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."
No comments:
Post a Comment