Ian comments 5 & 6

5. I definitely agree with Daniel because it does let us explore our imagination and crate our own ending. What i do not agree with though is whats happening next. I think you already have a general idea. Shes staying with the girls, let her, and the charges for the break are working to be dropped, everything else isn't really relevant. You could make someone like die later but really her life is going to go on.

6. I agree with Bryson because i don't like how the cliffhanger ending was put there. But i do think she put it there to teach her readers a sense of imagination and creativity.

Daniel comments 5&6

5
i couldn't agree more with Chris W. he states that authors use them as daggers which is a wonderful metaphor. the author leads you all the way up to a climax then shuts you down and doesn't let you know what will happen next. its somewhat like a serial killers mind state in which they make all the dramatic kills then leave you hanging and curious as to what will happen next.
6
i also agree with ian. he says that she wants you to finish it the way you want to finish it and that is what i also believe.

Stephanie Comments 5 and 6

5. I agree with Meghan's 3rd post. I enjoy being able to imagine how the characters' life will play out. Sue Monk Kidd wanted the reader to be able to imagine whether there would be a happy ending or a more mellow ending.

6. I also agree with Nikki's final post. As much as I enjoy cliffhangers, I did not feel that this book had a cliffhanger ending. The ending wrapped up the strings that were left about the summer, which was when the story took place. ALthough the ending made you wonder about the future, there was no major part left out.

Meghan Wetterhall Comments 5 and 6

Comments 5:
I agree with Valaria. Sue Monk Kidd could have ended the story, but she (and I) found it more interesting to give us a chance to let our minds and imaginations do the thinking and come up with the ending of our own accord.
Comment 6:
I agree with Katherine's post because everyone has a mind of their own that works in different ways: one person might want the ending to be happy and another might want the ending to be sad and disappointing; it just depends on how you view Lily during her lifetime.

Katherine Marting Comments 5 and 6

1. In many of the blogs, like Ian’s and Bryson’s, they mention how they do not like novels that have cliffhangers. I understand this because after a many internal and external problems that happen in a novel the reader generally wants some sort of conclusion, or the stereo-typical “happy ever after” ending. In the end of The Secret Life of Bees you can make yourself believe that Lilly has a happy ending or you can twist and make it something completely different.
2. After reading several of the blogs I can conclude that we all had generally the same idea. That is that Sue Monk Kidd left it a cliffhanger so that we can “ponder”, as a fellow student said, the ending. I felt this is the glory in all cliffhangers, that whatever mood you are able to determine your ending to the story, how ever you want it to end.

chris wilson comment 5 and 6

1. I agree with Daniels post. Cliff Hangers can be bad or good but i think in this case it was a good choice. It gave us the chance to think on our own.

2. I agree with Neel's post. I also think that this is more of an ending of a chapter in her life rather than a cliff hanger.

Josh Traynelis Comments 5 and 6

5. I agree with Valeria when she discusses how the book might not of been able to end happily. During the Civil rights movement, jobs were very difficult to come by. Zach most likely would not of been able to become an attorney and life could have gotten much worse in the future for the sisters. This gives a possible explanation as to why the author gave the book a cliff-hanger ending.

6. I also agree with Connor when he discusses how the author wants to let us visualize the best or worse for the characters. The authors goal with a cliff hanger ending is to let us imagine what will happen next, whether it be good or bad.

Elshaddai, comments 5 and 6

3. I like Chris W.'s idea when he said that Sue Monk Kidd may have written the ending the way she did to lead to maybe a sequel. It gives her and opening to write the next book any way she likes, even in a way that no one would expect.
4. I agree with the people who said they don't like cliffhangers. I'm not usually a big fan of them either. This book didn't have a very good cliffhanger. It seemed like she was just trying to wrap the book up.

Alex comments 5 &6

5: I see what Bryson is sayin whe he says that the cliff-hanger ending doesn't suit him, but I do think that this style of ending a book is better than the usual 'happily ever after' ending in other books. I think this style aids people to get more out of their books, and in the end, appriciate them more.

6: Of course, I agree when the majority of the us say that Sue Monk Kidd ended the book this way because it lets the reader do his or her own foreshadowing. I really like this ending, and the posts show that most of my classmates agree

Jeremy Sanders- Comments 5 and 6

1. I agree with Valeria in that everyone has a new door opening. Some of these doors are racial, others have to do with a new family. August is getting used to the fact that May is gone and thatt June will be with her husband a lot more. Everyone has there own dreams, and everyone wants those dreams to come true. For this to happen, they will have to wrk very hard.

2.I agree with Katherine that everything would not end up perfect like it seems that it would. Rosaleen has her problems, along with Lily. June and her husbands marriage might not go well. August might go crazy. One thing that I do not agree with is that this is not a cliffhanger. It is most definately a cliffhanger.

NIkki Jackson Comments 5.6

5. As many have said, it is a nice way to conclude the book with an open ending. This does in fact allow the reader to create their own futures for the characters. It wasn’t quite a cliffhanger, but definitely left room for imaginative thinking. We are able to dream up new ideas and analyze the events in the novel. This can also help us to better understand the setting, plot, and characters.
6. I disagree with Rebecca, though. I thought that the ending was very well written in relation to the rest of the story. The beginning of the story did have a lot of substance, but so did the last couple pages. Sue Monk Kidd summed up the plot, and made it full of meaning.

Valeria, Comments 5 & 6

5. I haven't thought of what Josh mentioned in his post. When the book is open-ended, you will try to come up with possible endings for the book, which will make the book more memorable to you. This also makes the book relate better, because you created the ending.

6.Actually, I completely agree with Ian: cliffhanger endings annoy me too, because they make the ending unclear. This makes the story unfinished, or incomplete, even though the book itself is at it's end.

Neel Comments 5&6

5. I disagree with Nikki. I think that the ending is still very much a cliffhanger. There is so much that could happen to Lily you are left wondering how things turn out in the long run. Where will each character be ten or twenty years from now? If there was an epilogue written after 15 years saying how things are, good or bad, that would be a satisfying, clean ending.

6. I agree with Valeria on how each character has a new door opening. Rosaleen is free woman and finally has the rights she wants. Lily has begun a new life in a new town, with new friends. June is getting married. And August has to adapt to all these changes, from losing a sister (May) to gaining a daughter (Lily). This makes it seem like this i only part 1 of their stories and more is yet to come.

Connor Brooks, Comments 5 & 6

I agree with Stephanie’s post. She mentions the equilibrium Lily has reached in her life and is beginning to enjoy it with her new friend Becca and her other acquaintances. Going back to the topic, I believe the author left it as such to give the readers a sense of hope and to visualize her having a good life after the story ends.

Nikki’s post shows an important idea. The book does not leave off with a true cliffhanger ending. It leaves off with everything resolving for the time being. For example, a true cliffhanger ending would have ended with T. Ray coming and nothing happening afterwards.

daniel comer post 3

i liked the way that she ended with a cliff hanger in this book. when an author gives a reader a chance to finish a book i find it very interesting that I can go off into my own world and imagination.
i believe that the authors main point for making this a cliffhanger was to make the readers think and create their own explanations. beside the fact of creativity and imagination i do also wish there were more of an idea of whats happening next, give us a little more guideline, not right out and say it but somewhat easier to comprehend and draw conclusions. overall i liked the idea of the question filled ending, it expands readers thoughts and gives everyone a chance to use their imagination

Rebecca Hanrahan, Comments 5 and 6

5. I agree with Bryson because I didn't like the ending to this novel. The Secret Life of Bees had so much substance, and the author could have done a much better job concluding the story. The author probably thought the best idea would be to leave just a little information and have the reader believe that Lily and the other character's lives will all be fine in the end.

6. I also agree with Katherine because the ending is not really a cliff-hanger. However, the author doesn't tell the reader what is going to happen in the story. It may be nice to believe that everything in Lily's life will be perfect, but is that idea realistic? I think the author should have given her readers more of a conclusion to the novel.

Elshaddai, post 3

I think she might have created the cliffhanger ending to let the readers make up their own ending. Also, I think she might have wrote a cliffhanger ending to show that life is good for Lily now, but who knows whats going to happen in the end? I, as many other readers, wish she had given it a more closed ending, but it's not a BAD ending. She's just trying to say that no matters what ending we make up for her, we'll never know for sure how Lily's life will end up.

