The Secret Life of Bees (Chpts. 1-4)

By: Sue Monk Kidd
Pages: 1-81

Summary
The book begins with the protagonist Lily Owens. It shows us a quick look into her life with T. Ray who is her father. Her mother died when Lily was very young and it was her fault. She had accidentally pull the trigger. After the death of her mother, Lily's life of mental abuse, harsh punishments, and a sense of no love surrounding her begins. However, one tragic day changes all of that. The story takes place in 1964 during a time of pure racism. When the right to vote is given to African Americans Rosaleen, Lily's "nanny", and Lily goes to the city to get her named signed up to vote. Before they even get there everything goes downhill. Rosaleen steals a fan from the church. Then when three white men start to mess around with her she drops a bottle of her spit on their shoes which angers them. They end calling the police and both Lily and her wait for T. Ray in jail. Rosaleen gets beat up during her time in jail and Lily get's out when T. Ray comes. When Lily gets back home she begins to realize that she can escape and does exactly that but not before rescuing Rosaleen from the hospital under the watch of a police. During their on the road they hitch hike and walk the rest of the way to Tiburon, South Carolina. She carried with her a black image of Mary which is what leads her to the Boatwright sisters, August, June, and May. After Lily tell them a made up of her journey the sisters invites them both with open arms, except for June. For some strange reason Lily feels as if she belongs in this pink house with the Boatwright sisters.

Quote
" My fist and only memory of my mother is the day she died" (Kidd 5).


Reaction
When I read this line it automatically made me pause and read it again. I thought it was really sad that the only memory she had of her mother was the day she died. I think that this one sentence really explains what the journey of Lily will be because it seems like she feels like she doesn't know herself and the absence of her mother is probably a huge part of that. This sentence was followed by her remembering the day her mother died. Her mother was taking clothes out of the closet and telling Lily to hurry up. When T. Ray comes up the stairs they get into an argument and she takes out a gun for protection. When the gun ends up on the floor Lily reaches for it and it goes off. That's the last of her memory from that day.