Just finished reading Sue Monk Kidd's novel The Secret Life of Bees. I seem to be drawn to southern writers, especially those who write of the rural south.Being from Georgia originally I identify with the 1960s culture illustrated in this book. It is a culture in which I lived until my 29th year.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson and this story revolves around that particular era. I can visualize every aspect of this story as though I were there living it with the characters.
Lily Owens is the protagonist in the story. A 14 year old white girl being reared by a hard-hearted & distant father who has no love for anyone including his daughter who desperately searches for love.
There are several lines by Lily that jump out at the reader:
In the first chapter, the reader realizes how difficult a life Lily lives when she makes this statement:
"People who think dying is the worst thing don't know a thing about life."After the suicide death of of a close friend Lily thinks:
"I was afraid, though, the blame would find a way to stick to them. That's how blame was."Referring to her own feelings as well as those of others Lily believes:
"People, in general, would rather die than forgive. It's that hard. If God said in plain language, 'I'm giving you a choice, forgive or die,' a lot of people would go ahead and order their coffin."Lily believes that imagination brings out the goodness in people. She imagines hard people can have a soft side, that they can let love into their lives & let it shine out toward others.
"I know that is an absurd thought, but I believe in the goodness of imagination."This story is very simplistic and yet complicated. In it the reader can experience love from the simplest acts. In the unusual analogy of living with bees one comes to understand how bees are cared for and protected and goes far in understanding community.
