The Secret Life of Bees Chapters 1 and 2 We meet Lily, she has a mean father, T. Ray, and a wonderful housekeeper named Rosealeen. She took the place of her mother who died in a tragic accident we learn about in the first chapter. Her mother was packing a suitcase quickly, throwing things from her closet into it. T. Ray came home, earlier than her mother expected him. They started arguing and yelling. Then her mom got out a gun from the closet and it fell to the floor. Then Lily, a four year old, went and picked up the gun. Then it accidentally went off and after that it was all a blur. That shot killed her mother, so Lily feels as if she is responsible for her mother’s death. Rosealeen loves her and tries sometimes to protect her from T. Ray. Lily has bees come into her room at night and swarm her. One night she tried to show T. Ray the bees by waking him up in the middle of the night. Once he came into the room they were gone and he got upset. The next day she tried to put them in a jar and got a few bees. Lily wants to be a writer and loves to read. T. Ray gets mad if she does while working at the peach stand, with peaches from the peach farm T. Ray owns and works at. One time T. Ray confronted her about the incident with her mother. He claimed she was cleaning out the closet until Lily said she remembered it. T. Ray’s punishment for when Lily was bad, he would make her sit on grits and whip her. Lily went with Rosealeen on her birthday, the fourth of July, to town so that she could sign up to vote. On the way a few white men gave her a hard time and she poured her tobacco spit jar on their shoes. This got her arrested. Lily and her got escorted down to the jail. Lily runs away from home, after getting out of jail, brings the few things she has from her mother which talk about Tiburon, South Carolina. She then goes and breaks Rosealeen out of the hospital, where she had gone after the white men came into jail and beat her. They hitchhiked close to Tiburon and walked to a creek bed to sleep at.
The Secret Life of Bees Chapters 3 and 4 When they woke up by the creek they walked to a store to get food, but they couldn’t sell anything because it was Sunday. Rosealeen and Lily were not in the paper but while in the store she saw the same picture on a jar of jam as her mother had left her. She asked about it and the cashier told her the lady that makes that jam lives on Main Street in pink house. Lily and Rosealeen found it and knocked on the door. Three black sisters answered, June, May and August. August made the decision to allow them to stay. They got to live in the honey house and work for their stay. I apologize for the very long first entry but this books beginning was so full of information I felt obligated to tell it all. I love this book so far and cannot put it down. I think the story is just beginning.
The Secret Life of Bees Chapters 5 and 6 May will sometimes start to sing Oh Susanna and will have to run outside to a wall in the backyard. May and Rosealeen have made great friends instantly. The whole house is about honey. June plays music for dying people and works at the high school. Lily overheard a conversation between June and August showing how much June dislikes Lily. August likes to tell stories and take care of bees. She taught Lily how to be around bees and let her see a queen bee. August also explain that May used to have a twin April, but she died. May could always feel April’s pain and when she died she took on the world’s pain. The only way she could deal with it was going to the wall and writing it down. The next morning we meet Neil, who is “sweet on June.” June had sworn off men since she got stood up at the alter with her past relationship. That morning the Daughters of Mary came over. There are a few women and one man who come and they worship the Lady of Chains. She had helped the slaves back when they were “chained.” Part of their weekly ritual included going up and touching this statue of Mary in the house. You had to touch her painted on heart. As Lily had attempted to participate in this she fainted. This story takes place during changing times. It starts with the Civil Rights Act and now they talk about the first man walking on the moon. This thought upset August.
The Secret Life of Bees Chapters 7 and 8 The next morning we meet Zach who is the whitest black boy Lily has met. He also helps August with the beehives. He is in high school and plays football but wants to be a lawyer. Rosealeen constantly reminds Lily of how she would have to face reality eventually. Zach and Lily went out six miles to check a beehive and the honey was purple. Zach told Lily about a local author and for some reason she go upset. Zach comforted her. That night Rosealeen left Lily in the honey house by herself to keep May company in her room. June and Neil got in a fight and it doesn’t look as if he is coming back. Lily found her self-becoming fond of Zach and the next day he brought over a notebook for her to write in. Lily and August put the black Mary on the jars together and Lily learned the story of the picture and more about August’s life. While checking on bees, Lily learned the queen bee was mother of thousands. Then her and Zach went to a lawyer’s office that bought honey. This lawyer also let Zach look around his office. When Zach and the lawyer were in the office Lily called T. Ray to see if he knew her favorite color to prove if he loved her or not, I believe. When he didn’t she hung up and later wrote a letter to him venting her frustration even though she would never send it. Then in the middle of the night she went and touched the heart of the statue of Mary saying she was the mother of thousands.
