Tuesday, April 12, 2011
BLOG 9
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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Religious themes are present throughout the novel, especially in the image of Mary. Mary gives hope to the African Americans, even though she is only the mother of Christ, as August points out, she is still a valid character in the religious circle. In a sense the Queen bee even represents Mary as well. She part of a support system in which all the bees go to for guidance.
ReplyDeleteMary, the queen bee and even August hold a prevelant spiritual feel throughout the novel. I'm not sure if it was the author's goal but it seems that in these stong women she was bringing out the Image of God. Imageo Dei is found in all, even women. That being said, it was during this time that women did not have a strong point in society, and August, Mary and the Queen Bee are strong and powerful people that others go to for help.