Do you think by the end of the story Lily felt complete and full of happiness within herself and her life or do you feel like she will resort back to her old, sad ways? remember, when T.Ray said she shot the gun, she denied it by saying "95% of the time you can't trust T.Ray anyway."

When T.Ray was coming after Lily and he slapped her, do you feel her tipping over black mary and picking her back up was a symbol in the story within? or is it a coincidence?

T.Ray

How do you feel about T.Ray after reading this book? Does it sort of make since why he is the way he is? or is he just a cold hearted man?

T-Ray

Thoughout this novel, T-Ray represents a mean man who is always frustrated and angry. However, we could see in the final chapters that T-Ray become such a mean man after Deborah left him. So do you still think he is a guy is totally bad and cannot be forgiven, or he is a guy should be forgiven because the himself is not the only reason that turns him into a mean character?

May's Death

In the book, it is obvious that May is effect by the pains that others have. She killed herself, because she found out August and others didn't tell her the truth of Zach. Do you think the May's death is her fate, or it happened just as a surprise?

The truth about Deborah's death

In chapter 14, T-Ray said to Lily:"It was you who did it, Lily. You didn't mean it, but it was you ." Do you think T-Ray reveals the truth of that accident, or T-Ray said it because he hates Lily, he wants to hurt her by telling her this?

Rosaleen in the beginning of the book, had huge hopes for being able to vote. She got beat for having those hopes, which broke them down. After moving into the Calender Sisters house, she discovered a different world of black women being powerful. How do you think she became a more powerful person?

    Lily coming age in this novel. At the beging, Her mother is a perfect person in her mind. Her mother loves her. but in the end of the novel. The August told her, her mother didn't love her. Because of her, she have to marry with T.Ray. Actually the doesn't love T.Ray. Lily think she is a produce without love.
    Finally, Lily realize it is doesn't metter what the things happen. She have to keep the Love in her mind. if she do, the love will around you. She is brave to accept the African American love and learned how to forgive her mother.
 

T.Ray is a character that since the beginning of the story is meant to be disliked. The way he acts and talks to Lily just makes us feel like he is the main reason why Deborah left him but it makes a lot more scence that he became that way because of Deborah. Do you think that Lily thinks this way as well? Do you think she feels like her father loves her in some way? Why?

August's reaction to Lily's sadness

August has become Lily's mother more or less, since the moment that Lily confessed all she had to confess they became even closer. August knew that at some point she had to tell Lily about the real background behind her mother. Later on Lily is very upset because of all of this. August decides that Lily needs sometime to sort it out on her own and find some answers, do think that this is the right way to do it or should Lily talk it out with her or Rosaleen?

In the last few chapters Lily has found out the secret about her mother. She is really disappointed because it makes her feel as if she had left her behind and didn't love her in any way. Lily for a few days thinks about this and finally accepts that her mother did the right thing. Do you think it is because after that she knew that she came back for her and it was then that Lily kill her or do you think that there are also some other reasons?

Lily afraid of T.Ray are mad at her leaving. When T.Ray found her and want to take her back to home. At first, Lily is scared of him. He looks so angry. Then i realize T.Ray also loves Lily. I dont know why he always so mean to Lily. it is a special way to show the love?    T.Ray want Lily beck to home with him. He is so lonely. His wife was die and his daughter left him. He also need love. Although Lily realized this, she still dont want return with her father. Maybe she think live with August sister and Rosaleen is better.

  After August told the detail of her mother to Lily. Lily thinks her mother doesn't love her. she was so angry and sad because she always think her mother loves her. when she knew is her mother left her and go to August's house. Her hope broke. it's terrible felling when your hope break. She will be mad at her mother because she loves her mother very much. 

  At the end, she forgive her mother because she realize her mother loves her but use the special way. 

T. Ray

So T. Ray came back in the end of chapter fourteen. Did you see that coming? Did you think he was going to come back or did you think he was never going to try to find her? Were you happy when he left and she got to stay with June and August? It scared me a little when he came at her with the knife and held her by the hair. I thought he was going to hurt her in some way and take her home. When August stepped in I thought maybe he would hurt her instead but I'm glad he didn't. I didn't expect him to do what he did but I had thought he would come back.

