I was against, but I was brand-new to it, and my skin had never felt so white to me." Lily really never thought of herself as prejudice until she lived with August and her sisters. They lived in a beautiful home and had nice manners. She had never believed "colored" people could be as smart as she was; and when she realizes this, she is ashamed. "Lying on the cot in the honey house, though, all I could think was August is so intelligent, so cultured, and I was surprised by this. That's what let me know I had some prejudice buried inside me." When Lily realizes her attraction to Zach, it shocks her. "I was foolish to think some things were beyond happening, even being attracted to Negroes. I'd honestly thought such a thing couldn't happen, the way water could not run uphill or salt could not taste sweet. A law of nature." She then says, "Or maybe desire kicked in when it pleased without noticing the rules we lived and died by." White people and black people in this time period followed social rules unless they wanted to "rock the boat" and upset the harmony of peace that was holding on by a thread between them. Lily has to confront her prejudice in this novel of realizing her love for August and the Boatwrights, Rosaleen, the daughters of Mary, and of course, Zach is real and tangible and deeper than anything she ever imagined was possible.

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Blog 7: Our Lady in Chains ----- The Boatwright's are known in the town for having almost made up their own religion. They have a statue of Mary in their house and they have church services each week devoted to her. The thing that helped Lily find the Boatwright's was the picture of a black Mary on the honey jars that she saw in the store. The Mary statue is referred to by the sisters as Our Lady in Chains because, as the story goes, the statue was chained up for a night and somehow unchained itself by morning. Each service the sisters and their followers go up to the statue and touch the heart to remember what Mary has done for them. Rosaleen quickly joins in this ritual, but Lily takes more time to process what the statue means to the women. August is very much women-power oriented and so the emphasis on Mary is quite natural for her. There is a holiday that is in remembrance of Mary, complete with feasts and all. Lily has a breakthrough one night and goes into the living room with Mary. Lily is alone and she finally has the chance to come to Mary on her own terms. She asks Mary for help countless times; help to stay away from T. Ray, help to find May. The book is centered on many small things that all intertwine together; Mary and the religion of the sisters is at the heart of it all.

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After contrasting the personalities of Lily and Zach, two of the main characters, I found how different and unique each character was. Lily definitely had spunk, but her character as a whole, was insecure and fearful of what the future held. She lived in the shadow of her shameful past, and found it difficult to love and receive love. She felt unworthy of anyone's love and attention. Zach is vivacious and bold, ready to embrace the future and make a difference. He doesn't want to live the typical life many African Americans settled for during this time period; he is not willing to live in the shadows of anyone. While Lily was afraid of imagining any sort of bright future for herself, Zach loved the unknown and embraced challenges. When Lily suggests Zach could use playing football as a means to get into a college, Zach responds,"Why is it sports is the only thing white people see us being successful at? I don't want to play football. I wanna be a lawyer." Lily tells him she has never heard of any Negro lawyers, and she tells him, "You've got to hear of these things before you can imagine them." Zach's response is: "Bullshit. You gotta imagine what's never been." I think this line sums up who Zach is. Zach is not afraid to imagine things that have never been done before-- even in his relationship with Lily. Once she asks him if things would be different if she was a Negro girl, and he tells her, "We can't think of changing our skin. Change the world- that's how we gotta think." This is one of my favorite lines in the book.

Blog 6

Blog 6 - Theme ----- Racism obviously plays a part in the theme of the book. Feminism is also a huge part though. The fact that August and the Boatwright sisters are black, just adds to the fact that they are women living on their own. August has found a way to be black, be a woman, and still be respected in the community. The fact that she has accomplished all of this is amazing. Feminism is evident in that most of the main characters are women, of different ages and races. One of the major male figures, T. Ray, is seen as oppressive to both black people and women of any race. T. Ray makes many comments to Lily about her being weak and needing to grow up. Lily's mother also plays a huge role in her life, even though she is dead. She has a power over Lily because Lily doesn't know her story. Another key element in the theme of feminism is the religion that the Boatwright's follow. They pray to Our Lady in Chains, or Mary the mother of Jesus. They have a story about how she saved slaves and therefore they want to recognize her and not just her son. The sisters meet together with other people in the community for worship and sunday services all revolving around Mary. There is even a holiday devoted solely to her. Feminism played a huge role throughout the book. Lily comes into her own and learns how to be a woman from living at the Boatwright's house.