Nikki Jackson Post 3

The conclusion of The Secret Life of Bees is not so much of a cliffhanger ending, as it is only a contenting summing-up of Lily’s story. Everything begins to resolve, and the young girl begins to analyze it all. She begins to describe the Black Mary, T. Ray, and the hospitality of the Boatwright sisters as they have changed her life in both negative and positive perspectives. The ‘orphaned’ girl, finally realizes that even though she may not have the best childhood or the kindest father, her true family is the kind, warming group of colored people that took her in, and made her feel important. Throughout the story she describes how sad she was that she had not grown up with a mother, but now she knows that she has many mothers that care for her, and love her more than anyone in the world. The ending not only showed these new realizations, but also left room for the reader’s imagination. Zack and Lily may end up together; Rosaleen may end up leaving the sisters and starting a new life, once again; T. Ray may change his mind, and come back hunting down Lily. Sue Monk Kidd concluded the story, but also left the future unknown. We will never know what happens to Lily and Zack, Rosaleen, August, T.ray, or anyone. It’s up to us to figure out their futures.

Ian Evarts Post 3

Though I don't like the way she ended it because of my growing annoyance for cliffhanger endings. I do see why she would want to let the reader come up with his own ending to the story. She wants to entice you to think and make your own ending however it may be. She wants you to decide what she might do next and how the story would have changed if it had gone on just a little bit longer. The story ends in a manner where you know she will be staying with Autumn but you think, will she ever go back to see T-Ray or will she just stay with the beekeepers till' shes and them are older. Maybe she will takeover the beekeeping business. The endless possibilities are mind-bottling.

Michael Standard: Post Three

The book "The Secret Life of Bees" ends very quickly, and gives much of the ending up for interpretation, almost to the point of absurdity. There are several reasons I can think of for this to be the case. The first is that she might have wanted to continue the story, as many writers do. The second is that she could have had no idea how to end it, but her incentive for ending it this way also has many possibilities. She could have wanted to create hype for a second book, or she could actually want to prove a point.

Chris Wilson post 3

Cliff Hangers are like daggers. The author uses this in the book for many reasons. The book will be left on the readers mind for a while until they come up with a good ending. Sue Monk Kidd gives the reader the chance to finish the book how they like it. The reader is left thinking about how everyone does in the future. Readers are given a chance to open up there imaginations. Sue Monk Kidd may also be leading to a sequel. Either way it was a good choice to end the story like that.

Alex post 3

The ending of this book is a cliff hanger because Sue Monk Kidd didn't want to ruin the reader's since of imagination. This book is whst it is because this book can be read in many different ways. If there was a set ending, it may appeal to some people, but others would be undoubtledly let down by it also. The cliff hanger allows the reader to speculate on their own about what will happen in the future without the author getting in the way, and I really like that idea.

Katherine Marting Post 3

Sue Monk Kidd chose to have an open ended ending for the novel for several reasons. First of all I do not see the ending as a cliffhanger though. The Secret Life of Bees ends in a fashion that seems like everything is all right and dandy but if you really think about it the reader does not know the true ending. Perhaps T- Ray changes his mind and comes back to get her or there is a tragedy and Lilly cannot stay in the pink house anymore. What happens then? Sue Monk Kidd left it open ended so that the reader can take the story to another level on his or her own. In the reader’s imagination, everything may go perfectly but it could also be the opposite. The open end also reflects true life, in that life is unpredictable. Sue is trying to give the reader the feeling of nonfiction, showing them how the future cannot be predicted and that this is only a portion of one person’s life.

Jeremy Sanders FINAL POST

The writer really left the cliff-hanger there because she wanted to create suspense and get you to think about what will go on next. In youre head everything else in Lilys mlife could go perfect. Her life could end withe her marrying Zach, and everyone accepting it. Or it could go horribly wrong. Lily and Rosaleen may get caught by the police and spend the rest of there lives there. Or all of the colored people in Tiburon might be beaten and killed, and she would have noone. This demonstrates the way that when you leave an ending "open", then the mind wanders.

Bryson FInal post #3

Although I dont like how she ended the novel, I think Sue Monk Kidd ends the book in a cliffhanger for many reasons. One of them being that she may be leading this book into a sequel. Another reson being, she wanted to lead her readers to their own sense of imagination, and come up with their own endings, about what happend or could have happen. Also they may see if it relates to the readers personal life.

Elizabeth Flamming Post 3

The ending of The Secret Life of Bees is probably happier than Lily could have hoped for. T-Ray, out of some hidden kindness, lets Lily stay with Sisters of Mary. For perhaps the first time, Lily is finally part of a family. She is even going to a new high school and has a friend, Becca, who will be there to support her when things get rough. However, many questions remain unanswered. For most people, the main issue is Zach. Sue Monk Kidd leaves Zach's charater very widely open, clearly wanting the reader to make their own obervations. We are left to guess whether he will become a lawyer or someday marry Lily (hopefully). T-Ray, another character who's future is left blank, may never see Lily again, or he may visit her someday. Sue Monk Kidd probably has her own ideas about what happens to all the characters, but I doubt she's going to share them with us.

Hannah post 3

If she leaves the ending as a 'cliff hanger' then she allows you think up your own ending. Lily could become a master beekeeper in the future or even marry Zach. She could also have a terrible future, including her past in Sylvan, Franklin Posey, or maybe Rosaleen and jail. Another thing to ponder whould be what would happen if her father decided to come back for some previously unknown reason.

Valeria, Post Three

The Secret Life of Bees ends uncertainly, with each of the characters starting a new chapter in their lives. Lily’s hectic story calms down, Rosalie isn’t wanted as a criminal, June gets married, and August is adjusting to all the changes in her life. One reason Sue Monk Kidd might have left a cliffhanger was to let us ponder the end. Like when someone gives you a box and tells you to imagine that the perfect gift inside it, everyone will think of different things. If only one ending was written, not everyone would be satisfied with the way the characters’ stories continued. Something else that the author might have anticipated is the fact that this book might not be able to end happily in every respect. After all, this is set in times in the Civil War. Zach cannot just become an attorney; he will have to work toward that goal. Even with the right mind, though, the society cannot alter in the blink of an eye. There will still be hardships along the way. The changing views about black people will take years to set in place.

Josh Traynelis, Post 3

When the author ends the story this way, she wants to leave you guessing as to what will happen next. After people finish reading a book that ends with all the “loose ends wrapped up”, they often return to their normal lives and quickly forget about the book and its characters. But a book like “The Secret Life of Bees” leaves readers pondering over what will come next for a while. For many, an ending that allows you to think open-mindedly, can make the book twice as interesting. Whether you want to make the ending happy or sad, it is all up to you. The author’s goal is most likely not to write a sequel, but rather to freeze Lily at this point in her life, and to leave what will happen next for you to imagine.

Meghan Wetterhall post 3: FINAL

:Many authors, such as Sue Monk Kidd, choose cliff hanger endings for their stories. In this particular book, Sue Monk Kidd gives the reader a chance to imagine their own ending. For instance, we do not know how Lily and Zach's relationship ends up. We may only assume that they end up falling in love and living "happily ever after." Another example is Lily's future; what she chooses to do with her life. The author leads us to believe that she becomes a beekeeper, just like August. But the beauty of the cliffhanger is that you can make up the rest of her life however you want, giving us the freedom to add in our own ideas.

Cory post 3

At the end of The Secret Life of Bees Lily is thinking about what has happened in her previous adventure and what will happen in the future. This book ends sort of abruptly and does not resolve some problems, for example you don’t know what will happen to Zach and Lily in the future. There are at least three reasons why an author would leave a book open ended. The most common would be to signify that there will be a sequel. This is probably not what Sue Monk Kidd is doing because usually when the author is going to make a sequel they make some kind of note in the back of the book or release a news article about the sequel. Sometimes the author cannot decide how the book will end, so they leave it unresolved. I still don’t think this is what Sue Monk Kidd did. The final reason is probably what Sue Monk Kidd did, and that is to end the book so the reader can use their imagination and think of their own ending.