Loveable?

Life for Lily definitely gets better for Lily after August tells her about her mother. She figures out that her mother did love her, and that she isn't unloveable. I think after this, she will always feeled loved after. Do you think she will?

Life After

What do you think Lily's life is going to be like after the book ends? What about Zach, Roseleen, August, and June? Do you think that T.Ray will miss her ever?

Lily's Feelings

So obviously, when Lily finds out the truth about her mother, she has the right to be upset. T. Ray was right, her mother did leave them, both of them. Of course she was sad and disappointed and angry at her mom for leaving her, but were some of her feelings towards herself and T. Ray? Was she mad because T. Ray was right and she was wrong? T. Ray did trigger the whole thing, and she basically ran away to prove T. Ray wrong, so many of her feelings must have been directed at that. Do you think she would have still had so much anger if T. Ray wasn't involved?

T.Ray vs June

Is T. Ray that bad of a father? or is he just like June? Holding grudges against the wrong people. Lily is a spitting image of Deborah, the woman T. Ray worshiped.  The woman who left him. The woman who broke his heart. T. Ray shows his fear and grief through anger, and that's why he did all that to Lily.  If he really hated her, wouldn't he have brought her home and continued to make her life Hell? And how can you expect T.Ray to be very close to Lily, when she is just a reminder of the worst thing that ever happened to her? I don't think he hates Lily, he is just put into a difficult situation.

Mouse Bones

Lily decided to take the mouse bones she found in the honey house and carry them around in her pocket. She didn't understand why she was doing that, she just felt she had to. I think she carried them around as a sense of comfort and something she could hold onto.

After Lily decides to put the mouse bones away and tie them with a red hair ribbon she asks herself how could a person get attached to mouse bones? she answers her question saying, "I decided sometimes you just need to nurse something, that's all."

What do you think Lily means by that? How do you think the mouse bones made her feel better?

T. Ray comes and goes

In Chapter 14, T. Ray shows up at the pink house when Lily is the only one there. He at first is super angry at her about everything and tells her she will come back home with him. But then after their huge fight, and him thinking she was Deborah the entire time, he decides to leave, without Lily.

He could've left her there because August, Rosaleen and the rest of them showed up and persuaded him so how to let her stay, or he could've gone home because he was happy to finally get rid of Lily. No one really knows exactly why he finally let her stay...

Why do you guys think he let her stay with them?

August knows

August can see right through Lily when she lies. Why do you think that August never confronts Lily and gives Lily time to go and confess to her the truth?

June seems to hate Lily and never has anything nice to say to her and she doesnt even smile at her. This all changed on the day when it was over 100 degrees outside. What do you think changed June' mind about liking Lily?

Zach promises Lily that one day, they will meet back up and be able to be together. He says it in a way where he means "One day, the world will be different. I will make it different. Then we can be together." (agree/disagree?) so he obviously plans to be very active in the Civil Rights Movement ever since the jail thing. Do you think Lilly is like that? Is she going to help the Civil Rights Movement? If so, will she do it actively like Rosaleen and Zach, or passively like June, who just refuses to accept it?

Lily's Mother

Lily was told about her mother, Deborah. She had thought that her mother was a perfect person with no flaws who didn't, could never, leave her own daughter. August then tells her that that's not true. T.Ray was right and her mom did leave without her. If you were in Lily's spot, would you feel unwanted and unloved like her or would you be angry and nothing else? Do you think she will ever be the same after this?

Why do you think her mother was so depressed to leave without her own flesh and blood? Was her mom justified in leaving Lily behind?

May

May got the call from Zach's mother and it put her into a sort of trance for a couple minutes. What do you think was going through her mind when that happened? Do you think that she was thinking of how she could kill herself or do you think she was thinking of Zach?