Blog 5

Blog 5: Character Analysis - June June was probably the most intriguing character to me. She was mysterious and always doing unexpected things. The first time we meet June is when Lily shows up at August's house. June answers the door and immediately seems to dislike Lily and Rosaleen. When August says that Lily can stay at the house, June is adamantly against it and continuously asks Lily when she will be leaving. June is seeing Neil, the principal of the school where she teaches. She refuses to marry him, though he has asked her many times. June never gives a reason, and the reader is left to wonder why she seems to bitter. A turning point comes in the book when June and Lily get into a water fight in the yard. June tries to take the hose away from Lily after Lily has sprayed her with water. June finally relents and the two tumble to the ground. "I looked back down at the ground where our bodies had lain side by side, the wet grasses pressed down, perfect depressions in the earth. I stepped over them with the utmost care, and, seeing how careful I was, June stepped over them, too, and then, to my shock, she hugged me. June Boatwright hugged me while our clothes made sweet, squishy sounds up and down our bodies" (170). June finally accepts Lily and her skin color. When May commits suicide, June finally reaches her breaking point and decides to start living life to the fullest. She decides to marry Neil and becomes happier and happier through the rest of the book.

Blog 4

Blog 4: Symbolism of bees At the beginning of each chapter there is a quote about bees. Bees consume the lives of the Boatwright's and are always throughout the book, even though rarely are they the center of attention. The bees portray the theme of feminism throughout the book, in a quiet way. August teaches Lily about the bees and about keeping the hives. August has made a living for herself and her sisters by keeping bees and making honey. She makes the statement that there are no other African American women living in a house that they own and making their own money. She takes great pride in the fact that the bees have given her freedom. The bees are also driven by feminism because they cannot live or function effectively without the queen bee. There is only one queen bee per hive and that bee is the one that keeps everything going. Without the queen, the bees are thrown into complete and utter chaos. When a queen dies, she must be replaced quickly before other bees try to take her place. The bees were also the ones who led Lily out of her home with T. Ray. They came into her room and she wasn't afraid of them. The bees are the underlying theme and symbol of the entire novel.

BLOG 5

The love story between Zach and Lily happens slowly and seems to take both of them by surprise. When they first meet, Lily is completely shocked that she could find a black boy handsome, and Zach is completely surprised that August is letting a young white girl stay at her home and help them with the beehives. Lily begins to realize her racism when she describes Zach. "He had broad shoulders and a narrow waist and short-cropped hairl like ost of the Negro boys wore, but it was his face I couldn't help staring at. If he was shocked over me being white, I was shocked over him being handsome." Lily describes how the kids at her school back home used to make fun of black people's features, and she has the urge to write them all and tell them how wrong they were. She wanted to tell them, "You should see Zachary Taylor." Zach is no ordinary high school boy. He had high aspirations and dreams that astounded Lily; for they were nearly opposites. After getting to know Zach, Lily reflects: "It seemed like I was now thinking of Zach forty minutes of every hour, Zach, who was an impossibility. I can tell you this much: the word [impossibility] is a great big log thrown on the fires of love." While their love is young, the beauty is that against all odds, they realize that in a world where it would never be easy or uncomplicated for them to love each other, they realize that it would all be worth it. Zach gives Lily her green journal to write in. Lily goes to visit Zach when he was thrown in jail, and reflects to herself: "I watched him, filled with tenderness and ache, wondering what it was that connected us." There was a connection between them that couldn't be broken by social prejudice or the opinions of everyone else. There is something almost magnetic that seems to pull the two of them together, from the first day they met.