Stephanie Field Post 3

The Secret Life of Bees ends with Lily finding balance in her life. Lily has a friend her age, Becca, who goes to the same school and likes Zach as well. Lily and Becca will support Zach in his efforts to become a lawyer despite the names they will be called. The relationship between Zach and Lily was left for the reader to imagine, but they will be together and have the memories of that summer. Sue Monk Kidd leaves the rest for us to conclude on our own. She left the story this way because in life, nothing is ever definite. There will be ups and downs for Lily and that makes her relatable as a character. We can imagine difficulties Lily may have in the future and realize that she is not unlike us.

Neel Post 3

I think Sue Monk Kidd leaves the ending the way she did to leave us wondering what comes next. It seems more of the ending of a chapter in Lily's life then the end of her story. This leaves us wondering what will come next. Will she grow up to become the owner of the bees? Will she end up marrying Zach? Will T-Ray come back one day? The author leaves these questions for us to answer as to let us end the story how we think it should end. It also leaves room for her to come back later and write a sequel if she wanted. There is a world of possibilities of what could happen next and the author wanted to leave all of those possibilities open in our minds

Connor Brooks, Post 3

The book leaves off with Lily reflecting on her adventures during the previous 2-3 months and trying to foresee what will happen in her future with August, June, and Rosaleen, leaving you wondering what will happen to all the characters we’ve gotten to know so well in the book. It leaves us wondering if Zach ever became a lawyer, if Lily eventually became a writer, if Zach and Lily reunited. It could be that all of these instances happened or something awful happened. I believe that the author is trying to leave us on a somewhat happy note and let us visualize the best or worst possibilities for all of the characters’ futures.

Secret Life of Bees FINAL POST

The author concludes the ending of The Secret Life of Bees with a cliff-hanger ending. Why do you think she chooses to leave the ending up to the reader?

Bryson comments 3 & 4

3. I like what Ian says about the communication with the bees. He makes a great point about how you can also communicate by using expressions. I also like how he touches up on how it is important to have facial expressions in order to "encode and decode information"

4. I also this Chris does a great job stating that the quotation immediatly adds some suspense and it also leads you to believe that someone is already killed or taken. I also thought it was nice when he said T. Ray doesnt know how to fill Lily's mother spot and shows queenlessness.

Michael Standard: Comments Three and Four

1. I agree with Elizabeth when she say T-Ray never fully recovered. When he lost his wife, he felt as if there was no one to live for; no one to have a relation with. He became cold, angry and only saw the negative shade of any situation. This mindset caused him to unleash all of his anger on the closest person, being Lilly.

2.I also agree with Elshaddai in that the quote pertains to several different characters and aspects of the book. The author does a great job of interconnecting the different situations that are seemingly unrelated.

daniel comments 3 and 4 i think

3
i agree with Chris W. when he relates T. Ray to the quote at the beginning of the book. he states how the mother was suppose to keep things under control which also relates to the queen leaving the nest, the mother bear leaving the den; once this happens it can be difficult to go on with regular life.
4
i also agree with Michael and his analysis of imagining we were bees. he explains a good similiarity in that of which he states "in order to feel comfortable in your new setting you must start with the most general change." he goes deeper with the fact of drastic changes just entering the bee hive.

Ian Comments 3 and 4

1. I do agree with Valeria. But i do feel that her feeling skeptical about her leaving also shows when she is skeptical about leaving to go to the store with Zach. I feel that she feels when danger or a lost feeling when she becomes skeptical. Like when she doesn't want to go to the store but gives in she had to walk home after Zach was put in jail.

2. I also agree with Bryson about her being "queen less" or motherless. People need a mother especially a daughter without a mother she feels too manly. She grows up with a father and no one to relate to her but Rosaleen to take her place being there to do motherly stuff.

NIkki Jackson's comments 3,4

3. Although my original post was different from Stephanie’s, I do agree with what she said as well. The black Mary seemed to attract people, and give them a new, spiritual feeling. Not to mention her relation of the civil rights movement to the black Mary ‘breaking the chains’ of discrimination. They are moving toward a revolution, and soon the ‘queen bee substance’ that Our Lady of Chains gives out, will motivate the start.
4. I also find Valeria’s opinion very accurate as well. As Lily leaves the house, she is not too sure about where she will go, all she knows is that she must migrate. When she leaves, she ends up settling down near the river; the swarm normally flies only a few meters and settles. Then, she thinks about where she should go to stay for a longer period of time, in a safer environment; Scout bees look for a suitable place to start the new colony. Once she found the sweet little home in Tiburon, Lily decides to stay; Eventually, one location wins favor and the whole swarm takes to the air. I also love how Valeria mentioned the house as a symbol for the memory of her mother.

Elshaddai comments 3 and 4

3. I agree with Bryson with what he said about Lily being "queenless". Lily did lose her queen when she lost her mother, but in a way, she gained new queens after she found a life in the pink house.

4. I also agree with Meghan. She points out that May's life can be closely compared to that of a bee's. May did live a life that caused her to have to carry the burden of the world. In a way, a worker bee also does that because it has to do the work of the colony, even if it isn't the only one.

Valeria, Comments 3 & 4

3. The quote from charter 8 has so much meaning to it that quite a few people chose to do it and all wrote something different! The literal and figurative explanations of it show the lives of not only bees, but all the people in the book, including Lily, since everyone has a need to belong.

4. I really like how Stephanie compared Our Lady of Chains to the queen bee. If the Daughters of Mary were really a beehive, then Our Lady of Chains, as their leader and guide, would be the queen. She is there to show them the path to freedom and the worlds of the Daughters of Mary all revolve around that one central hope.

Jeremy Sanders Comments 3 and 4

3. I completely agree with what Cory said about how Lily was dead until she got a social life. I beliee that she was suprised that this life included many colored women and 4 colored men. She was raised to discriminate against them, and now she is spilling her secrets about herself, her mother, and her life. Another point that Cory made was that she longed so much for companionship and love that she called her father, who she resents. I agree that Lily called him because she was "dying".

4. I also agree with Bryson, in that she is unable to continue life in an ordinary way, considering that she is "queenless" and that she needs to either seek a new queen, or become a queen/ leader of her own life, and the life of others. the reason that i say she needs to become a queen, is because in the wild, when a queen dies, one of her daughters takes over.

Comments 3and 4

3 I agree with Valeria when she discusses the quote "On leaving the old nest, the swarm normally flies only a few meters and settles. Scout bees look for a suitable place to start the new colony. Eventually, one location wins favor and the whole swarm takes to the air." witch appears before chapter two. I also thought that the first part of the quote was also obviously explaining the time when Lily left her house but I did not think of the other things that she mentioned. Such as Lily's indecisiveness explaining the part in the quote about a scout bee looking for a home.

4 I agree with Katherine‘s post when she described the quote before chapter nine “The whole fabric of honey bee society depends on communication- on an innate ability to send and receive messages, to encode and decode information.” I also wrote about this quote but with a completely different perspective. I thought that comparing the statement in the quote about communication to non verbal communication was a very interesting idea.

Alex Comments 3&4

3: I agree with Vlaeria on her interpretaion of one of the first quotes. It is definitely one of the more blatant ones as it clearly foreshadows what is going to happen. I also really like how she relates lily not going very far away to a part in the quote.

4: I like the way Elshaddai thinks about the quote before chapter 8. I see it in a very similar way. This quote also sums up the book so far - Lily is on this journey because she needs a family, and she won't stop until she finds out more about her own self, as well as ones that are close to her.

Meghan Wetterhall comments 3 and 4

Comment 3:
I agree with Valaria's post. In many ways, Lilly finds leaving the peach orchard difficult, but she also finds staying even harder. Keeping this in mind, she leaves, which matches the quote very well.
Comment 4:
I also agree with Stephanie because, although the Lady of Chains is not technically considered a religion, it is a common force that holds them all together and helps them through good times (June's marriage) and bad (the desegregation of the US)

Chris Wilson comment 3 and 4

1. I agree with Daniels posts. "Leaving the old nest" would be Lily leaving T. Ray. She needs a new start but she does not know where to go. Lily keeps traveling to find a place where the envionment is "suitable".