May then goes to the river and kills herself. Do you think this was bound to happen? Do you think April killing herself when she was fifteen had any influence on May's decision to kill herself? Why did the wall just not work for this? It had worked before. For years it had worked. Why did it just stop working?

Throughout the entire story we've seen Lily grown up a lot over the course of only one summer. This novel could be said to be a coming of age story, how is this true?  Lily has found out things about her family that no young girl should ever have to hear. How do you think this will affect her in her future and outlook on life?

Lily has met many people throughout the book and they have all influenced her greatly. I think she could be part of the Civil Rights movement very soon and be a strong women because of the women she has met in her life and because of her mother.

Zach

I know a lot of people are posting about Zach, but I'm going to anyway. So he was put into jail because he stood by his friends. Would you have done the same thing knowing that you would be sent to jail? Do you think he did the right thing or do you think he should have just confessed to the police who threw the bottle?

On a different note, Lily has liked Zach for a while now. In chapter eleven Zach kisses Lily. Do you think that in the future he will come back for her like he says? Do you think he will end up being meaner because of his stay in jail or do you think his talk with Lily will make him nice again?

Lily has always needed a sign in everything throughout the novel. From the beginning with the bees in her room she thought this was a sign to escape to when her and Rosaleen were walking and she looked for signs to guarantee they would make it somewhere. When Lily said to good-bye to May in the coffin she asked her to tell her mother to send a sign of her love. In what ways has Lily found her mother sending her love?

I think she showed it in giving Lily the courage to talk to August and having August have known it all along. Lily has nothing to be afraid of. Also, when August brought down the box of her mothers things with the picture of Lily and her mother.

May suicide

The atmosphere of the house seems different now; everyone seems to be changing after May died. The note that May left behind seems to affect everyone differently. Why do you think this is? How has May influenced these changes?

I think that everyone is taking May's note very deeply. Everyone is doing things that they wouldn't  have  done normally or were scared to before. June said yes to Neil finally, I think she did this because May always wanted them married. Zach finally kissed Lily and Lily finally came clean to August. I don't think any of these events would've happened without May's death.

Bee's symbol

In a hive, the queen bee controls everything. Without the queen bee the hive would fall. If the queen bee is gone, it can be replaced by another one and everything would be fine. Most the the hive contains female bees which are the workers. Some are male which are called drones and are only used for mating purposes. What are some of the ways that bees serve as symbols in Lily's life?

Zach's impact on Lily

Ever since Lily came to Boatwright sisters' house, she met August, May, June, and Zach. Lily is fascinated by the thought that she is capable of becoming so attracted by a black boy, a situation she had never thought possible. She also more clearly understands her feelings. Zach provides her with a sense of self, of confidence, and of hope for her future. Lily also learns that society will not always make room for love, because White people could not be attracted to black people.  How else does Lily's relationship with Zach expand her understanding of herself and of society?

Deborah as the queen bee

When a queen bee dies everything becomes a disaster in the hive, without the queen the hive will not survive. But if the hive is replaced by a new queen, it would be alright again. If you compare this to The Secret Life of Bees , Lily's mom dies and needs someone else to look up to, and Lily finds August which is very caring. Could Deborah be the queen bee and August the replacement queen?

Lily's relationship with Deborah

Lily is very confused about her mother. All Lily knows about Deborah is that she shot her mom. After coming to Boatwright sister's house, August told Lily about what happened to her mother Deborah. Deborah married T.Ray because Deborah was pregnant with Lily. Later Deborah leaves T.Ray and Lily because she didn't like T.Ray. Lily feels unwanted because of this. But Lily is also confused about when Deborah returned, was she coming back for her stuff or for Lily? Would Lily be mature enough to handle the truth?

Lily's prejudice

Before Lily came to Boatwright sister's house, Lily had prejudice over African Americans. After staying in Boatwright sisters house, she has learned that African Americans are more attractive and more intelligent than she thought they were. Does Lily know what prejudice and racism are? Do you think she has overcome prejudice of African Americans?