The Secret Life of Bees Chapters 9 and 10 The day was so hot that everyone ended up jumping around in the sprinklers. June and Lily made friends during this excitement. Lily saw May trying to get a roach out with marshmallows and graham crackers; something T. Ray had said her mother did. Lily asked if Deborah Fontanel, her mother’s maiden name, had ever lived here. May simply said yes in the honey house. Later when Lily was going to talk to August about her mother, Zach asked her to go into town. In town, there were some white men who were looking for a white guy bringing a black girl to the movies. They ended up getting into a brawl with Zach and some of his friends putting Zach in jail because he would not say which of his black friends threw the first glass bottle. They went and saw him in jail and August told him a story about bees. They did not tell May about Zach in jail. One night she answered the phone figuring it out and went out to the wall at night by herself. Twenty minutes later they went looking for her and found her dead in the creek. When the police came they questioned Lily and Rosealeen. The white officer told Lily she should go be with her people of her own kind. Zach got out of jail and they had a vigil for May. The daughters of Mary came and it lasted four days.
The Secret Life of Bees Chapters 11 and 12 May’s suicide note implied June to get married to Neil. June followed suit with plans to marry Neil later. Zach and Lily talked about changing the world so they could be together. The Daughters of Mary celebrated the assumption of Mary in a four-day party filled with food and a reenactment of the Lady of Chains. Lily finally goes to talk to August about her mother. She tells Lily she used to work for her mother’s family and took care of her when she was little. After her family all died she lived with August for some time. Then she moved away, met T. Ray and had Lily. T. Ray stopped treating her very nicely and she came back without Lily to August. She stayed for some time then went back to get Lily and then the accident happened. Lily took this the wrong way thinking she was unwanted. At this point I am totally and completely in love with this book.
The Secret Life of Bees Chapters 13 and 14 That night Lily went nuts and threw jars of honey at the statue of Mary. The next morning Rosealeen saw the mess and helped her clean up the room and herself. Lily told her how her mother didn’t ever want her. The daughters came over for the last day of celebration and Lily asked August to tell Zach about her mom and everything. The last ritual involved spreading honey all over the statue and then washing it off with water. Afterwards August gave Lily a box of her mother’s things including a picture of her mother and her child self. June and Neil set a wedding date and Rosealeen registered to vote. Zach and Lily talked about her past and father. Then August showed her a hive without a queen but she was getting one from another hive later. That day T. Ray came to the house. He had traced the call Lily at made at the lawyer’s office. He wanted her to come home and during the conversation Lily realized T. Ray had replaced her for her mother who had left him. He was hurt and actually ended up calling Lily her mother’s name. In the end he left and allowed her to stay with August and she realized she had many mother, all the daughters of Mary, August June and Rosealeen.
Didn't the passage of background information say that Antigone was a victim of Creon's hubris? Some of you are suggesting that Antigone is the tragic hero. Thoughts on that.
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The Secret Life of Bees
Chapters 1 and 2
We meet Lily, she has a mean father, T. Ray, and a wonderful housekeeper named Rosealeen. She took the place of her mother who died in a tragic accident we learn about in the first chapter. Her mother was packing a suitcase quickly, throwing things from her closet into it. T. Ray came home, earlier than her mother expected him. They started arguing and yelling. Then her mom got out a gun from the closet and it fell to the floor. Then Lily, a four year old, went and picked up the gun. Then it accidentally went off and after that it was all a blur. That shot killed her mother, so Lily feels as if she is responsible for her mother’s death. Rosealeen loves her and tries sometimes to protect her from T. Ray. Lily has bees come into her room at night and swarm her. One night she tried to show T. Ray the bees by waking him up in the middle of the night. Once he came into the room they were gone and he got upset. The next day she tried to put them in a jar and got a few bees. Lily wants to be a writer and loves to read. T. Ray gets mad if she does while working at the peach stand, with peaches from the peach farm T. Ray owns and works at. One time T. Ray confronted her about the incident with her mother. He claimed she was cleaning out the closet until Lily said she remembered it. T. Ray’s punishment for when Lily was bad, he would make her sit on grits and whip her. Lily went with Rosealeen on her birthday, the fourth of July, to town so that she could sign up to vote. On the way a few white men gave her a hard time and she poured her tobacco spit jar on their shoes. This got her arrested. Lily and her got escorted down to the jail. Lily runs away from home, after getting out of jail, brings the few things she has from her mother which talk about Tiburon, South Carolina. She then goes and breaks Rosealeen out of the hospital, where she had gone after the white men came into jail and beat her. They hitchhiked close to Tiburon and walked to a creek bed to sleep at.
The Secret Life of Bees
Chapters 3 and 4
When they woke up by the creek they walked to a store to get food, but they couldn’t sell anything because it was Sunday. Rosealeen and Lily were not in the paper but while in the store she saw the same picture on a jar of jam as her mother had left her. She asked about it and the cashier told her the lady that makes that jam lives on Main Street in pink house. Lily and Rosealeen found it and knocked on the door. Three black sisters answered, June, May and August. August made the decision to allow them to stay. They got to live in the honey house and work for their stay. I apologize for the very long first entry but this books beginning was so full of information I felt obligated to tell it all. I love this book so far and cannot put it down. I think the story is just beginning.