Blog 3

Blog 3: Illogicalness of Racism "The Secret Life of Bees" shows different views of racism. Lily grew up in a white family who treated blacks as lower than themselves. Lily doesn't even realize that this is happening and when she does realize, she changes her views. After spending time with the Boatwright's she makes the statement, "T. Ray did not think colored women were smart. Since I want to tell the whole truth, which means the worst parts, I thought they could be smart, but not as smart as me, me being white. Lying on the cot in the honey house, though, all I could think was August is so intelligent, so cultured, and I was surprised by this. That's what let me know I had some prejudice buried inside me" (78). Lily finally comes to terms with the fact that she herself is racist, even though she hadn't realized it. Lily quickly lets the sisters into her life and comes to realize that she has no basis for her beliefs. The longer she stays with them the more she realizes the illogicallness and stupidity of racism. Lily also begins to fall for Zach and she breaks down crying at one point because she knows that they cannot be together. She realizes that because of the views of the world, her new life is becoming more complicated. Even June, who seems racist towards Lily at first, comes around and learns to care for Lily no matter what her skin color. The book does a great job of subtly showing the illogicalness of racism.

Blog 2

Blog 2: Character Analysis - Zach In chapter 7, we are introduced to Zachary Lincoln Taylor. Zach works at August's house, helping with the honey crop. He and Lily have to work together and become fast friends. Zach's character at the beginning is happy and free. He makes Lily laugh and gives her a new perspective of black people. For the first time she realizes that a black boy is not only her friend, but she is actually attracted to him. Lily describes him this way, "There was nothing white about Zachary Lincoln Taylor. Even the whites of his eyes weren't exactly white. He had broad shoulders and a narrow waist and short-cropped hair like most of the Negro boys wore, but it was his face I couldn't help staring at. If he was shocked over me being white, I was shocked over him being handsome" (116). Zach and Lily are good friends until he ends up getting thrown in jail for something he didn't do. Because Zack won't rat out his friends, he is put in jail and beaten. When he finally gets out, he is jaded in many different ways. First of all, May has killed herself because Zach was in prison. Secondly, he has changed his attitude about white people. At the beginning he did not seem to mind when white's looked down on blacks and he thought he could change their minds. But after being in jail he tells Lily he is always angry and wants to make things right. As Lily changed for the good, Zach seems to regress and realize how hated he is by many people.

BLOG 4

There is a significant amount of symbolism in this novel. For instance, the entire story is centered around bees. Lily is woken up in the night by hearing and seeing bees buzzing around her bedroom; a label of the black virgin Mary from August's beehive is what initially leads Lily and Rosaleen to Tiburon; most of the story takes place in South Carolina, at August's home and beehive. The bees symbolize the strength and value of women in a society. The quotes that begin each chapter usually capitalize on how significant the queen and females of a bee colony are. One such quote from the book, "Bees of the World," says: Males are reared only at the times of the year when their presence is required." Another significant quote that celebrates the females of the colony from "The Queen Must Die: And Other Affairs of Bees and Men," is the following: " Honeybees depend not only on physical contact with the colony, but also require its social companionship and support. Isolate a honeybee from her sisters and she will soon die." August makes continual connections between life and bee keeping. After May dies, August covers the hives, saying: "Putting black cloths on the hives is for us. I do it to remind us that life gives way into death, and then death turns around and gives way to life." Her wise insight is simple, but beautiful.

Blog 1

Blog 1: Character Analysis - Lily Lily is first introduced as a fourteen year old white girl who grew up on a peach farm with her father. Lily's mother died when Lily was young and we later find out that Lily is responsible for her death. It was accidental, but Lily shot her mother without realizing it or remembering it. These lingering memories shaped Lily's character and were dragged through life with her. When first introduced to Lily, she seems quiet and almost afraid. She is afraid of her father, T. Ray, because he is so rough on her. She is also afraid of being close to people and showing too much of herself. As the story continues and Lily stays at August Boatwright's house, she begins to change. Not only does her personality change, but her character as well. Lily becomes much more outgoing and personable. She stops lying, and eventually comes clean with August about everything, including the past about her mother. She also begins to learn how to truly love and trust and let people into her life. She makes friends that she will keep for her whole life and finally stands up for herself against her father and the way he has treated her all her life. Lily also changes her views on the world, realizing that black people are the same as white people and should be treated equally. Lily changes slowly throughout the book, but by the end she is a drastically different person than she was in the first few chapters.