May's suicide

May has suffered through many sad events. Ever since May's twin sister died, May was broken like her shield is destroyed. May is very sensitive about sad things. August and June helped May with the Idea of the Wailing Wall. Whenever May is sad, she writes a piece of paper and puts it into the wall. But why couldn't May endure the sadness of Zach?

Slowly, loving, and the tragedy of tragedies ingredients, but unexpectedly with sweet greasy, thick honey, daub throughout the whole life.

recollect

Let me think of a resolution method of pure honey, is really a spoon honey flows into the pure throat when can have a kind of a burning sensation, tongue edge can be a bit astringent, but after a long aftertaste sweet, the scent of flowers. Experience the injustice of the girl a lump in my throat every time lost period, she will get a kind of sweet, pure, no doping emotion.

Lily hears about her mother leaving

Lily has heard about her mother's life from August. She was shocked to hear that the reason Deborah married T.Ray was because she was pregnant with Lily. This makes Lily feel unwanted and a wave of saddness washes over her. August tells her that her mother had loved her very much but that she couldn't live on the farm anymore.

She was still holding onto the idea though that T.Ray was lying to her and that her mother never had left her. August though changes that by telling her that her mother had gone to the calender sister's house without her.

This is so much for Lily to take in, she says "I hate her" more than once to August and cannot believe what her mother did. August says their was no excuse for what her mother did, but that she was depressed. August tells Lily that her mother after a few months had missed Lily so much and wanted to go back for her and that's what she was doing when she was packing...

This makes Lily feel alittle better but she still can't stop thinking about the words left me. This is so much for Lily to think about and changes her mother''s whole image in her mind.

If you were Lily how would you feel and what would you think?

Lily and her mother

After learning about Deborah I realiazed how much Lily and her were alike. At first Lily felt that they couldn't be more different, she hears about her imaginary friend Tica Tee and how it did everything perfectly. Lily couldn't believe she hadn't thought of something like that to influence her.

They are so things alike between the two of them though, they both ran away from home around the same age. They ran away for different reasons, but they still ran away and made their own choices. They both had a strong love for August, the pink house, the honey house, and the bees.

Lily and Deborah also have something else in common. They both lived with T.Ray and tried to make things work. They both gave up trying though, with him and left in the end. They couldn't stay with him anymore and they both ended up at the same place after they ran, the pink house.

In what other ways do you think Lily and her mother are alike?

T. Ray returns

In the last chapter, T. Ray finds Lily because of the collect call she made to him. So she didn't realize, but it was because of her, that he found her exact location. At first he was crazy mad when he saw her, which is what we all could've suspected, but then  he starts saying "Deborah." Which is Lily's mom's name. He sees Lily's mom in Lily.

Lily finds out a way to calm him down by convincing him that she was Lily, not Deborah. Do you think that the only reason why he was crazy and mad all those years, was because of her mother? And do you think that's the only reason why he flipped out on her when he saw her at the Boatwright sisters house?

Because it was the same house that her mother ran away to.

escape

Lily seems to always be trying to find ways to escape. it started out with just lying, but when she figured out that she could faint, and leave that way, she wishes she could do that more often. She already physically escaped from T. Ray, so what could she be escaping from now?

Lily finds out her mom was in the same house

In Chapter 9, Lily finally finds out that the Boatwright sisters knew her mother, and her mother stayed in that very house! She finds this out from May when May was setting up the marshmallow and graham cracker trail for the roaches. Lily remembers that her mom used to do the same thing, because May taught her to.  

I feel like it's a good and bad thing that Lily keeps finding out more about her mother because she might be upset with what she discovers, but then she might spend the rest of her life wondering if she did not know the truth.

What do you guys think, do you think she should keep asking questions and focusing on her mother so much?

Lily Getting Stung by the Bee

In Chapter 9 Lily gets stung for the first time by a bee on an extremely hot day. August says that this shows that she is an official bee keeper, and this really satisfied Lily. I think in a way August filled an empty space in Lily that Lily really never knew was missing... confidence.

August saying this to her made her more determined to work hard and become the best bee keeper she could be. Do you think that Lily being an "official bee keeper" added more to the growth of her character than just a sense of pride in herself? Do you think that it matured her?

