The Secret Life Of Bees Epigraph Essay

In the novel The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd, the main character, Lily Owens struggles with the notion that she killed her mother and has to live with her abusive, neglectful father, T-Ray. Throughout, Lily searches for information about her mother and why she left her. Unexpectedly, she stumbles upon new mother figures that play an important role in changing Lily to the person she is in later. The typical sequence of a hero’s journey includes a departure, initiation and trials, and reintegration into society. By the end, Lily Owens developes into a more mature, independent young women after experiencing a difficult childhood.

The devastating tragedy of losing a person's mother at an early age can drastically affect that person's life. It can impact the way someone thinks, corresponds with others, and the way someone handles themselves emotionally. In the novel The Secret Life of Bees Lily Owens loses her mother at the early age of four. During Lily's journey she finds comfort and support in the women that she meets. Throughout the novel Lily goes through many changes because of the impact of the motherly figures of the Black Mary, Rosaleen, and the Calendar Sisters.

Every family has parents and maybe some siblings too, it is what makes the family a family. Some kids are adopted and some are not and some like Lily Owens in The Secret Life of Bees got to choose her family. In the novel, The Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd, the theme that appears a lot is how much family means, even if it is chosen.

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd introduces Lily Owens as a very kind and caring person. The book takes place in the 1950’s when there was a lot of discrimination, and Lily believed everyone should be equal. When Lily runs away from her abusive father, it represents her bravery and shows that Lily stands up when there is a problem and doesn't let it just happen. Lily leaves with Rosaleen because Rosaleen was in trouble. This shows that Lily would also do anything for the people she cares about. Lily has a few qualities that are similar to mine. One is that when she believes in something she stands up for it and doesn't just sit back and watch it happen. This is something i strongly believe. If there is something you can do to help someone why not do it?

The character who has changed the most in Sue Monk Kidd's novel, The Secret Life of Bees, is Lily Owens. When the novel begins, Lily is constantly pushed around by her father. She has no courage against her daddy, T. Ray, who abbuses and taunts her. His parenting ways, of overpowermeant, fear, and physical punishments are barbaric. Once, Lily was caught under an apple tree with her top unbottoned. She insists to T. Ray that nothing happpened. He calls her a slut and does not believe her T. Ray proceeds to give her a severe punishment. Monk states, "He poured a mound of grits the size of an anthill onto the pine floor. 'Get over here and kneel down,'...I swayed from knee to knee, hoping for a seond or two of relief, but the pain cut deep into my skin" (24).

When T. Ray is away, Lily sneaks away, carrying with her a bag of things her mother

In chapter one of Sue Monk Kidd's The Secret Life of Bees the epigraph is a metaphor for the chapter. The queen is represented by Lily's mother, Deborah. It was shown by the actions of T-ray and Lily after her departure that she was the unifying force of their family; without her they could no longer function. Without her they were no longer a family. With everything lily did, she was constantly reminded of her mother's death. As lily explained, "The oddest things caused me to miss her," and T-ray turned into a miserable excuse of a father. When Deborah died, the result was unmistakable queenlessness. Starting with T-Rays parenting, though it was never adequate, after the family tragedy he became bitter and cruel. He expresses this in

Throughout her fourteen years of living with surly T-Ray in the little house next to the peach groves, Lily feels numerable emotions during the unfair treatments and hardships she endured from her father. Lily does not feel worthy or meaningful at her slovenly home with T-Ray.

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd features an allusion at the start of each chapter, each one mentioning a queen bee. Throughout the exposition, it is believed the queen bee mentioned would be a symbol for Lily's mother, but as the plot progresses, many more motherly figures begin to fit into this description of queen bee. Our Lady of Chains can be seen as the queen bee of the novel, as the Boatwright sisters, Rosaleen, and Lily can all relate to her in some form. They are all trying to escape from something, the Boatwright sisters and Rosaleen are trying to escape the harsh rasicm seen in this time period and Lily is attempting to escape her past. The allusion in chapter six writes, "The queen must produce some substance that attracts

Sue Monk Kidd the gives the reader a compassionate perspective of Lily’s parents in “The Secret Life of Bees” with the use of metaphors, symbolism, and dialogue, that exhibits the only reason behind Deborah’s and Ray’s actions was either endearment, self-protection, or resentment. Deborah’s and Terrence’s dysfunctional marriage only began because of Deborah’s pregnancy. The reader will sympathize with Deborah’s depression and the repercussions on herself and Lily. Terrence’s reaction to Deborah’s past will show his soft side. All-embracing, Kidd uses these situations to create sympathy for Lily’s parents.

“What is bound will be unbound. What is cast down will be lifted up. This is the promise of Our Lady” (228). Mary, known in the book as Our Lady of Chains, is an important aspect of Lily Owen’s epic quest. Though her journey is not that of legend, her quest is epic in its own right. Through her own sense of spirituality, Lily is able to overcome all obstacles in her way. Lily Owen’s journey in The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kid functions as a literary quest as she struggles to overcome her abusive father, her own guilt, and her anger towards her mother on her journey self-discovery.

Ever since the death of Lily’s mother, Deborah, T. Ray has made it physically and mentally difficult for Lily to cope and move forward in life. According to the novel, he tells Lily, “The truth is, your sorry mother ran off and left you. The day she died, she’d come back for her things, that’s all. You can hate me all you want, but she’s the one who left you.” (Kidd 39) This indeed shows T. Ray’s inability to control his anger but also shows his cruel nature towards his own kin. Throughout the entire novel, T. Ray has led Lily to believe that Deborah intentionally left, even

It is very important that the correct historical accuracy is utilized when writing. I think this because if the piece fails to be accurate, then people may get the wrong idea of the meaning trying to be portrayed in the writing. If the written information is false, then the truth may seem as if it is being covered up. This may make it feel like the author is trying to hide the truth or is fleeing the truth of the real history.

Sue Monk Kidd does a beautiful job with her bee analogies and quote 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.

Why is there evil in the world? By asking this great question you also create the question of why is there good? Both questions that can never be truly answered, but you can always be assured they will always be here and good will win in the long run. I will be talking about how evil is vanquished by good in this book. This book is named The Secret Life of Bees By: Sue Monk Kidd and throughout the novel, we see Lily and Rosaleen leave their abusive household in exchange for the adventure of searching for Lily’s mother, Deborah Fontanel. Deborah was killed when Lily was very young and got a hold of a gun and had accidentally shot her. Among this journey had learned and experienced mother’s love from the calendar sisters, June, May, and August as they had taken her and Rosaleen in and let them live with them. The good, the evil and the overcoming of what is wrong with what is right.