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Lily's sarcasm and sense of humor is evident through this novel, bringing the characters in this story to life. Life is challenging for Lily, but her gumption and fortitude give her the strength to endure her lot in life. One of the lines towards the beginning to the novel is, "People who think dying is the worst thing don't know a thing about life." Life was difficult. When reflecting on the character and spirituality of her indifferent father, T. Ray, Lily says: "I had asked God repeatedly to do something about T. Ray. He'd gone to church for forty years and was only getting worse. It seemed like this should tell God something." When Lily's teacher tells her that she sees potential in her, Lily is shocked. She says, "It took me a month to get over the shock of having life possibilities." To a neglected young girl who had never had the assurance of love in her short lifetime, Lily could hardly imagine someone actually believed in her. Lily is quick-witted and adopted the bad habit of lying, without even thinking about it.

BLOG - Autumn Housefield

The theme of feminism is evident through the novel's entirety; however, I found it interesting to note the emphasis put on "mothers" in this story. From the first chapter to the last of this novel, Lily's life is influenced by the fact that her mother is out of her life. Lily thinks about the other girls at school who have pretty clothes to wear and have their hair fixed just right--all loving touches of a mother. Rosaleen acts as a "stand in" mother for Lily from the beginning, taking care of her and also taking care of their home. With every breath Lily feels the guilt and shame of accidently killing her mother when she was only four years old; and she carries this burden with her until ultimately finding healing in Tiburen, South Carolina. Later in the story, August Boatwright becomes a mother figure in Lily's life. The black Virgin Mary becomes the "mother" of all of them, as she comes to know the "Daughters of Mary" and the mysterious religion they hold so dear. Lastly, the story revolves around the symbol of "bees" and "beehives." The "queen" of a bee society is better known as the mother of the society. The society ceases to exist when the queen is dead unless she can be replaced. All of these ideas point to the crucial importance of mothers in all humanity.

Blog 10

“I imagined how May had rolled the rock from the bank out into the river, then lay down, pulling it on top of her. She had held it tight, like a baby, and waited for her lungs to fill. I wondered if she had flailed and jerked toward the surface at the last second, or did she go without fighting, embracing the rock, letting is soak up all the pain she felt? I wondered about the creatures that had swum by while she died.”

 I was so moved by the simplicity and yet the complexity of this scene. This is the most unbelievable example of the embodiment of emotion within a simple presentation. We are trapped in the head of an adolescent girl and yet we are still able to perceive the heart behind what is happening. I also appreciated that there was an art to the way suicide was presented. This is something that I have had experience with and it is a very ugly and brutal way to die, and there is no way to move beyond the horror of it when it happens, however the way it was written it was something sacrificial and artistic and brave. I think this had more to do with the personality of May rather than the actual act of suicide. 

Blog 9

“I wanted to touch her vanishing red heart, too, as much as anything I’d ever wanted. As I rose from my chair, my head was still swimming some. I walked toward black Mary with my hand lifted. But just as I was about to reach her, June stopped playing. She stopped right in the middle of the song, and I was left in the silence with my hand stretched out. Drawing it back, I looked around me, and it was like seeing everything through a train’s thick window. A blur passed before me. A moving wave of color. I am not one of you, I thought.

This part broke my heart more than I think was necessary. But in this moment it was so clear that these were the people that she felt she could relate to. She placed herself in the midst of them and felt as though she were a part of things. Then there is this moment of shattering glass where the atmosphere explodes with the pain of her realization that even in this place she cannot belong. It broke my heart because I felt as though she had to jump backwards to the start of her recovery with the knowledge that she still had not found her place of acceptance. 