Feeling Lost

I think that Lily is definitely feeling lost, especially in Chapter 8. She calls home to talk to T. Ray, who only yells at her and puts her down. Then she asks if he knows her favorite color and cant even answer. She knows that he doesn't really love him, and tells him that she doesn't lover him. Why do you think T. Ray is so harsh to Lily, especially because she is his daughter, and shes always done such nice things for him? Why doesn't he really love her?

June and Neil

Finally in chapter 10, after many many years of begging, Neil gets his wish of marrying June.

Neil pops up in the kitchen when all of the women in the house are baking like crazy for Mary Day and asks June if she would marry him. June says yes almost immediately, and if you haven't noticed that before May's suicide, she always turned Neil down. I think May being gone definitely impacted June by forcing her to open up her heart a little more to everyone, especially Neil. She knew that if she said yes, it would make May happy. So she did it and they're finally getting married!

Do you think the only reason June said yes, was because of May?

May

After May recieved the phone call from Zach's mother August knew something wasn't right. May was so relaxed and calm and her eyes had a glazed over look that the sisters had never seen before. I think it was a chain of events that led May to that point of going to the river. I think when she found out that no one had told her about Zach she was very hurt because she loved him so much. May wanted to leave after that, she couldn't handle carrying everyones emotions all the time anymore.

The sisters were heartbroken along with Lily, Rosaleen and all May's loved ones. There is a quote in the book on page 194, "This had been the thing they'd been waiting for half their lives without even realizing it" I am not entirely sure what it is trying to say, but I know that something had changed inside May completely after April died and the sisters knew that. Even though they knew that I don't think it takes away from the saddness they felt when losing their sister.

What do you think the sentence means?

August's words

"Actually, you can be bad at something, Lily, but if you love doing it, that will be enough."

August says this when Lily asks her if she thinks that she (Lily) will be able to keep bees one day. August at first says she will be a good beekeeper because Lily loves the bees, but then she changes her mind and says that.

I think this quote means that your love for something is worth more than your abolity at doing something. I think it means that even if your bad at something, but you still love it, that is enough.

Any other opinions on what the quote means?

The Pencake

In that morning, when Lily first met Neil, the L-shaped pencake which in my opinion symbolizes Lily burned with smokes. How does the foreshadows the later of story?

The Statue of Black Mary

August had told another interesting story about a statue of black Mary. The statue of black Mary had lead all the slaves to break out from the control of their lords and gain freedoms for themsleves. How is the story related to the society of the unequality betwenn blacks and whites.

May's Death

Chapter 9: May commits suicide

May killing herself, was not a major shock to me, sadly. We knew all along that there was something about May that was wired differently, and she was depressed. Depression can lead to scary actions that are life changing. May's death impacted everyone else's lives but it did in a GOOD way.

The Note: She left them a note that made them realize that sadly it was her time to go, and that it is their time to live.

After her death, many good changes occurred in that house. So do you think May's death happened for a reason? One that gave everyone else a chance to live their lives to the fullest. For once death had a good/bad ending.

The Story of Beatrix

After the pray, August told a story of nun to Lily. The nun named Beatrix escaped from the church, and when she came back to the church to take her duties again after 3 years, she found that The Mary replaced her place for those 3 years. What does August really want to tell Lily from this story?

Protect themselves

In the world, we but such as honey bee. Facing the power of nature, we will also not than a bee strong how much. But the life world is actually a beekeeper's field. Such as August that teach lily: fear not, want heart to love, to express their concern and silent, because every little life need to be attention. In this way, they will feel the love you, nature won't be against you.

life

Everyone has his own heart the secret, the heart and his dialogue, eager to some power to own perfect, a stick to the core. As long as we still believe in love and hard to love life.

Do not fear the bees, most bees were is as deeply love the life, work hard brewing sweet honey; But don't be silly, and the bees contact will be wearing long-sleeved or trousers.

