The Secret Life of Bees

Lily Owens: A blooming flower
A bee collects pollen from a flower, but first the flower must be full-bloom. The flower starts out as just a seed, then a little bud, and eventually, with a little love and care, becomes a beautiful, open flower. This journey is exactly what Lily Owens, a fourteen year old girl from South Carolina, who learned a life lesson and finds her true self, went through in the summer of 1964.
Lily Owens’ journey started in Sylvan, South Carolina, which is where her seed was planted. She lived with her father, Terrence Ray, and their dog, on a peach farm. The family went through a tragic loss of their wife and mother, Deborah, when Lily accidently shot her mother when she was four.   She has 3 objects to remember her mother by, a picture of her, a single white glove, and a picture of a black Mary with a town written on the back; Tiburon, SC on it. Lily kept this burden with her everywhere she went. Terrence Ray or T-ray as Lily called him, was constantly bringing her down and finding ways to punish her. As you can see on page twenty-four, T-ray also resorted to physical punishment, on multiple occasions. Lily worked on the peach farm, selling peaches at a fruit stand, she also loved to read, and had ambitions to
                                                                                                                                         
become a writer one day. The Owens’ had a housekeeper, Rosaleen, who was by Lily’s side the entire time.
Their journey started shortly after Lily hit her breaking point with her father. The two girls went into town, on Lily’s birthday, telling T-ray that they needed a few things, but Rosaleen was going to get the right to vote. Before they knew it, it became a journey of a lifetime. Rosaleen was being assaulted by some white men, and was accused of assaulting them, then was arrested. With this, Lily, is frightened, alone, and miserable at home. She collects some bees and a jar, and the bees... [continues]

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