Other

What does the epigraph mean in chapter 2 of The Secret Life of Bees?

What does the epigraph mean in chapter 2 of The Secret Life of Bees?

The epigraph for this chapter, again from a book about bees, explains that when a swarm of bees leaves an old hive, a few “scout bees” look for a new colony, and eventually the entire hive settles.

What is the significance of the epigraph that begins the chapter Secret Life of Bees?

The Epigraph at the beginning of the chapter foreshadows that Lily will find out about her mother’s past (the queen bee) by first finding August, June and May.

What is the epigraph of Secret Life of Bees?

For The Secret Life of Bees, the epigraph is: “The queen, for her part, is the unifying force of the community; if she is removed from the hive, the workers very quickly sense her absence. After a few hours, or even less, they show unmistakable signs of queenlessness.”

What does the epigraph in chapter 5 of The Secret Life of Bees mean?

The epigraph of the chapter tells us to picture that we are small enough to follow a bee and feel the darkness. This refers to Lily’s and Rosaleen’s entrance into the Boatwright home (the hive). She has developed a close relationship with August and found the love that she needed.

What are some symbols in The Secret Life of Bees?

The Secret Life of Bees Symbols

  • Bees. The most obvious symbols in The Secret Life of Bees are the bees themselves.
  • The Black Virgin Mary.
  • The Color Blue.
  • The Stone Wall.
  • The Moon.

What do the bees represent in The Secret Life of Bees?

Throughout the novel, Kidd builds on the hive and bees as a metaphor of life. Bees represent people working together in a society, which is represented by the hive. The hive is presided over by the queen, or mother-figure. Fortunately, Lily learns the queen bee can be replaced.

What is the setting of The Secret Life of Bees?

Set in South Carolina during 1964, The Secret Life of Bees tells the story of a fourteen year old white girl, Lily Owens, whose life has been shaped around the blurred memory of the afternoon her mother was killed.

What happens in Chapter 4 of The Secret Life of Bees?

In the afternoon, August takes Lily and Rosaleen to the “honey house,” where August makes and bottles her honey. Inside, Lily finds elaborate honey-making equipment. August shows Lily and Rosaleen how to use some of the equipment, and explains that her grandfather left her a huge bee farm.

What happened in Chapter 7 of Secret Life of Bees?

August sends Zach and Lily out to harvest some beehives. Zach drives a honey cart along the road while Lily daydreams about building a snow cave with him. She imagines sleeping next to Zach, whose body, she thinks, must be very warm. To Lily’s surprise, Zach doesn’t kiss Lily—instead, he moves on to the next hive.

What do the bees in The Secret Life of Bees symbolize?

Overall, the bees are symbols of mothering and community. In the very first chapter, the beginning quote states, The queen…is the unifying force of the community; if she is removed from the hive, the workers very quickly sense her absence (Kidd 1).

What is the main idea of Secret Life of bees?

The main idea is the strength of women, the weakness, and the ability in all of us to grow and change. The themes of the novel are about racism, the strength of a community of women, nature, and the importance we place on rituals.

What happens in Chapter 3 of Secret Life of bees?

Summary of the Chapter: In Chapter 3 Lily and Rosaleen awake in Tiburon. Together the two walk into town to try and find some food to fulfill their hungry stomachs. They encounter a restaurant. Lily goes in and gets barbecue and cokes. Rosaleen hasn’t had snuff in days so Lily steals some with intentions to one day repay the store.

Who is put into jail in Secret Life of bees?

Summary of the Chapter: In this chapter Rosaleen is put into jail. T-Ray comes to get Lily but not Rosaleen. T-Ray tells Lily that Deborah came to get the rest of her belongings on the day she died because she had already left T-Ray and Lily. Lily does not believe what she hears.

What happens to Rosaleen in The Secret Life of bees?

Rosaleen, who’s weak and in pain, tells Lily that the three men continued to hit her after Lily left, apparently with Gaston’s approval. Although a part of her wants to tell Rosaleen that she should have apologized to the men in order to avoid the beating, Lily tells Rosaleen that they need to escape the hospital immediately.

Why did Lily leave a loveless home in The Secret Life of bees?

Two major threads of the story come together in this chapter. Lily’s decision to leave a loveless home is fueled by her resolution to help Rosaleen escape certain death. Lily’s understanding of the adult world is heightened when she realizes that both her father and Rosaleen are right to be fearful about the dangerous black and white divide.

Author Image
Ruth Doyle