May

When Lily walked into the house that day and saw May making the trails of marshmallows and graham crackers to lead the roaches out Lily finally made her first connection. She remembers T-Ray saying how crazy Lily's mother was when it came to killing things, even bugs. Lily then asked May if she new her mother Deborah, and it turns out she did, she had stayed there. I think this is forshawdoing something big, possibly Lily coming clean with the truth? Maybe something else with May? Any other guesses?

I Changed My Mind

I continued reading and realized that the "mother of thousands" isn't August it is Mary, and now it makes a lot more sense for me. In the end of chapter 8 Lily touches the statue of Mary's heart and prays to her. Lily says " I live in a hive of darkness, and you are my mother, I told her. You are the mother of thousands" What do you think the " I live in a hive of darkness" means?

I think Lily is speaking about her life because she still has no answers about what happened to her mother and she is hoping August does. I think the darkness means she is in hiding, waiting, hoping that she isn't found in the pink house.

The bees meanings

I think that the calender sisters stand for something deeper than just August, May, and June. I think they all represent the different parts of the hive. In chapter 8 field bees, mortician bees, nurse bees, drone bees, and the queen bee and her attendants were all the different parts of the hive.

I think the queen bee is August, because it is said that she is the "Mother of thousands" and without August it would be very hard I think for the pink house to go on. I think May is represented by the field bees because one part of their description was "tireless hearts" and I think that because May feels everyones emotions. I think the nurse bees represent Rosaleen because she has been the one to take care of and nurture Lily all her life. I think the mortician bees could represent June because June used to work in a funeral home. Lastly, I think the queen's attendant could represent Lily because they are like "ladies in waiting".

Lily seems to have grown very fond of Zach. What do you think will happen with this? They both know its beyond wrong to like each other but like he said, "You have to imagine the impossible". Do you think they are going to fall in love and have their own weird, completely against society love story? Or do you think somethings going to happen and they will just move on with their lives and forget each other?

In chapters 5-8 Lily seems very close many times to coming out and telling August the truth. August tells Lily countless stories about her, June, May and many other things. After being there for three weeks Lily still won't tell her and its almost August. She can't wait much longer, especially since she made the mistake of calling T-Ray. If that call leads to him coming to Tiburon, Lily and Rosaleen are going to need some sort of escape and without August knowing, it's going to be pretty hard.

new life

I think that Lily is doing a lot better in her new environment.  I think that she feels a lot more comfortable with somethings and then some other things, like being surrounded by black people, which has never happened before is a lot different for her. I definitely think that Rosaleen feels a little left out. Lily really likes Zach though, he is very kind to her and they respect each other. I really hope that June stops being so selfish and gets married to Neil though, he's definitely feeling kind of neglected.

We all know June doesn’t like Lily. We can say June hate Lily because she is a white people. Like the white people doesn't like the black people. They had a Daughters of Mary. June stop playing the cello, when Lily going to put her hand on the Mary’s heart. Why she did this? She was so mean to Lily, I don't know why June hate the white people like this. Lily shouldn’t lie to them. Maybe if Lily tells the truth. June will be nice to her. 

Wailing wall

The August let May make a wailing wall for herself. Like Jewish people go there to mourn. It’s a way for them to deal with their suffering. She used 10 years to make this wall. It was a long time. When they have the things they can’t stand, they will put the notes in the wailing wall. This wailing wall stand to many people’s trouble.

May

In my mind, May is a perfect woman although she is a kind of madman.  She never did the bad things to others, but stand the bad things by herself. She likes the black Mary, stand the bad things that the people can't stand. She will cry very sadly because of a bad news or a pest died. The writer can make a madman like the Madonna because he has the 'love' in his mind.

Many people is writing about Black Mary and same thing here. Lily found a profile of black woman in her mom's tin case, then she decides to find something old story of her mom. Later she saw a Black Mary's statue in Calendar Sisters' house. Maybe as Lily's thinking, Calendar Sisters really know her mom. I reallt want to know what will happen to Lily, how is her bee farm's life?