2. I also agree with Michael's post. When he relates the "darkness" to Lilys new start. Lily has this new start because she left her home, but she has no way to start. The "darkness" is Lily having to start with nothing.

Elizabeth Comments 3 and 4

3. I agree with Nikki's post. I never really understood that quote. I hadn't really thought of August as 'queen substance', but it makes sense. The statue of Mary being the queen also fits in well with the story.

4. Before I had read Meghan's post, I had not really connected the quote about how short a bee's life is to May's death. I usually forget what the quotes said before I get to the end of the chapter, so it was cool to see how it tied in.

Josh Traynelis, Comments 3 and 4

1. I agree with Nikki when she discusses how the quote about the “Queens special substance” relates to August. Through out the story Lily is always turning to August for help and information. August always shows love and kindness to her and others, and is always there to help. These traits represent the “queen’s special substance” in many ways. For one, they can be transferred by direct contact: for example, a simple hug.

2. I also agree with Rebecca when she discusses the quote “isolate a honey bee and from her sisters and it will soon die.” This quote directly relates to May. As time goes on May, becomes separated from her sisters and soon becomes tired of taking on everyone else's burdens. She feels no need to live and because of this commits suicide. This quote is very true in today’s society, for most suicides are caused by isolation from family or friends.

Elshaddai, post 2

"Honeybees depend not only on physical contact with the colony, but also require its social companionship and support. Isolate a honeybee from her sisters and she will soon die." This quote is from the beginning of chapter eight. In a literal sense, it means that a bee can't live without its colony. In the book, it means that a person can't survive without having someone close to them to share things with. Towards the end of chapter eight, Lily tries to speak to her father, to see if he cared about her at all. Lily lived most of her life, practically, without both a mother and a father. She had no one to depend on but Rosaleen until she went to live in Tiburn. Lily felt like after her mother died, she died with her. The quote shows that Lily finally found a life once she found people who actually support her.

Connor Brooks, Comments 3 & 4

I think Stephanie recognized the symbolism in chapter 6 perfectly. The quote mentions the queen of a hive supporting the rest of the hive much like the way the Lady of Chains statue supports the Daughters of Mary; not necessarily physically but spiritually. Another thing is that the quote mentions that the substance the queen makes will attract the workers. The statue has a strange attraction that all of these people seem to have a strong belief in.

I like what Josh said about May’s inability to communicate. Another thing that I would add is that if they all had communicated and talked over any and all problems they were having, it would have helped May to cope with the sadness she comes into contact with. Like the “whole fabric of honey bee society” the “whole fabric” of this group should be based on communicating with each other.

Stephanie Field Comments 3 and 4

3. I agree with Valeria's post about Lily leaving. Each section of the quote forshadowed the events of the chapter superbly. The quote fit in so well, Lily's actions looked like those of a bee.

4. I also agree with Meghan's post as she relates her quote with the end of May's life. May's life had been very hard on her, having to feel the pain of others as well as her own. Just like in the quote, the spring and summer are the most strenuous times of year and May commited suicide after she had enough of the struggles taking place.

Bryson post 2

"The queen, for her part, is the unifying force of the community; if she is remover from the hive, the workers very quickly sense her abssence. After a few hours, or even less, the show unmistakable signs of queenlessness."

This quotation relates to the chapter and Lily because her mother is like the queed and without her mother Lily is not the same. Lily feels that her mothers death was part of her fault when her parents are fighting when the accident takes place. Lily states that it is more difficult for her to make new friends at school after her mothers dealth. Which relates to the quotation because Lily doesnt work the same and shows her own signs of queenlessness.

daniel comer post 2

"On leaving the old nest, the swarm normally flies only a few meters and settles. Scout bees look for a suitable place to star the new colony. Eventually on location wins favor and the whole swarm takes to the air."

This is the quote at the beginning of chapter two pertaining to lily and Rosaleen leaving onto another place to "escape" whats going on at home with T. Ray. whats significant about this is not only do bees scatter from place to place as Neel somewhat pointed out, but they also look for places in which the envirnment is better and where there are suitable, and better living conditions. they do leave T.Ray in somewhat of a drastic change in the since that what they have known a good bit of their lives is moving on and is somewhat like a new chapter. they could easily come back to T. Ray but if bees find a space where they feel unwanted or uncomfortable they tend to leave the area as noted on http://www.greensmiths.com/bees.htm

Ian Evarts Post 2

I chose chapter nine. "the whole fabric of the honey bee society depends on communication-on an innate ability to send and receive messages, to encode and decode information."
I think this has to do with this chapter because it has to do with communication with others not just by talking but also by expression. Facial expression is important and you need to be able to "encode and decode" it. by reading the expression on on someones face you can tell whether their sad or happy or what their may be about to say.

Katherine Marting Comments 3 and 4

3. Valeria’s post is very true. It describes how the quote foreshadowed the events in the chapter. This seems to be one of the main reasons for the quotes in the beginning of each chapter in the book. Sometimes the quotes are very direct and others are very vague in how they relate to the chapter in the book.
4. Elizabeth’s post is also very true. The quote is basically a simile for the chapter. Each event it translated from bees to humans. Lilly’s mother held the family together and when she died the community or Lilly’s family fell apart as they began to “sense her absence”. As mentioned in comment 3 some of the quotes are direct and some are vague and this is very direct in its meaning.

chris wilson post 2

The queen, for her part, is the unifying force of the community: if she is removed from the hive, the workers very quickly sense her absence. After a few hours, or even less, they show unmistakable signs of queenlessness.

Opening the book with this quote is great. Right away it hints that something may be wrong because someone was taken away. Once the queen leaves there is no control or order. T. Ray is not a good role model or leader. That was what Lily's mother was for. She was suppose to keep things under control. T Ray is not able to provide for Lily and always be there for her when she needs someone. All of this ties back into the quote at the beginning of the chapter. "If she is removed from the hive, the workers very quickly sense her absence." It seems T. Ray is most affected by the lose because he does not know how to fill in that mother spot for Lily.

Katherine Marting Post 2

The whole fabric of honey bee society depends on communication- on an innate ability to send and receive messages, to encode and decode information.
The Honey Bee
Chapter Nine

The quote above describes how important communication is in society. This chapter portrays a lot of the communication that occurs without words. The encoding and decoding of information in the quote above resembles how humans communicate through body language and actions. For example, when June and Lilly are fighting over the hose they do not actually speak, but both of them are communicating through their actions. When they go from fighting to laughing on the ground with a release of each of their emotions. In the end, they come out much happier, as if wall was broken between them without a single word being spoken.

The author put this quote in the beginning of the chapter to try to tell the reader that the dialogue in the story goes much deeper than the words spoken. Communication between all the characters needed “decoding”, as the quote reads, to understand the full meaning of the actions and words. This quote should make the reader think more about both verbal and physical communication.

Neel Comments 3 & 4

3. I agree on Meghan's post about how May's life was similar to worker's bees. She was always carrying the burden of the entire world's problems and was probably depressed a lot. Though the wailing wall helped, she still had to go to it an any sign of bad news. She finally decided it was her time to move on and did so.
4. I also agree with Stephanie on how the Black Mary statue represented the queen. She gave them hope and they would probably be discouraged without her. This is like the bees who depend on their queen to lead the colony. Though the statue doesn't actually physically lead them, she gives them hope, and when they are in doubt, they can touch her to restore their hope.

Valeria, Post Two

"On leaving the old nest, the swarm normally flies only a few metres and settles. Scout bees look for a suitable place to start the new colony. Eventually, one location wins favor and the whole swarm takes to the air."
That is the outside quote before Chapter Two. As the quote begins, "On leaving the old nest,..", it already foreshadows the great change that is about to take place. This points out that Lily is about to go, leave the place she has been at all her life. "Scouts look for a suitable place to start the new colony." The feeling that is expressed by that part of the quote is Lily's indecisiveness. She knows she can no longer stay in this town, but going away would mean losing the peach orchard, the only place connecting her to her mother. Which is why Lily "flies only a few metres and settles" on the little town of Tiburon, SC. To her, this is the location that won favor, because it is a secret in her mother's past. Lily takes Rosaleen with her, since they have been together for a long time, and both need to get away from T.Ray, leave that behind and "take to the air."