Blog 8

            “‘The people called her Our Lady of Chains. They called her that not because she wore chine…’

            ‘Not because she wore chains,’ the Daughters chanted.

            ‘They called her Our Lady of Chains because she broke them.”

When I was reading this scene, all I could think was “man if only they were this passionate about Jesus!” But I truly think that this is an exceptionally spiritual moment. I had chills when I was reading because there is this intimacy. I know that most Christian readers would say no way to any type of emotionalism with another ‘god.’ But I disagree. Yes I believe that there is one God. No I do not think that any one or thing could replace Him. But I find it encouraging that people are searching for Him. They may find Him in ways that we cannot understand but they are still searching. I think these women are headed in the right direction. They understand that you carry Him with you, they understand the beauty in the relationship, they understand that He can bring healing and intervention and hope. But they relate these qualities to a female statue.  That is the only negative part. The rest of the segment is liberating and emotional and elevating. 

Blog 7

When Lily is asked to face the fact that her mother did in fact leave her for a short period of time, she is floored. The perfect mother figure she had painted in her mind dissolved into the very image she had dreaded most. “It sat like an ice sculpture in the center of my chest. Nothing could touch it.” Lilly couldn’t forget and she couldn’t forgive. Even the knowledge that her mom had come back could not save her from the despair that enveloped her. August noticed her silence and gave her some wisdom. “People in general, would rather die than forgive. It’s that hard. If God said in plain language, ‘I’m giving you a choice, forgive or die,’ a lot of people would go ahead and order their coffin.” We see August as a sort of conscience. She plants these ideas of healing in Lilly’s mind without being too forward. The way that she does it is like a seed. She coats the idea in something more easy to swallow, and let she watches it grow. She is a source of wisdom, almost like a walking proverb. Her character in the story is very much like a spiritual aid or mentor.

Blog 6

“’Wailing wall,’ she said again. ‘Like they have in Jerusalem. The Jewish people go there to mourn. It’s away for them to deal with their suffering. See, they write their prayers on scraps of paper and tuck them in the wall.’” May’s character is very complex. We don’t find out till alter on in the story that she was an identical twin who shared a very intimate core with her sister. When the other twin April died May never quite recovered. I felt that her character was very spiritual. There was this intensity to the way that she related with people. She took on their emotions and went through the pain that they went through. She did this even with people that she had never met… someone in the newspaper… someone on the television. I related her in a literary way to Jesus on the cross. He took on all of the sins of the world and in that moment was forsaken from the Father. He felt the grief, the pain, the guilt, the deceit, the pride, the selfishness… He took it all. May is a lesser example of this, but she also takes on and wears the pain of the people around her and in doing so alienates herself from her family. 

Blog 5

Lilly has never thought of herself as attractive. Her hair a all frizz, she has chicken legs, she doesn’t dress the way everyone else does… but during her time at the sisters’ house she begins to become more aware of her “self.”  The more aware she becomes of herself, the more open she becomes to the things and people around her. “It was foolish to think some things were beyond happening, even being attracted to Negroes. I’d honestly though such a things couldn’t happen, the way water could not run uphill or salt could not taste sweet. A law of nature. Maybe it was a simple matter of being attracted to what I couldn’t have. “  Lilly realizes not only her attraction to Zach, but the possibility of having an attraction to anyone. To have feelings for someone is to give them a window. They have an opportunity to be close to you. Prior to Lilly staying at the house, she avoided people. She didn’t go out of her way to make friends at school, she couldn’t have a close relationship with her dad, and her friendship with Rosalee was at best shaky. Her acknowledgement of her increasing fascination with Zach is also recognition that she is willing to let someone that close. 

