1. Erika Arbak.
The SECRET LIFE OF BEES.

2. BEHIND THE TITLE.
When you think of a bee, you think of the vicious pain it gives you when youre stung. On the outside, a bee is just a black and yellow flying insect who gets honey and gives you major pain. But, you may not know where that bee has traveled from, how long its lived or where its hive is. Now, think this bee is you. At first glance, some people may have a misconstrued impression of you. When you look at someone, you dont know their entire life. Secrets are hidden within all of us. No one can see what your life is like or what those secrets are just by looking at your clothes or body. Essentially, the title The Secret Life Of Bees represents human life by a bee, and how you cant judge someones life by just looking at them on the outside.
3. With the way May warmly cooked and took care of the Boatwright home, a simple glance wouldnt confirm her depression. Only those who knew her the best knew of her wailing wall and depression. When May killed herself in the river, some didnt expect it. This shows how someone can smile on the outside but be dying on the inside.
REASONS BEHIND THE TITLE.
Photo from The Secret Life of Bees (Movie) showing May (middle) smiling.
4. Stereotypes play a huge role in society. Look around any classroom, and youll find yourself judging people on the outside even if you dont know them.The blonde girl? Oh, shes probably dumb. Someone with glasses? Nerd. Black kid with his hat sideways? Obviously, hes from the ghetto. Dark hair and dark makeup? They must be depressed or crazy. Stereotypes are a horrible part of society that form us into a judgmental being.
Zach is an intelligent guy who is also sensitive and ambitious. Someday, Zach hopes to become a lawyer. In the 1964 society, that was pretty much unheard of. Many doubted him, saying that a black man could never become a lawyer.
5. Lilys life isnt a typical one. While most other girls have their mothers still around, Lily is left without one.Rosaleen, a fierce black woman, is the closest thing she has to one. A white girl with a black family in South Carolina in 1964 isnt seen often. Thus, their life is a little abnormal. If you saw Lily walking alone down the street, you would never expect it.
A sight not seen often in 1964 South Carolina.
.
6. IMPORTANT QUOTES AND EXAMPLES.
As stated before, in 1964, an African-American lawyer was considered a crazy idea. When looking at Zach, you might say that he could never be a lawyer, but since you dont know his secret life, you have no idea.
Ive just never heard of a Negro lawyer, thats all. Youve got to hear of these things before you can imagine them.
Bullshit. You got to imagine whats never been.
7. This is possibly the most important quote of the entire book. It shows the metaphor between humans and bees. It shows how things are usually more complicated than they seem on the surface.
Most people dont have any idea about all the complicated life going on inside a hive. Bees have a secret life we dont know anything about august.
8. People who think dying is the worst thing dont know a thing about life.
Lily (movie) who said this quote.
With this quote, she explains how dealing with her mothers death is probably more painful than actually dying. This shows that even though youre living and going through life, things arent always as they seem.
9. Basically, the title shows that not everything is as it seems on the outside and how a persons life is more complex than their appearance.

Mays suicide. She seemed warm but was depressed on the inside.

10. Stereotypes blur the truth about someone. 11. After Lilys moms death, she felt like it was all her fault. She also lived with a black family, which was rare back then and made others judge her.CONCLUSION.
12. Created by Erika Arbak.
Its easy to say bees are malicious because of their sting, but look inside the hive before judging.