The Secret Life of Bees
Chapters 5 and 6
May will sometimes start to sing Oh Susanna and will have to run outside to a wall in the backyard. May and Rosealeen have made great friends instantly. The whole house is about honey. June plays music for dying people and works at the high school. Lily overheard a conversation between June and August showing how much June dislikes Lily. August likes to tell stories and take care of bees. She taught Lily how to be around bees and let her see a queen bee. August also explain that May used to have a twin April, but she died. May could always feel April’s pain and when she died she took on the world’s pain. The only way she could deal with it was going to the wall and writing it down. The next morning we meet Neil, who is “sweet on June.” June had sworn off men since she got stood up at the alter with her past relationship. That morning the Daughters of Mary came over. There are a few women and one man who come and they worship the Lady of Chains. She had helped the slaves back when they were “chained.” Part of their weekly ritual included going up and touching this statue of Mary in the house. You had to touch her painted on heart. As Lily had attempted to participate in this she fainted. This story takes place during changing times. It starts with the Civil Rights Act and now they talk about the first man walking on the moon. This thought upset August.
The Secret Life of Bees
Chapters 7 and 8
The next morning we meet Zach who is the whitest black boy Lily has met. He also helps August with the beehives. He is in high school and plays football but wants to be a lawyer. Rosealeen constantly reminds Lily of how she would have to face reality eventually. Zach and Lily went out six miles to check a beehive and the honey was purple. Zach told Lily about a local author and for some reason she go upset. Zach comforted her. That night Rosealeen left Lily in the honey house by herself to keep May company in her room. June and Neil got in a fight and it doesn’t look as if he is coming back. Lily found her self-becoming fond of Zach and the next day he brought over a notebook for her to write in. Lily and August put the black Mary on the jars together and Lily learned the story of the picture and more about August’s life. While checking on bees, Lily learned the queen bee was mother of thousands. Then her and Zach went to a lawyer’s office that bought honey. This lawyer also let Zach look around his office. When Zach and the lawyer were in the office Lily called T. Ray to see if he knew her favorite color to prove if he loved her or not, I believe. When he didn’t she hung up and later wrote a letter to him venting her frustration even though she would never send it. Then in the middle of the night she went and touched the heart of the statue of Mary saying she was the mother of thousands.
The Secret Life of Bees
Chapters 9 and 10
The day was so hot that everyone ended up jumping around in the sprinklers. June and Lily made friends during this excitement. Lily saw May trying to get a roach out with marshmallows and graham crackers; something T. Ray had said her mother did. Lily asked if Deborah Fontanel, her mother’s maiden name, had ever lived here. May simply said yes in the honey house. Later when Lily was going to talk to August about her mother, Zach asked her to go into town. In town, there were some white men who were looking for a white guy bringing a black girl to the movies. They ended up getting into a brawl with Zach and some of his friends putting Zach in jail because he would not say which of his black friends threw the first glass bottle. They went and saw him in jail and August told him a story about bees. They did not tell May about Zach in jail. One night she answered the phone figuring it out and went out to the wall at night by herself. Twenty minutes later they went looking for her and found her dead in the creek. When the police came they questioned Lily and Rosealeen. The white officer told Lily she should go be with her people of her own kind. Zach got out of jail and they had a vigil for May. The daughters of Mary came and it lasted four days.
The Secret Life of Bees
Chapters 11 and 12
May’s suicide note implied June to get married to Neil. June followed suit with plans to marry Neil later. Zach and Lily talked about changing the world so they could be together. The Daughters of Mary celebrated the assumption of Mary in a four-day party filled with food and a reenactment of the Lady of Chains. Lily finally goes to talk to August about her mother. She tells Lily she used to work for her mother’s family and took care of her when she was little. After her family all died she lived with August for some time. Then she moved away, met T. Ray and had Lily. T. Ray stopped treating her very nicely and she came back without Lily to August. She stayed for some time then went back to get Lily and then the accident happened. Lily took this the wrong way thinking she was unwanted. At this point I am totally and completely in love with this book.
The Secret Life of Bees
Chapters 13 and 14
That night Lily went nuts and threw jars of honey at the statue of Mary. The next morning Rosealeen saw the mess and helped her clean up the room and herself. Lily told her how her mother didn’t ever want her. The daughters came over for the last day of celebration and Lily asked August to tell Zach about her mom and everything. The last ritual involved spreading honey all over the statue and then washing it off with water. Afterwards August gave Lily a box of her mother’s things including a picture of her mother and her child self. June and Neil set a wedding date and Rosealeen registered to vote. Zach and Lily talked about her past and father. Then August showed her a hive without a queen but she was getting one from another hive later. That day T. Ray came to the house. He had traced the call Lily at made at the lawyer’s office. He wanted her to come home and during the conversation Lily realized T. Ray had replaced her for her mother who had left him. He was hurt and actually ended up calling Lily her mother’s name. In the end he left and allowed her to stay with August and she realized she had many mother, all the daughters of Mary, August June and Rosealeen.
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