Do you guys think in that time period black will have happiness life? The answer for me is yes, or it depends on what people think. I remember in this novel, when August introduced her family, she said that her mon loves spring and fall, and that's why all of her sister's name is from month. I think her mom must feel really happiness in her life. But for April, she can't accept the unfair treat from others. For Rosaleen, it is happy to spend time with Lily. Different people has different goal, different goals make people feel different.

May is a special character in this novel, she is different to others. After her twin sister dead, she became naive and a little bit crazy. Though when she becomes sad, she will become crazy, she never hurt people. Shr just endure the whole hurt by herself. I think lost a twin sister is more sad than normal sister, and the main reason of April's die is unfair treating from white, but she is different like June. I really want to know what will happen to May later, will she be happy like normal, or become a little bit different?

Lily's father, T-Ray  is obviously not a good father. He treats his daughter with no respect and cares little about her. We all know that Lily hates her father but I am not sure that once Lily knows the real past about her mother she will feel the way she does right now about her. I think she might end up by not liking anyone but Rosaleen and she might start a life by herself. 

What do you think will happen, do you think Lily's mother will scare her like her T-Ray did or will she understand the circumstances in which she chose to act upon?

Rosaleen is a very tough character and like the rest of the black people she has to put up with all the other peoples discrimination but she is the type of girl that will just not let this go bye. At this time black people were caught for their rights and never gave up for hope. Do you think that at this time it would benefit black people to stand up for rights or to keep a low profile and let their own people down?
-Think about the consequences they would face if they were caught doing something that the white people didn't like.

I believe that the statue of Black Mary stands and gives the black race more hope than what the bill of rights does because the bill of right is only a piece of paper in the peoples minds and the black Mary represents a larger power and strength for the people to hold on too. Do you think that these elements help the black people in anyway or just not at all?

Black Mary

I was shocked when Lily fell in front of the statue. prior to the fall we read that she is light headed so i understand why she fell, but i want to know why did she do so at that exact time and place? Was it foreshadow the author wants us to figure out down the road or an action taken to show symbolism of Lily as an individual or even the whole family (in the house) as a whole?

Grits

Do the grits that Lily kneel on stand for a deeper purpose? Does it represent the pain she went through with her dad? I think it might be a symbol of her painful past because if she gets hurt then she talks about how its better then kneeling on grits. What do you guys think?

Why are the calenders named after months? Is it a family tradition?

The Calendar sisters

I've been wondering if the names of the sisters (June, August, April, and May) stand for something deeper then just names. Do they stand for certain symbols that are being used through the novel? or represent them as a person?

What is the importance of the statue at the Calender sisters house? What does the statue mean to you (in your personal opinion). 

June's wedding

I think that June should get over her past, and marry Neil.

The Statue

I read chapter six, and they talked about a statue found by a black man praying to God for freedom. God sent him this statue to help him become free, but I don't really understand the point of her being a statue. I understand that it kept hopes up for the slaves, but why a statue?

June Being Rude

So I just read chapter six in the book and I was surprised! When Lily decided to go up and touch the heart of the statue, June stopped playing the cello. I understand that Lily isn't black, so it's a bit unusual for her to be a part of the statue that brought hope to blacks wanting freedom, but I think that the fact that she wanted to touch the heart of the statue shows that she supports blacks gaining their freedom, and June just went and ruined her.

Symbolism in The Secret Life of Bees

Symolism

Photographs

Photographs symbolize the power of relationships, how Lily only has one picture of her mother but when she looks at it, she looks at it, she feels a strong power of love wash over her.

Beehives

Beehives symbolize the way the Calender sisters treat each other and how August is the "queen" and how she leads the sisters.

Anything you think I've missed, comment if you think so.

Importance of names

What do you think of the names of the Calender sisters?

