Secret Life of Bees (Chpts. 12-14)

Pages: 232-302

Summary
When s Lily finally is able to talk to August about her mother pieces of the puzzle come together. August had been Deborah’s nanny when she was younger. June didn’t like Deborah either because August had to wait on her so she didn’t like Lily either. T. Ray had loved her mother but she didn’t feel as strongly for him as he did for her. After becoming pregnant with T. Ray she gets bored with her life there and hits depression. She decides to go visit August for a while leaving Lily behind which angered Lily when she found this out. Doctors suggested that she went to a mental institution but she started to get better while she was away. Deborah then decides to go back for Lily and leave T. Ray to go live with August because she couldn’t take it anymore and that’s when the accident happens. After knowing about all of this Lily hates her mother and takes a while to reflect over things. When she gets back to her old self T. Ray finds her in August’s house while August was out in the bee house. Lily told T. Ray what she knew about her mother and for a while he starts speaking to Lily as if she were Deborah. When August comes in the house with backup T. Ray lets Lily stay and he leaves.

Quote
“They are the moons shinning over me” (Kidd 302).

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This is in the end when Lily is talking about Mary. I think this part shows how she has found herself. This is when she finally feels loved because she talks about having more mothers than any other girl. I think this also when she realizes that Mary is something that’s inside of you and that there’s a Mary inside of everyone.

Secret Life of Bees (Chpts. 9-11)

Pages: 165-231

Summary
When Lily asks May about her mother Deborah Fontanel, May tells Lily that she had been in the house with them for a while. After hearing that Lily becomes a nerve rack realizing that she must confront August with the truth soon. But the right time never comes. Zack gets into jail after refusing to give in his friend. When May finds this out it becomes too much for her and she ends up drowning herself in the river. A couple of days later they find a letter from May which told them she was tired of carrying the weight of everyone one her shoulder and had to end it. She also tells them that they needed to start living. While everyone in the house is mourning, Zack gets freed from jail. When all the mourning is over it gets time to celebrate Mary which means there still isn’t any time for Lily to confront August with the truth. Amidst all of that June finally says yes to Neil and plans her wedding. During the celebration of Mary Lily and Zack goes off to the river and she makes him promise that they’ll be together someday later in their lives.

Quote
“To say, If you’ve been wondering whether my leaving has caused T. Ray to examine his heart, or change his way, don’t waste your time” (Kidd 170-171).

Reaction
After Lily gives the call to his father she never tells anyone. However she badly wants to let Rosaline know but she doesn’t tell her. I think this quote shows disappointment because she wanted T. Ray to change after she had ran away. She half expected him to realize that the way he has been treating her wasn’t very good. But I do think that some part of her knew that this wasn’t going to happen because T. Ray never seems to show any fatherly emotions towards her.