Reflection On The Secret Life Of Bees

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Nathalie Bencie Hentges 5 AP Lang & Comp. 26 Jan. 2018 Reading Journals: The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd Reflection #1 (pgs. 1-70) I’m bereft of words to describe or share all the beauty of this book so far, and I've yet to reach halfway. This book is the story of Lily Owens - a teenager yearning for forgiveness, closure, and motherly love. Lily’s earliest memories as a child is the tragic accident of her mom’s death. Her mother’s death leaves her shattered in more than one way. Living with her unkind, embittered dad and being “raised” by an African-American woman, Rosaleen, Lily is a complete misfit at school and in her neighborhood. She embalms her hurt and yearning by slipping into a carefully constructed fantasy in which…show more content…
Whites during twentieth century America in the South. The author draws a clear analogy between the bees that Lily traps in her jar and Lily herself early on. When Lily decides to set the bees free, she remarks: "But the bees remained there, like planes on a runway not knowing they'd been cleared for takeoff. They crawled on their stalk legs around the curved perimeters of the glass as if the world had shrunk to that jar. I tapped the glass, even laid the jar on its side, but those crazy bees stayed put"…show more content…
As Lily notes: "She reminded me that the world was really one big bee yard, and the same rules worked fine in both places. Don't be afraid, as no life-loving bee wants to sting you. Still, don't be an idiot; wear long sleeves and long pants. 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
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