Neel Post 2

Chapter 2's quote:
On leaving the old nest, the swarm normally flies only a few meters and settles. Scout bees look for a suitable place to star the new colony. Eventually on location wins favor and the whole swarm takes to the air.

This quote refers to Lily and Rosaleen leaving Sylvan, T. Ray, and their old home behind and going to find a new one. This says how bees don't look for a complete change when finding a new home and usually pick one that is close to thier lod hive. Similarly, Lily and Rosaleen don't try to completely change their lives by moving to a big city or anything, but end up traveling to Tiburon, a small rural city much like where they were used to. Tiburon held a special purpose as it was a clue to who Lily's mom was but it wans't much diffrent than their previous lives. Bees probably like to keep things the same and wouldn't want to undergo any drastic changes either.

Elizabeth Flamming Post 2

The queen, for her part, is the unifying force of the community; if she is removed from the hive, the workers very quickly sense her absence. After a few hours, or even less, they show unmistakable signs of queenlessness. --Man and Insects

This quote is the first thing a person will read, at the very top of chapter one. The 'queen' can be percieved as Lily's mother. The whole chapter makes little references on how Lily's mother's death has changed her life. Lily has never really had a mother-daughter experience, the experiences more people take for granted. Rosaline will always be there to support Lily and be a 'stand in' mother, but will never be able to fully fill the hole Deborah left behind. T-Ray and Lily might have been a family at one point, but after the accident, their 'hive' was ripped to shreds. T-Ray may have loved and cared for Lily once apon a time, but after his 'queen' left, he never really recovered.

Rebecca Hanrahan, Comments 3 and 4

3. Josh makes a good point about communication in his post, but I disagree with one idea. May's lack of communication in some ways can be the blame for her death, but August had no way of differentiating between May going out to end her life, and just going out to cry. Also, May couldn't have communicated her problems to the sisterhood because she obviously can't cope with it herself.

4. Meghan's post pointed out something I had not noticed before. In comparing bees to May, the bees don't purposely work themselves to death. May, in theory, worried herself to death. A bee wouldn't ever intentionally end its life because of its duty to the hive. Even though May probably considered the lives of her sisters before her death, they weren't enough to keep living.

Cory post 2

Sue Monk Kidd wrote these little passages about bees to cryptically foreshadow the events that will occur in the following chapter.
The phrase that I chose to analyze was the one before Chapter eight “Honeybees depend not only on physical contact with the colony, but also require its social companionship and support. Isolate a honey bee from her sister and she will soon die.”
This phrase suggests that in a way Lily is dead. She has almost no social life before she gets to the pink house. In this chapter most of the social relationships that occur in this book develop. The first thing that happens in this chapter is that Lily starts to talk to August about what she likes and this is the first time that she has ever talked to someone about her interests. Lily and Zach’s relationship also continues to develop in this chapter. Then Lily meets the lawyer that plays a very important role later on in the story. The most important event that happens in the chapter that is related to the foreshadowing phrase is when Lily calls her father to see if he knows her favorite color. This shows that she wants social companionship so much that she is willing to call the person that she loathes the most for it.

Alex post 2

At the beginning of Chapter 7, the quote reads "How did bees ever become equated with sex? They do not live a riotous sex life themselves. A hive suggests cloister more than bordello." This quote points to the arrival of Zach. The faint hints of a possible relationship between Lily and Zach comes to mind when you read the quote after reading the chapter. Also, the fact that Lily has never felt attracted to a black man, or never even knew they could be handsome, is echoed when the quote asks how bees "ever became equated with sex." And to top it off, the quote says that "they do not live a riotous sex life themselves" it points at the fact that Lily has never really looked at someone as more than a friend. So it is quite obvious that Zach and Lily will fall in to a relationship later in the book.

NIkki Jackson's 2nd POst

“The queen must produce some substance that attracts the workers and that can be obtained from her only by direct contact. This substance evidently stimulates the normal working behavior in the hive. This chemical messenger has been called “queen substance. Experiments have been shown that the bees obtain it directly from the body of the queen.” Other than the obvious outlook on this quote (as the black Mary symbolizing the queen), August seems to be another very possible applicant. When Lily and Rosaleen appear at the house, she takes them in. It seems as though her ‘queen substance’ is her generosity and kindness. August is always there to help out when people are sad or upset for any reason, and she doesn’t get frustrated or angry. In this chapter, she calms Lily and takes care of her when June is being hostile towards the small girl. Instead of agreeing with June, she stands up for the equality of all, and makes Lily feel accepted eventhough the she is white. Happiness and warmth always seem to be pouring out of her, and touching other hearts. This direct contact has lightened the mood in the house, and has made the guests feel more comfortable. When this queen bee produces her substance, whether it’s calming May or easing the June-to-Lily tension, she tends to influence others to lift their spirits and help out. Lily seems to seek comfort in August, too. It is almost as though August is viewed as her guardian, someone to talk to, her mother.

Michael Standard: Post Two

"Let's imagine for a moment that we are tiny enough to follow a bee into a hive. Usually the first thing we would have to get used to is the darkness..." - Exploring the World of Social Insects
This quote is from Chapter 5, and it illustrates the fact that, in order to feel comfortable in a new setting, you must start with the most general change. The quote is explaining that the most drastic change in entering a beehive would be the darkness, which relates to the story in that when Lilly runs away, her experiences completely change, and she must first understand them before exploring the detail of her circumstances.

Stephanie Post 2

I chose the quote at the beginning of Chapter 6: “The queen must produce some substance that attracts the workers and that can be obtained from her only by direct contact. This substance evidently stimulates the normal working behavior in the hive. This chemical messenger has been called “queen substance.” Experiments have shown that the bees obtain it directly from the body of the queen.”
This quote was at the beginning of this chapter because the story of Our Lady of Chains was told at the Daughters of Mary church service. The queen bee in the quote represents the statue of Our Lady of Chains. The Daughters touch the heart of the statue to give them strength just as the slaves in Charleston did. The women (and Otis) need the strength and hope to keep fighting for their rights. They look for the “queen substance” in Our Lady of Chains because the statue is known for “breaking chains” and these women look at the Civil Rights Movement as their turn to break chains and make a difference in society.

Jeremy Sanders post 2

"Honeybees depend not only onn physical contact with the colony, but also require its social companionship and support. Isolate a honey bee from her sisters and she will soon die."

CHAPTER 6

I think that the point of this quote was because Lily had an emotional need to go in and touch the Black Madonnas heart. I believe that lily's body knew that she needed to feel the Lady of Chains and sent her to the bathroom. In the part wher they say"Isolate a honey bee from her sisters and she will soon die", i think that they put that there because in this chapter they begin to isolate May, and they are giving us a clue that She will soon die.

This quote relates to the story because people have a physicall and mental need to communicate and interact. We also get depressed if we are isolated from a group, and a part of us dies.

Chapter seven introduces the character of Zachary Taylor and the budding crush that Lily begins to have for him. This chapter summary correlates fairly evenly with the fact about the bees at the beginning of the chapter, “How did bees ever become equated with sex? They do not live a riotous sex life themselves. A hive suggests cloister more than bordello.” This quote talks about the minimal relations bees do have and in a way this shows the shy feeling that Lily shows for Zach in the chapter. These new feelings for Zach, August, June, and even the memory of May will make it very difficult for her to leave when she must.

Rebecca Hanrahan Post 2

At the beginning of chapter eight, the author uses this quotation: “Honeybees depend not only on physical contact with the colony, but also require its social companionship and support. Isolate a honeybee from her sisters and she will soon die.” August, June, May, Lily and Rosaleen have formed their own sisterhood, who love and help each other. August tends to act as a leader, but she does not carry on like a queen. One day, Lily and August talk about the things they love. Lily has to really concentrate on what love is, and how she could possibly describe the feeling to someone else. Although the two ladies talk about material things, the conversation leads to more serious ones later in the novel. The same day, while August and Lily are sealing labels on honey jars, August tells Lily the story of how she acquired the Black Mary. Support is very important to the Daughters of Mary, and telling Lily the story is one way for August to show her love. “Isolate a honeybee from her sisters and she will soon die.” May is never isolated from August, June, Rosaleen, and Lily, but she is obviously not connected to them either. The way May feels more pain than anyone could imagine is what separates her from the sisterhood, and eventually kills her.