Blog 4

“The spinner started slowly, gaining speed like the cotton- candy machine at the fair, until it was sending heavenly smells into the atmosphere. ‘It separates out the honey,’ she said, ‘Takes out the bad stuff, leaves in the good. I’ve always thought how nice it would be to have spinners like this for human beings. Just toss them in and let the spinner do its word.’ I looked back at her, and she was staring at me with her ginger- cake eyes. Was I paranoid to think that when she said human being, what she really meant was me.’” I completely understood why Lily felt that August was speaking directly to her. However my perception of this scene was that August was speaking for her. I think she was trying to communicate that even though Lily had did not see the good in people, that there is always a combination of the good and the bad. I think August was trying to teach her to look at the good in people and recognize it, instead of always focusing in on the negative or on the bad.  There is also a subtle hint here that even the people that we think are only good can still have another side to them, but that doesn’t subtract from the good that we recognized originally. 

Blog 3

‘That night I lay in bed listening to the flicks and twitters and thrums inside the bee jar, waiting till it was late enough so I could slip out to the orchard and dig up the tin box that held my mother’s thing. I wanted to lie down in the orchard and let it hold me.” I felt that this was a very mature moment for Lily. Most young girls that are neglected and angry push everyone away. Those enclose themselves in their own developed safe place to avoid further hurt.  They become brash and cold; there is a defensiveness that surrounds them. However, in this scene Lily identifies her need to be held. She understands that the very thing that would revolutionize her callous world is love. However not just love, as we perceive it in emotion, but love in action. She understands this unsaid concept that people have a need for … people. Her greatest desire is to be touched in a way that lets her know she is cared for. The sad part of this is that the only thing to hold her is the orchard and the night sky.

Blog 2

“’You’re going back with me!’ he yelled. ‘You never should have left me.’ It crossed my mind that he was no longer talking to me but to Deborah. Like his mind had snapped back ten year.”  T Ray truly does not have a redeeming quality in the novel. The reader is left wondering, along with Lily, why Deborah had chosen to marry him. Then we meet August. Her wisdom is beyond the perspective of a young teen girl, so it is through her character that we realize there is something more to T Ray. “You know, Lily, people can start out one way, and by the time life gets through with them they end up completely different. I don’t doubt he started off loving your mother. In fact, I think her worshipped her. And your mother soaked it up. Like a lot of young women, she could get carried away with romance. But after six months or so it started wearing off.” There is a sense of frustration during this speech. We side with Lily. We don’t want to incriminate the perfect image we have of the mother we cannot remember. However, it must be recognized that there is truth in what August says, and suddenly T Ray becomes the lover that just wasn’t good enough to maintain the affection of the woman he would have given everything for.

Blog 1

As I was reading I felt myself focusing in on the bees. The bees represent a sort of background noise during the entirety of the novel. I felt that they illuminated the main character Lily. August told her (concerning the bees), “Don’t swat. Don’t even think about swatting. If you feel angry, whistle. Anger agitates, while whistling melts a bee’s temper. Act like you know what you’re doing even if you don’t. Above all, send the bees love. Every little thing wants to be loved.” Lily is very much like a bee. She doesn’t respond well to anything but love. It took months of care by August and her sisters to break down the walls around Lily and to give her the confidence to trust them and love them back. She was desperate for love, having never really been accustomed to it. “I wanted to make her (August) love me so she would keep me forever. If I could make her love me, maybe she would forget about Beatrix the nun going home and let me stay.” Lily felt that she had to force people to love her; that they wouldn’t do it willingly.

Blog Ten

I thought it would be interesting to compare Lilly’s story to the eight stages of the hero’s journey. Here is what I came up with:

1. THE CALL

She wakes up in the middle of the night, and hears the bees “speaking” to her, telling her to “go.” There is definitely a clear call.

2. THE THRESHOLD

Also defined as the “jumping off point,” I believe that the run-in that Rosaleen has with the men that beat her up could qualify as the threshold. This stands as the catalyst for Lilly to actually “go.”

Initiation and Transformation

3. THE CHALLENGES

There are plenty of these! Trying to find somewhere to go when she doesn’t even know where she’s looking is the first challenge she faces after the threshold, and T-ray coming after her is one of the last ones.

4. THE ABYSS

Also known as “the greatest challenge that must be faced alone.” Finding out the truth about her mother, Lilly must decide what the means for her.

