The Secret Life Of Bees Racism Essay
In The novel The Secret Life Of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd Lily, a 14 year old girl experiences racism for The first time, an encounter that many young people came to know in 1960’s America and an encounter that many people still face today.
Racism has been around for so many years and is portrayed in so many ways. Some say that racism was exceptionally high in 1960’s America where relationships were based on color, and discrimination was the way of life. Lily herself experienced her fair share of racism even though she was a white girl growing up in an era where being white was considered the ultimate privilege. In the beginning of the book Lily has very close relationship with Rosaleen. Lily has known Rosaleen ever since she was little, Rosaleen …show more content…
Lily had surprised herself when she first caught sight of the racist things she said in her brain like the time she thought that August was so intelligent and so cultured for a woman of color, “That's what let me know I had some prejudice buried inside me”(kidd 78). Another racist encounter Lily endured is a thing called reverse racism. June was racist towards Lily from the moment she laid eyes on her and Lily knew this very well,”I have noticed that is you look carefully at peoples eyes for the first five seconds they look at you, the truth of their feelings will shine through for just an instant before it flickers away”(Kidd 104). Lily she said this about June because for those few seconds that she was explaining the truth in June's eyes had been revealed, and the revealing was a great dislike for Lily. Lily also went through some racist endeavors with strangers like when she went down to the police station. the police officer kept hinting that it wasn't normal for a white girl to be staying in a house full of colored people and that she was only lowering her standards.
Overall The Secret Life Of Bees was a wonderful book on the many encounters a person experiences over such a short span of time and how much a person can grow. Lessons that never leave you and forever impact the rest of your
Racism has been around for so many years and is portrayed in so many ways. Some say that racism was exceptionally high in 1960’s America where relationships were based on color, and discrimination was the way of life. Lily herself experienced her fair share of racism even though she was a white girl growing up in an era where being white was considered the ultimate privilege. In the beginning of the book Lily has very close relationship with Rosaleen. Lily has known Rosaleen ever since she was little, Rosaleen …show more content…
Lily had surprised herself when she first caught sight of the racist things she said in her brain like the time she thought that August was so intelligent and so cultured for a woman of color, “That's what let me know I had some prejudice buried inside me”(kidd 78). Another racist encounter Lily endured is a thing called reverse racism. June was racist towards Lily from the moment she laid eyes on her and Lily knew this very well,”I have noticed that is you look carefully at peoples eyes for the first five seconds they look at you, the truth of their feelings will shine through for just an instant before it flickers away”(Kidd 104). Lily she said this about June because for those few seconds that she was explaining the truth in June's eyes had been revealed, and the revealing was a great dislike for Lily. Lily also went through some racist endeavors with strangers like when she went down to the police station. the police officer kept hinting that it wasn't normal for a white girl to be staying in a house full of colored people and that she was only lowering her standards.
Overall The Secret Life Of Bees was a wonderful book on the many encounters a person experiences over such a short span of time and how much a person can grow. Lessons that never leave you and forever impact the rest of your