Josh Traynelis, Post 2

I chose the quote at the beginning of chapter nine: "The whole fabric of honey bee society depends on communication-on an innate ability to send and receive messages, to encode and decode information." This quote was chosen to be put at the beginning of the chapter because it represents how all the characters struggle with communication. Throughout the chapter, Lily is not able to tell anybody what is truly wrong with her. The sisters are constantly worrying about her but Lily continuously with holds the information. When Lily visits Zach while he is in jail, she is at a loss for words and because of this is not able to communicate her true love for him. Sadly, nobody communicates to May that Zach is in jail with fear that she will have one of her fits. When May finds out about Zach she feints but soon regains consciousness. May then acts like she is heading to the wall but in truth commits suicide. August hesitated to let her go outside, but gave in. Had May communicated her problems to her sisters and August been able to understand or decode what was going to happen, May would most likely still be alive. This quote shows one of the problems that many of us face today, the inability to communicate.

Meghan Wetterhall post 2

I chose the quote at the beginning of Chapterten: "A bee's life is but short. During spring and summer--the most strenuous periods of forging--a worker bee, as a rule, does not live more than four or five weeks...Threatened by all kinds of dangers during their flights, many workers die before they have reached even that age.
--The Dancing Bees"
This quote was chosen for the beginning of this particular chapter because it represents the end of May's life and how she spent her life. May was always carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders, almost like bees do with pollen. She was constantly a danger to herself, always returning to her wall at the mention of any sort of troubles. Finally, one day, she has had enough. She makes the decision that it is her time to leave and does so. This quotation describes many of our daily lives: confusing and troublesome. But, through it all, we work through our difficulties and succed in our lives, just like May did.

daniel comments 1 & 2

1
i agree with chris w. when he says its her own "private sanctuary" . i believe he really paints the picture of what someones room means to them and the one of the only places they can show their true colors. i would say that its like the Van gogh of word choice.

2
i agree with elshaddai as well. with a father whos abusive destructive and rude how are you really going to have a great childhood. it helps that she has a mother figure but at the same time when her real mother is dead and her foster type mother/ guardian is locked up due to racism she really has no where to go.

SECRET LIFE OF BEES POST TWO

At the beginning of each chapter is a brief quotation that somehow relates to bees.

Choose ONE of the quotations and explain what you think it means or how it adds to the book. Why did the author place those word at the beginning of THAT chapter??

Most of you did a great job on the Hawk papers (drafts), so now I know you are starting to understand what literary analysis is!

Neel Comments 1& 2

1. I definitely agree with Valeria. I didn't see the point of the dream, but now i see exactly what it means. I think it is a very significant part as it shows how she in starting a new life, and things that she has grown used to are no longer there.

2. I also agree with Nikki about the orchard. I think that she feels in tune with her surroundings and when in the orchard, feels connected with her mom though their love of nature and all parts of it. I think the orchard is a very important part of the book and was her sanctuary hidden away until the night her father found it.

Ian comments 1 and 2

1. I agree with Connor brooks i think that she feels that state of peace of mind when she is around the beekeeping family because she feels her mothers presence, like when she is in the orchard with her "mother".

2. I also agree with Nikki. The emotions shown toward her dad is not loving, caring or understanding. The orchard is a place where she gets away from the yelling, the tension, and the abuse of her father.

Katherine Marting comments 1 and 2 SORRY!!!

1. In Ian Evert’s post I agree with the fact that no child or any person should have to go through that punishment. But in the book Lilly did not kneel on oats she actually knelt on grits. Also in Chris’s post he talks about how she feels more at home and safe in her room, she is away from all the abusiveness. Besides her room there are also the orchard where she feels at home with her mother. This is a major part of the setting.
2. In Nikki Jackson’s post she tells how she sees Lilly holding her mother’s things to her heart as a metaphor. I agree, it is like Lilly’s protection from her father. Whenever Lilly is scared or in pain all she has to do is think of her mother or hold her possessions. This idea of protection from a deceased loved one is shared universally but is demonstrated clearly in this book and analyzed in Nikki’s post.

comment 1 and 2

1. Valeria brings up a great point about the creek. I never really thought of the creek as the first start of her real life.

2. I agree with Michael when he talks about the church. He really brings up a good point about how even in a church they can be racist but yet still think they are good people.

Bryson comments 1 & 2

I agree with Neel in the fact that Lily's room is her thinking place, where she can relax. Also, I think he is making a great point when he talks about it being the first place where she examined the bees. Which may play a mojor part in upcoming events in the book.

I think Meghan W. makes great points about Lily and her father. I like how she states that Lily is knows very little about her mothers dealth and her special place is the oeach orchard where she can get away from her fathers abusing her. This is where she can block out all troubles and other things around her and just relax.

Elshaddai, comment 1 and 2

1. I agree with Micheal on how the chuch sends a message they don't defend. A church is supposed to be a place where anyone can be accepted, regardless of race, gender or any other discrimination. Lily understood that a bit when she realized what she'd done after bringing Rosaleen into her all-white church.
2. I also agree with Chris W. Lily seems to have a connection with her room. She knows thats a place some things can just feel imaginary. It seems like her second best sanctuary, next to the peach orchard.

Post 1- Jeremy Sanders

jeremy sanders comments 1 and 2

1. Valeria makes a great point. That the moon is like racial tension, and that it has always been around and the boundry is breaking apart. The one problem with that is that, I hope, racial tension has not always been around, that at one time noone would care whether you were white, black, or anything inbetween. Concidering that we all, supposedly, came from the same place.


2.Michael also has a good point, that the church was going against itsself. Church should be a place of praise and worship, whether it is christianity, judaism, muslim, or anything else. This is a very interesting point and I agree that putting guards outside to keep people from coming in is completely un-christian and should not be allowed. It also seems like that would set off the colored people into fighting back.

Post 1- Jeremy Sanders

The setting plays a big role in the story. It is set in the late 60s which was in a perod of great racial tension. This is a main part of the story, because it is half of the reason that they left their town. Another reason is that it is set in South Carolina, which is known to have more racial tension than the rest of the US. Once Lily and Roseanne Made it to Tibouron, They were in a very relaxed environment. Since they were living with a black family, there was obviously very little racial tension,exceot agianst Lily.

Which I think it is ironic, considering they left to get away from this tension.

Elizabeth Flamming Comments 1 and 2

1. I’m not sure if Lily’s room is actually a “safe haven” for her. It doesn’t seem like a very comforting or relaxing place. I see it as just another part of her unhappy and stressful life with T-Ray. Lily’s room may be a place for her to hang out, but I doubt it actually gives her comfort.

2. I had not really thought about the peach orchard before a few people mentioned it. That had not been a part of the book I had read very thoroughly, so it is not a surprise that I missed that. Kudos to all the people who caught it!

Cory comments 1and2

1. I agree when Michael discusses the part of the book when Lily and Rosaline are in the church and then Lily remembers that blacks are not allowed in the church. This is odd because this prejudice is against their beliefs. This contradiction of belief does not only happen in the book, it is happening all over the world today. For example some religions say they want peace but are at war at the same time.

2. I disagree with everyone who said that Lily’s room was a safe haven for her. Yes it does say that she enjoys the bees at night but when she finds her mother’s things she says that she does not want to hide them in her room because she is afraid that T. Ray will find them. Then when she wants T. Ray to see the bees, she brings him into her room. Why would she bring the person she hates most in the world into her safe haven.

Valeria, Comments 1 and 2

1. Katherine's post has something that I have not thought of: not only does Lily get a "new" life, she also has to learn many things over, a new set of rules. The whole process is a learning experience for her.

2.I think Nikki's post is a good way to describe the peach orchid. I only thought of it as a place for Lily to remember her mother. But in fact, when thinking of the orchard and her mother, Lily is able to calm down and escape from everything else for a while.

