The Secret Life of Bees

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The Secret Life of Bees

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Major Character List

The Secret Life of Bees

• Lily Melissa Owens – main character, narrator, 14 years old, mother died at age four by mysterious events.
• T. Ray Owens – Lily’s father, owner of the Owens Peach Enterprise located outside Sylvan, South Carolina
• Deborah Owens – Lily’s mother, died when Lily was only four years old, only remains are a pair of white cotton gloves, a photograph, and a small wooden picture of Mary, mother of Jesus with the words “Tiburon, S.C.” written on the back.
• Rosaleen Daise – Lily’s proud and outspoken African-American nanny, stand-in mother of Lily for the past ten years. Her age is a mystery, does not have a birth certificate, born in McClellanvill, South Carolina, was a peach picker in T. Ray’s fields, very proud and determined she loves Lily and becomes close friends with May Boatwright.
• August Boatwright –sister of June and May otherwise known as the “calendar sisters”, lives with her sisters on Boatwright farm in Tiburon, South Carolina, welcomes Lily and Roseleen into her pink house, runs Black Madonna Honey to support her family, creator of an alternate religion based on the statue of a black Mary which has been passed down through generations of her family
• June Boatwright – sister of August and May, school teacher and part owner of the Boatwright farm, volunteers as a cellist for a local hospital, very suspicious of Lily’s origins and refuses to marry her lover, Neil
• May Boatwright– sister of June and August, had a twin named April who committed suicide at a young age, uses the “wailing wall” or sings “Oh! Susanna,” when feeling depressed, extremely sensitive

Discussion Questions

The Secret Life of Bees

1. What is the central theme or main idea of the book? Is there more than one theme? If yes, how are these ideas connected?
2. How do the beekeeping phrases in the beginning of each chapter relate to the theme? How is beekeeping regarded throughout the story? Do you like the title? What are some other possible titles?
3. Why did the author select a 14 year-old girl as the narrator? What do you think of Lily by the end? Would you consider this a coming-of-age story?
4. What do you think of the story behind the Our Lady in Chains statue? (See pg. 107) Why do you think the statue was passed down to August? Do you know of any similar stories?
5. Had you ever heard of the Black Madonna? If yes, where? What did you think of August using the Black Madonna on her honey jars?
6. How does Lily’s relationship to her mother change as she learns more about her? Was Deborah a good mother? Does Lily ever forgive herself?
7. What do you know about the 1960’s? Is the time period important to the main theme? Could this story take place in another time?
8. May’s Wailing Wall helped her deal with her feelings. What are other ways we cope with feelings of pain, loss, or suffering? Are there any other ‘wailing walls’ that people use today?
9. As Lily and Zachary Taylor formed a special relationship how did each view the relationship? Did you root for them to be together? What do you predict will happen in the future to Zach? Lily?
10. Did you like the book overall? Did you learn anything new? Would you give this book as a gift to someone? Do you believe people will continue to read this story after 10 years? What about 50 years?