Little Bee By Chris Cleave

Chris Cleave, is an amazing writer with many popular books in his name. “Little Bee” is one among his collection which was shortlisted for the 2008 Costa Book Awards in Novel category. The book is about the struggle of a Nigerian girl who seeks happiness through that struggle and an English magazine editor who tries to help her out through the struggle. The book scrutinizes the themes about British colonialism, globalization and the people who can play their part in making this world a beautiful or a worse place. The story is considered to be related with Cleave’s work in an asylum detention center during his childhood in West Africa. Through the characterization of Sarah, it has argued that the serious transformations are required regarding
Nigeria was very rich in oil and many of them were depending on it to carry out their day to day activities. However, it had to stop as some English company came to take over the oil business and the local officials started to destroy their illegal mines. “White man been giving me this finger all my life. Today you can give it me to keep. Now cut off your middle finger mister and give it me” (113). The hunter might be referring to the British colonization here. He thinks that, it was the fault of the white people that they are being destroyed. He thinks of every white man as rich and selfish and his reason for suffering and tragedy in his country. So, it might be a small gesture of making white people realize of their action and he might see it as
Sarah asks little bee to hide as she wants to save her because of her love and friendship towards her. However, little bee can’t see them in trouble and runs out to save Charlie. She was able to change the perspective of him that he does not need the suit to have justice. It is not only the persons that were transformed but the beach itself is now transformed back to the land of joy. Charlie was laughing without his suit for the first time and he is running with all the children with his happy arms spinning. Little bee expresses her happiness, “… and I cried with joy when the children all began to play together in the sparkling foam of the waves that broke between worlds at the point” (266). This scene depicts the transformation and hope. The world seemed like a different one as the children from different race, worlds were playing together with joy. Although everyone is surrounded by the soldiers, the author shows us the ray of hope where everyone was smiling, and the beach was looking beautiful