5. THE TRANSFORMATION

After realizing the fantasies she has held about her mother for all of her life are untrue, the influence of the Boatwright sisters helps her realize that she has grown into an amazing young woman, even without her mother, and that finding out about her mother should not stunt her growth on this journey.

6. THE REVELATION

Lilly realizes that she has no desire to ever return to her old life, and that she belongs in the big pink house. The day of the picnick, everything seems to fall into place for this self-revelation to happen.

7. THE ATONEMENT

This happens when she finally places her hand over Mary’s heart. When she does this, she is at peace with herself.

8. THE RETURN

In Lilly’s case, the “return” is more of a choice to stay where she is. She returns to daily life, but it happens by her choosing to act on the feeling that she belongs where she is, and that she is accepted there.

Blog Nine

Love and Acceptance were some things that were sorely lacking in the time period in which this novel was written, yet when the August Boatwright met Lilly, she was quick to offer her both. It did not matter that she was black and Lilly was white any more than it mattered that Lilly was a teenage runaway or that she was lying about her past.

I believe that this was a way of showing what could be if love and acceptance were offered, regardless of race.

We saw how patient August Boatwright was with Lilly, and how she forgave her and loved her even before Lilly had come clean with her, and we see how great things worked out because of that. I think that was a way of showing how great things could have turned out, if only people would have been willing to offer love and acceptance to each other without making race an issue.

Blog Eight

“Most people don’t have any idea about all the complicated life going on inside a hive. Bees have a secret life we don’t know anything about.”

These words are spoken by August to Lilly, and while she is talking about bees, she is also talking about Lilly’s life, how it is involved with her life, and how she wishes to help.

The author does an incredible job in this literary work at using quotes that relate to multiple situations throughout the novel. At this point in the novel, the words August is speaking could be taken many different ways. She could simply be talking about bees, since that was what the focus was on in the moment that she said this, but it is more than likely she is speaking about something different, as that seems to be a theme with August. Here, I think she is speaking to Lilly about her life. Telling her, in a very non-aggressive way, that she knows that Lilly has a secret that no one else knows. While saying that she has taken the time to get to know the bees and the happenings about their lives, it is if she is reminding Lilly that she is there and willing to take the time to learn about her, and help her through the secret struggles of her life.

This is just one of many scenes in the book that show the strong sense of community, something the Author portrayed in a beautiful way.

Blog Seven

One of the reoccurring themes in The Secret Life of Bees is a strong sense of a feminine community. Having grown up most of her life without a mother, the things that Lilly lacked in her life could only truly be provided by female characters in her life.

We see Lilly first find comfort in Rosaleen, something she has done most of her life and continues to do on this journey, and Lilly and Rosaleen began this journey together. Then, when she happens upon the big pink house, a whole community of female characters await her to fill the gaps that have been left in her life. This starts with the three sisters living in the house, and ultimately ends with Mother Mary.

However, I really respect that the author was able to feature such a strong feminine voice without completely leaving out the male character. While Lilly has a rough go at it with her father, eventually a male character is introduced into the story (Zach,) and we see her begin to trust again.

Blog Six

While reading Secret Life of Bees, I found myself really appreciating the gravity of the situations the novel was dealing with, even though the main character was so young. Although it is a fiction novel, it dealt with things in a very "real life" way. I think this is true with most, if not all, African-American Literature that we have covered in class.

While some literature glosses over important issues without really getting into them and showing how heavy they are, and some other literature dances around certain issues all together, African-American Literature takes a refreshing, honest real life stance. The poems we have read in class are realistic and stay true to the time periods that they were penned in.

I so appreciate that this novel took a realistic approach to the way racism was in that time period. Just because Lilly was young did not mean she got to escape the havoc racism caused, and this novel fully acknowledges that, staying true to African-American Literature.

