"The Secret Life of Bees" and Identity

Paper Summary:

This paper reviews Sue Monk Kidd's popular novel, "The Secret Life of Bees". The paper describes the book as a coming-of-age narrative that involves a girl in search of her mother and ultimately her identity. The paper explores the main themes of this story: home and the need to belong. The paper contends that Kidd also brings up critical elements that define the book, such as racism and prejudice towards other people, in particular, African-Americans and people of color.

From the Paper:

"Lily Owens, the main character, is a teenage girl who lives with her abusive father. She is not very outgoing and does not have many friends. This is because she has no female support except for her African American housekeeper, Rosaleen. Another reason is that she accidentally killed her mother. Lily calls her father T. Ray because, in her words, "T. Ray just ain't the type of person you'd call daddy". T. Ray Owens is the hateful, peach-farming antagonist. When T. Ray is feeling particularly mean towards Lily, he pulls the Martha White grits down from the pantry and pours an anthill-sized pile on the kitchen floor for Lily to kneel in. There is no evident love in his heart for Lily whatsoever, and living with him only deepens the ever-present pain of her motherless existence."

More papers on "The Secret Life of Bees" and Identity:

• Book Review # 115137 : "Themes in "The Secret Life of Bees"
• Film Review # 128106 : "Cultural Competence in "The Secret Life of Bees"

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