Alex comments 1 & 2

1: The connection that Valeria makes with the stream and Lily's 'new' life is really interesting. I didn't think of that but it really makes sense.

2: I agree with Hannah when she says that the peach orchard is like Lily's safe haven. I wonder what will happen now that she can't go there...

Nikki Jackson Comments 1,2

1.I agree with Valeria by the way she analyzed Lily’s dream when the moon breaks. Metaphorically I can definitely see how the moon can relate to the segregation issues of that time. Lily has always been exposed to the cruelty that blacks have to deal with, and now that barrier is broken. She begins to really become fond of Rosaleen, and their colors begin to blend; not separately, but as a whole, together. When she began to run away, it may have been because she is afraid because of these new changes, but can still start anew.

2. I also can relate with what Michael said, in that, the church is discriminatory, when it is supposed to be a safe haven for all. Although we may not want this to happen, prejudices are still being practiced to this very day. This may affect Lily later on in the book when she begins to really analyze the racist society that surrounds her.

Josh Comments 1 and 2

1. I agree with Michael when he talks about how the church bars African Americans from entering even when the bible states that all people should be treated equally. It is as if the people in the church are going against what they believe, which seems quite ironic.

2. I also agree with Chris W. when he talks about how Lily’s room is the one place that she can be herself. When you are constantly mistreated it is really important to have a place of refuge where you can just be yourself.

Stephanie Comments 1 and 2

1. I agree with Meghan when she describes Lily's "safe haven". She goes to the orchards to escape from T. Ray and his cruel punishments, the unfair segregation, and the guilt and sadness she feels from losing her mother. When she visits the orchards, she feels closer to her mother which is all she has ever wanted.

2. I also agree with Michael about the church scene. The Bible does not promote segregation in any way, shape, or form yet the churches will not allow black people to attend. I find this situation ironic in that sense.

Connor Brooks, Comments 1 & 2

I definitely agree with Valeria’s post where she talks about the little mentioned bridge that Rosaleen and Lily stay under the first night they run away. The point she made about the unforgotten memories is something I never would have recognized in this setting. However, something not mentioned was the fact that they got into a small fight at this place and eventually make up and I feel their relationship strengthens from that experience.

I also like what many said about the area behind the peach orchard. Lily’s feelings for her mother seem to exude from this little refuge in the orchard. I have a feeling she will begin to start missing this little part f her past the further along we go in the book.

Bryson post one

This novel is about a fourteen year old girl named Lily. Which took place during the Civil Rights Movement. During this time of segregation, blacks and whites didnt get along which plays a major role in Lilys live. Because Rosaleen was beaten by the racists on her way to vote which must have been hard for Lily to see. Although Lily is raised during this time, she still looks at people as normal people and doesnt make and assumptions regardless of their skin color.

ian posst 1

I think that making her kneel on oats is a cruel punishment. i don't think her dad should have done that. A reasonable punishment back then would have been a spanking or a time out for a child. But making her kneel on oats. Also it said she has known that pain since she was like 4. And on the topic of punishments, i think that making a girl just about to go into the first grade go out on the side of the road and sell you peaches for you is child labor and is a punishment in and of itself.

chris wilson post 1

Lily's room plays a huge part in the setting. Her room is the first time in the story that you learn that her father is abusive. The bees come in Lily's room and she goes to get her father but the father does not see them; T. Ray gets frustrated that Lily woke him up for nothing. Everyones room is there own private sancuationary. For Lily this important because special area where she can be herself. Lily hears the bees through the walls in her room. She is the only one who can see or hear them.

post 1 daniel was here

The beginning of this book is seeming to be set in the heat of the civil rights movement. it starts off with a little girl named Lily whom has a dis functional drunk for a dad and a dead mother; leaning towards a mother "figure" who is of African American decent. Its an odd mixture of cultures at the time seeing as how most black and white people did not get along. It shows us something about Lily in the fact that she doesn't just side with the racy white people, instead accept people for who they are as a person. it starts an interesting sequence of events involving Rosaleen getting arrested and having to go to the hospital due to injuries in a slight brawl involving white racists. the setting for the girl and her father provides a slice and dice relationship dealt with most likely throughout the remainder of the story.

Nikki Jackson Post 1

Throughout the story, thus far, the main character, Lily, has continuously flown away from normalcy to calm her emotions. It’s hard for such a young fourteen year old girl to have to deal with the abuse and criticism of her father, T. Ray. One specific place that she finds refuge is in the peach orchid behind her house.
One night, while still living with her corrupt father, she decides to escape her pain. She collects all of her memories that her mother left behind, and runs out to the orchid. Here she attempts to cope with the sad pain of her mother’s death. She unbuttons her shirt, and lays the memories across herself. Lily becomes one with her surroundings and tries to allow all possible happiness to flow into her abandoned heart. This environment seems to hold metaphorical value, in relation to her mother’s warmth, and the freedom she can allow herself to have internally. Somehow this escape keeps her sane; living with T. Ray, she’s not able to really express her sadness, therefore everything is just bottled up inside and continues to accumulate deep inside herself. Later in the story, this technique is constantly being used to set her free.

Post 1 Katherine Marting

In the book The Secret Life Of Bees the main character is Lilly. A major aspect of the setting is the time in Lilly’s life when the events are taking place. Lilly is about thirteen years old. Living without her mother has greatly affected her life, especially at this time. A mother is a very important part in a girls’ life during this period of growth. I feel this is one of the reasons Lilly has become somewhat attached to Rosaline. When Rosaline and Lilly are at the pink house, Lilly is beginning a learning experience. After talking to August that one night she starts to realize that lies are not always the best solution. Part of Lilly wants to explain everything to August but at the same time she is to afraid of being sent back to her father, T Ray. This is another example of how Lilly is attached to Rosaline and Rosaline is to Lilly is that they discuss these matters like mother and daughter. Finally when Lilly and August talk they mention rebellion. Even though there are many other reasons for Lilly to leave this might has be part of her teenage rebellion. Most teenagers, whether in this century or the previous, go through a rebellious period. I feel the final acts made by her father pushed Lilly, and those combined, her father and rebellion, forced her to leave.

Meghan Wetterhall Comments 1 & 2

Comment 1:
I defiantly agree with Valaria's first post. While reading the book, I did not notice the relevance of this small river. After I read your post, I went back and re-read the section. Now, I realize how much this section effects the rest of the story.

Comment 2:
I also agree with Elizabeth's first post. I think that it is very special how Lily is able to find a connection to her mom so quickly, even if its a family of old beekeepers.

Elizabeth Flamming Post 1

One place that is very important to the story and means a lot to Lily is Tiburon, South Carolina. To Lily, this is a place of mystery, and more importantly, hope. Her mother, Deborah, wrote the name down long ago, not knowing that it would become one of the only clues her daughter has. Lily goes to Tiburon because she wishes more than hopes that something, anything, will lead her to her mother. It is a long shot, but at this point in Lily’s life, she’s ready to know anything about Deborah. Almost anything, that is, except a possible truth that won’t stop haunting her. Lily’s search for information becomes desperate when T. Ray tells her that Deborah left them both. Tiburon, South Carolina, could be a place with all the answers.

Michael Standard: Post One

In "The Secret Life of Bees", an important representation of one of the book's points is the church. The church that Lily attends is one of the white churches, so people of color are not allowed to enter the building or take part in the services, but the bible clearly states that you should love everyone and treat them equally, regardless of their qualities. This shows how prejudice of any kind (racism in this case) can blind you to the original purpose of a congregation. The church goes so far as to place "guards" outside on the steps to reject the unwanted visitors. This kind of behavior also occurs in our time.

Neel Post 1

One part of the setting that is a major part of the book is Lily's room. In this room she does a lot of the thinking about herself Though she doesn't spend a great amount of time here, this is her base, where she can relax for the most part. This is very important, and even though she does run away, it was also where she first examined the bees, which will probably come up later in the book.

FYI

For those of you who are just posting, make sure you scroll down and read my earlier post--in red. Also you might want to look at some of the comments on other posts.

Valeria's post--the one below this--is exemplary!! Follow her lead. Choose one thing and really tell why it is significant; don't go on and on about racism. That is the obvious here. Tell me something I might not have noticed if I just read that book.

