The Secret Life Of Bees Character Analysis

The Secret Life of Bees, written by Sue Monk Kidd is a very good example of a bildungsroman novel, as throughout the book, Lily learns to love and forgive herself as well as figure out who she really is. The main reason that her maturity grows so dramatically is partly due to change of location. When she lived in Sylvan, all she saw in life was shielded by white prejudice. When she escaped to Tiburon and lived in a house full of black women, she began to see past race and realized how bad things are for people of color. The idea that surroundings shape the psychological or moral traits in a character can be supported by Pauline Hopkins, who once said “And, after all, our surroundings influence our lives and characters as much as fate, destiny or any supernatural agency.”.

“ ‘Well, you sure had one back at the hospital, coming in there saying we’re gonna do this and we’re gonna do that, and i’m supposed to follow you like a pet dog. You act like you’re my keeper. Like i’m some dumb nigger you gonna save.” (page 53 in text, 82 online) Lily, while living in Sylvan, suffers abuse from her father T-Ray, and carries the guilt of possibly killing her mother by accident. She knows nothing of her mother and why she left, so she is very curious. At this point in the novel, before a change in setting, Lily is still an immature teenage girl who is unaware of who she is and how to love and forgive herself. On an impulsive emotional decision, Lily decides to break Rosaleen out of the jail, and the two of them decide to go to Tiburon, in slim chances of finding out the history of Lily’s mother. Lily does not really confide in Rosaleen of her plan, but instead just takes charge and acts as the rescuer which frustrates