Secret Life of Bees


The secrets of the bees guide Lily, accompany her, and drive her forward in her life. The author retells past events but within present language that's easy to understand. It portrays the essence of racism and contains yet disproves many stereotyping like how all black people are uneducated and housekeepers. It helps us get over our prejudice mindset and focuses on the true beauty within each other. It addresses the wounds of loss, betrayal, and the lack of love. The power of women has the ability of love to transform lives. The Secret Life of Bees is simply beautiful.

Lily Owens has spent most of her life longing for her mother, Deborah, who died in a mysterious incident when she was four years old. The nightmare in her life is her abusive father, T. Ray, who accuses Lily of killing her mother. Lily was raised by Rosaleen, her stand-in-mother. When Rosaleen registers to vote, she is taunted by the three worst racists in town and is thrown in jail. Lily runs away from her father and frees Rosaleen. Lily had her mother's picture of a black Madonna and on the back it said, “Tiburon S.C.,” so she goes there, knowing that her mother had to have been there.

“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.” (pg.148) People are not always who they seem on the outside. In other people's eyes, our lives might not seem as complex and complicated as they really are. The Secret Life of Bees is a very powerful novel which I believe is worth reading.