Author Sue Monk Kidd

• Kidd, who was born in Sylvester, Georgia, graduated from Texas Christian University with a B.S. in nursing in 1970 and worked throughout her twenties as a Registered  and college nursing instructor

•Secret Life Of Bees was her first novel, ( 2002), was written over three and a half years. It has been produced on stage in New

York by The American Place Theater and been adapted into a movie by Fox Searchlight.

The Secret Life Of Bees is historical Novel that takes place in Tiburon S.C

•  The novel’s protagonist and narrator .The14 year-old Lily Owens born in 1950 ,who is in search of her mother's past. She lives in a house with a neglectful father and a black maid, Rosaline. The book opens by showing Lily's memories of the day that her mother died. 

Main Characters besides The lead Character (Lilly) 

are :

Rosaleen Daise 

•  Lily’s nanny and first friend . Rosaline plays a big role in the story from the beginning till the end

T- Ray

• Lilly’s Dad, He was one of the reasons Lilly ran away from her home. He is strict, fierce and neglectful when it comes to Lilly

The Boatwright Sisters

• August ,June and May live in a pink a house in Triburon.They took Lilly and Rosaline in after Lilly and Rosaline escaped from S.C .August has her own business which making and selling honey, she named it The Black Madonna

Zachary Taylor

• Lily’s best friend and romantic interest. Zach  He is handsome and ambitious and hopes to be a lawyer someday, although he has never heard of a black lawyer. . He works on the Boatwrights’ farm to earn money  to be self-reliant. 

Plot Overview

Boatrights House

The Story reaches it Climax due to many incidents:

• Lilly’ escape with Rosaline from Salyvan and the consequences of this action.

• The mystery about Lilly’s mother death which continues through whole the story which makes it interesting.

• The accident of Augusts' sister May .• Lilly’s feeling towards Zach.

The Themes used in The Secret Life of BeesThemes used in The

Secret Life of Bees

Historical Themes

• The Secret Life of Bees discusses the struggle between the Black and White people during the 1960’s era which affected the whole society back then, and it also states the historical events that happened for example: The Civil Right act and the Black people ‘s right to vote when President Johnson signed the Law .

BeesBees serve as Lily’s unspoken guides throughout the novel. In the beginning, from leaving T. Ray’s house, to the follow of the trail of the honey label to Tiburon—and to the truth about her mother play a role. Lily even finds the “secret life of bees” similar to her own life.. For these reasons, bees are the central motif of The Secret Life of Bees.

The Power of the Female Community 

At the beginning of The Secret Life of Bees, Lily demonstrates an awareness of her femininity and laments that she has missed out on certain female lessons because her mother is dead. the more fulfilling female community is the one she finds at the Boatwright house. There, Lily sees how strong women support, tend to, comfort, encourage, and love one another by witnessing the bonds between the Daughters of Mary. Through their examples, and by being included in their group, Lily begins to feel empowered as a woman.