I think that:

August embodies her month well, she is warm and welcoming, she is very into nature and obsessed at times about bee keeping.
I'm not 100% sure about May, she is kind of moody and has mood swings but at least in Lake Placid, the weather in May is kind of unpredictable
I can't pin June though, she is cold and relatively unforgiving, she is kind of harsh and aloof, she doesn't reflect her month well so what does June seem like to you

Leave comments bellow if you agree or disagree

Lily

I think Lily's father beating her every time she stood up for herself has stacked up. I think it finally registered that it was wrong and she couldn't stand it anymore. I think she left partly because of that and partly because of other things.

I think she has hope and that her looking for signs is just her not knowing where to go or what to do. I think she thinks that her mom is watching over her and that her mom wont let something bad happen to her. But other times, like when she said "I'll take nine steps then look up. Whatever my eyes light on is my sign" on pg. 60, she is hoping that her mom is sending her something and that her mom listened to her and would send her a sign after those nine steps.

Also do you think that if she tells August the real reason she is there, that she will get the answers she's looking for? If so, what are some of the answers she's looking for. Why do you think she is looking for answers?

The Calendar Sisters

Ok, so we've met The Calendar Sisters. What do you think of them? In my opinion May is a little quirky and sort of weird in a way but I understand why she is how she is. I mean if you had a twin that you were as close to as May and April were, or so we have been told, then do you think you would be the same as May after your twin killed him or herself?

Then there's June. She's a little standoffish in my opinion but only towards Lily and Rosaleen. Why do you think this is? June is really nice to her sisters and Neil but she is mean to Lily AND Rosaleen. I mean if it was a racist thing then wouldn't she be mean to only Lily? Why both of them?

And last but not least, there's August. She is my personal favorite because she's just so nice. She took Lily and Rosaleen into her house when she didn't have to and she didn't know them. She hasn't asked Lily to leave or to tell the truth about why she is there. She hinted that Lily should go back home but she didn't say "You should go home." Do you think Lily will end up telling August why she came there?

Why is Rosaleen not as supportive for the civil rights movement as other African Americans? Does she believe or not believe in that Martin Luther King Jr. could end racism or have a big impact on the civil rights movement?

Lily's and Rosaleen's New Life

So much change has occurred in Lily's and Rosaleen's lives. They now live on a bee farm with August, June, and May; three black sisters who run the place.

Chapter 5: I noticed that Lily and August; the oldest one of the three sisters, have gotten so close because Lily has been assigned to help her with bee keeping every single day. I also realized that Rosaleen does not like the fact that they have become so close and not only is Lily doing her chores with August, but she is also spending a lot of her free time with her. Free time that could be spent with Rosaleen instead.

There could be many reasons why Rosaleen dislikes this:
- She may feel like she is slowly losing Lily
- She could be mad that Lily made her tag along in this little runaway adventure and is not even paying any attention to her anymore
- She may be jealous and worried that she will not be Lily's only mother figure, that Lily loved dearly.

Lily needs and wants someone in her life that is like a mother, but do you think this goes both ways in the sense that maybe Rosaleen wants someone to be able to take care of and look after like a daughter???

The Secret Life of Bees : Lily's signs

"Lily Melissa Owens, your jar is open" gave Lily the sign that she was going to leave. I think that it actually was a sign for her and that it was her faith. It gave her the will to fly away and leave. She didn't have that courage to leave before but I think the voice saying that is what gave her the strength to go.

There were many events that I think lead her to leaving but I think what made her leave was Rosaleen being left in jail and beaten and knowing that she loves her and wanting to be with her. Also, Lily realized what her relationship with her father was after he told her she was lucky he even came back for her.

Lily's tin box with her mother's things had given her hope all those years. It was apart of her life and she was going to follow the picture that was her mothers. I think Lily finding the jars of Black Madonna Honey was a sign for her. I think it showed her that she was heading in the right direction, because she really wasn't sure where she was going.

Welcome! For our last unit of the year, we will all join in on the conversation and meet here on the blog!  The blog is a place to break down the barrier between A and B and all learn from each other.  Think of it as the great online conversation!

Assignment: You will be required to write an original post on the blog at least three times a week and respond to at least three of your classmates posts a week.

Follow the rules and regulations outlined in the bloggers contract

And above all enjoy the novel and the conversation you create!