Valeria, Post One

One setting that contributed to Lily’s life is the creek beneath a bridge where Rosaleen and Lily rested after running away. Lily describes it as a different world, where even unimaginable things might happen. This is a metaphor to Lily’s actual life: a new world has opened up for her, one where anything is possible. The moon is full that day, and after a fight with Rosaleen, Lilly dreams that the moon breaks and she has to run away. This relates to segregation which, like the moon, has always been there. Then, suddenly, that wall between the white and black people is broken and it makes Lily’s life change as well. And still, as Lily slides under the water wishing to be absorbed by it, she is thinking of that suitcase and the smell of cold cream, meaning that she could never really forget what she left behind. This is important to the story, showing that even the things that were left behind sometimes can’t be forgotten.

Alex Post 1

The most important element to this story is when it takes place. In the 60's, rights for African-Americans and women were not as good as they are now. The way T-Ray treats Lily would be very different if this took place today. He would definitely be a lot kinder to her because now people see what T-Ray does as a form of child abuse, and that would make this story completely different, since one of lily's main conflicts is her relationship with her dad. Also, Rosaleen could file for discrimination because of the way she is treated. Also, where the book is set (in a small racism filled southern town) is a rarity today. If this book were set during any other time frame, the story would have to be completely different.

hannah post1

Lily's life is hectic and crazy with her possesive and misunderstanding father. She has one place that she can go where the world goes away for a short time. In the peach orchard, she has the final memories of her mother, and it is her haven. When T. Ray finds her there, he mistakes seeing her with another person. She is alone. Rosaleen is her only help and hope. But she can't vauch for Lily. Ergo, leading Lily to run away.

Cory post 1

The book The Secret Life of Bees takes place in the 1960s in the rural Southern United States. I think the fact that this story takes place in the South is extremely important to the plot. This is because people are shaped by where they are raised and this is very evident in Lily. Throughout the first part of the book there are examples of this such as , when she said she did not think black people were dumb, but they could not be smarter than her.
Another important part of the setting is when this story took place. It takes place in the 1960s right in the middle of the civil rights movement. Many people were racist at this time and the fact that this story takes place in the South means that racism is much worse. There are many examples of this extreme racism in this book, for example Rosaleen is nearly killed when she goes into town to register to vote. Also, when the reverend starts to get uncomfortable when he sees Rosaleen in the church.

Rebecca Hanrahan, Comments 1 and 2

I agree and disagree with Megan’s post. Lily’s life is already bad enough without T. Ray’s crazy antics. The place in the peach orchid with her mother’s belongings is the only place where Lily can think without worrying about T. Ray snapping at her. Also, it is a good hiding place, until T. Ray finds Lily out there one night, and misunderstands the whole situation.

Although Lily feels calm and safe in the special place in the peach orchid, there isn’t really any proof that she ever feels loved. If Lily felt like she belonged somewhere in the world, she wouldn’t have escaped from home to a new, unknown life.

Stephanie Post 1

The Secret Life of Bees takes place during the Civil Rights movement in the South. Rosaleen, Lily Owens’s black “stand-in-mother”, pours her snuff jug on three white men’s shoes. She feels the need to stand up for herself as a black women who is about to register to vote. She is feeling a bit arrogant at that moment, like no one can bring her down. The three men want to put a stop to her optimism, possibly because they feel threatened by it. During this scene, the white men are trying to hold onto the past, while Rosaleen is focusing on the future. The men want her to apologize and beg for forgiveness but she refuses, knowing that by refusing, she is keeping her dignity. This part of the story was important in displaying the tension between whites and blacks during this time.

Josh, Post 1

The Secret Life of Bees takes place in the year of 1964, in the midst of the civil rights movement. The main character Lily lives in the Deep South in a small rural town. Lily lives with her very cruel father, T. Ray and an African American woman named Rosaleen. On her birthday Lily decides to go to town with Rosaleen, who is registering to vote. Once in town the two encounter a group of white men. Rosaleen insults these men and because of her color, is sent to jail. Lily soon rescues Rosaleen from jail but is forced to flee the town. This incident propels Lily to go to Tiburon in search of who her mom really was. Had the setting not been during the civil rights movement, Rosaleen would have not been thrown in jail because of her color. With nobody after her, Lily would have remained at her house living a normal life. She then would have never set off to discover who her mother truly was. This would have completely changed the whole plot of the story.

BE sure you are offering analysis!

Not many of you have posted, but since I am getting a lot of plot summary from my other class, I will go ahead and warn you here!

I like Meghan's mention of the peach orchard as safe haven. I would have liked to have seen a post that explored JUST the peach orchard, instead of having that at the end. But what a nic detail to have noticed.

If you look at my other class parron4.blogspot.com and read Elizabeth's post, she is doing exactly what is being asked here. Take the events--which we all know--and think about them in a new way that is not immediately obvious. Alexander (on that same blog) also did an interesting post by researching an historical incident of the day.

I know this is new to many of you, but you need to take some time and think. Read, think about the question, and allow time for an answer to come to you. Maybe discuss the book with someone who hasn't read it. A detail will come to you as you try to explain the actions and reactions to someone else.

Connor Brooks, Post 1

Once Lily is fed up with her father, T Ray’s, treatment of her, she decides to run away with her “stand-in” mother Rosaleen to a small town that Lily has only heard of through a picture she found among her mom’s personal effects. In this city, Tiburon, Lily encounters a group of beekeeping sisters that have connections to Lily’s mother. I believe that this setting symbolizes Lily’s perfect freedom. She is away from T. Ray and she’s living with Rosaleen and the Boatwright sisters, whom she admires greatly. I believe this setting is important because it gives Lily a glimpse into her mother’s past, be it something good or possibly revealing something she didn’t want to know. Whatever it is, we will find out what it is later on in the story but either way, this setting is bound to provide an important role in the story.

Elshaddai Post 1

The way Lily lives with her father mostly revolves around the time of her mother's murder. T-Ray and Lily barely get along. T-Ray treats her like dirt. When Lily thinks back to the time her mother died, this flashback sets the tone and shows why Lily and her father live the way they do. Lily is sure that it was her fault her mother died, but at the same time, T-Ray isn't exactly helping her feel better. Lily also feels as if T-Ray does't love her. She misses her mom, who she'd thought would help her if she were still alive. She thought a mother in her life would make everything better. This point in the story is significant because it shows one of the main reasons Lily is stuggling with her life on the peach farm.

Meghan Wetterhall Post 1

The book, The Secret Life of Bees, takes place in a small town in South Carolina during the1960s. While living with her single father on their peach farm, a young girl named Lily Owens begins to question her past. She knows very little except that her mother was killed and it was her fault. Lily's life on the farm is very difficult. Her father is constantly abusing her and destroying her already fragile self-conscience. Lily soon finds that the only way for her to deal with all of the anger in her life is to go out to the special place in her peach orchid. Here, she reflects on her life and allows all her worries and troubles to disappear, if only for a short while. Without this special place, Lily would break down. This small place is one of the most important places in Lily's life: it is one of the only places Lily has ever felt like she was loved and that she really did belong somewhere in this crazy, segregated world.

Rebecca Hanrahan Post 1

The Secret Life of Bees is set during the times of segregation. This is very important for the novel. Although Rosaleen is black and Lily is white, they still love each other. Rosaleen stands in as a maternal figure for Lily, because Lily feels like T. Ray doesn’t care about anyone but himself. When Lily decides one afternoon to run away with Rosaleen, the novel has a major turning point. Lily is so fed up with T. Ray and his ridiculous punishments that she is willing to risk her future and reputation, just to get away from her father. Rosaleen and Lily really trust each other to run away together with practically nothing. The two ladies both seem to internally know that everything will turn out alright in the end.

SECRET LIFE OF BEES POST # ONE!!!

Choose one aspect of the setting of the book--time, place )can be general or very specific) and analyze IN DETAIL its importance it the story thus far. Be sure to mention specific incidents or details from the book.

You MUST say something that has not already been discussed! If someone else steals your idea, either look at it from a new angle or find a new idea.

Remember that it is not enought to simply state facts. ANALYZE; make connections.