Blog Five

It is interesting how the author of Secret Life of Bees has chosen to make Lilly’s father (the “bad” character of the book) white, as well as making every other character that is viewed in a negative way white as well. On the opposite side, every character that helps Lilly find solace is Black. Everyone who helps her or cares for her, and really everyone she cares about, is African American. In the book, save for Lilly, white is portrayed as bad, and Black is portrayed as good.

It is thought-provoking to think about how different the story would be if the race roles were reversed, and even more interesting, how differently the story would be viewed. I think that if Secret Life of Bees was left with exactly the same plot and story line, yet the roles of the races were reversed to where Black is bad and White is good, then it would be a novel viewed as extremely racist. Not exactly fair, but definitely true.

Blog Four

““He met my mother when she went to see him with a toothache.”

I sat there a minute and thought about the odd ways of life. If it wasn’t for a toothache, August wouldn’t be here. Or May or June, or Black Madonna Honey, and I wouldn’t be sitting here talking to her.”

The Secret Life of Bees is different than a lot of African American literature that we’ve read in class due to the fact that it is so positive. It deals with horrific situations and issues, yet manages to maintain a positive outlook throughout the whole book.

I think the conversation above can also relate to the attitude the characters in this book had about the bad events that happened in this book, and, going even deeper, can relate to the attitude that the author had about racism and issues like that. They viewed them as terrible, awful things, yet looked for the good in them. They always stayed positive. They chose to see the “bright side” of things, no matter how much they were suffering. It is a beautiful portrayal of what I’m sure was a group of people in that time period, and I am so glad that someone decided to write book such as this one, allowing us to see a more positive side of things; not that any of the situations should be considered positive, but rather that the individuals involved in them did not give up, and kept a good outlook, despite the odds.

Blog Three

“People, in general, would rather die than forgive. It’s THAT hard. If God said in plain language, “I’m giving you a choice, forgive or die,” a lot of people would go ahead and order their coffin.”

What an honest view of humanity. Although the book ends while we only see a glimmer of hope that racism will one day die, this really relates to what we discussed in class about the residing effects of slavery and racism. Although as a people, African Americans were declared “free,” they had been in a type of bondage that transcends the physical realm for so long that simply being declared free did not make them free. I think this view on forgiveness relates to that.

It was a two-way streak. African-Americans were not forgiving towards the white man that had kept them in bondage and abused their humanity for so long (and I mean really, can you blame them?) And the majority of the white man still viewed himself as “master” over this race. Since this was how things had been going on for so long, one cannot expect forgiveness to just happen overnight, but it is really sad to see the toll that un-forgiveness took, and the role it played in slaves truly being “freed.”

Blog Two

I love how refreshing this book is. One thing I’ve noticed that I like is how Lilly comes to her own decisions by herself. Sure, she listens to other’s input, and (sometimes) takes into consideration the events going on around her, but at the end of the day, she does not let that sway her decision.

For example, when she starts to have feelings for Zach, he plainly tells her that it is “not okay” due to people’s feelings and beliefs. Yet, she doesn’t let that stop her from falling in love with him, even though she’s seen a handful of horrible things happen due to racism already.

I found it really refreshing to read a book that dealt with racism and featured a main character that was surrounded by racism, yet took great lengths to not let it affect her.

Blog One

“Knowing can be a curse on a person’s life. I’d traded in a pack of lies for a pack of truth, and I didn’t know which one was heavier. Which one took the most strength to carry around? It was a ridiculous question, though because once you know the truth, you can’t ever go back and pick up your suitcase of lies. Heavier or not, the truth is yours now.”

While this quote is Lilly talking about finding out the truth about her mother, I think the author had a double meaning in mind behind this sentence. I think it also relates to the way Lilly started off (or at least, when we first meet her in the book) rather unaware of the depths of the effects of racism. Sure, she knows about racism, because it was really prevalent in that time. However, until she was walking into town with Rosaleen, racism was not extremely prevalent in her own personal life. After that, several different events happen due to racism, and each change Lilly in some way.

I think that the author was alluding to that in this sentence. She now knew the truth about how ugly racism was, and how it changed everything. Yet knowing the truth was almost worse than living in oblivion.