The Secret Life of Bees Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Secret Life of Bees - Essay Example This story manifests Lily’s struggles through adolescence with bees as the central symbol of analogy between them: both seeking a mother figure (in Lily’s case) and a queen figure (in the bees’ case) to find fulfillment in life. Lily decided to collect the bees that she sees in her room in a jar to prove to her father that they do exist. A story about how her mother died somehow gives credence to Lily’s guilt feelings. Likewise, she manages to keep little mementos of Deborah’s things in a small tin which she buried in the orchards. When she gets sad, like the time when her father ignored her upcoming birthday, Lily digs up the tin box as a sign that she needs reassurance from her mother. Lily’s losing her mother at a very tender age at such traumatic instances left a void in her personality that needs to be filled. She is looking for a permanent attachment, a security, a sense of motherly and unconditional love which is not provided by his father. T-Ray was an imposing authoritative figure who was insensitive to Lily’s feelings – partly because she reminds him of Deborah, who was actually on the verge of leaving them when they furiously fought before she accidentally died. T-Ray was only concerned of showing how powerful he is and how everyone else is under his jurisdiction. Lily’s encounter with Rosaleen’s dilemma on being accosted to jail was instrumental in manifesting the surging emotion of fleeing to a more safe and secure place which would provide her with love and affection. This was validated when she found her jar of bees empty. There were lessons on the reality of racial issues as presented by Rosaleen’s experience and the touch of spiritual guidance provided by Lily’s reliance on her mother’s black Mary picture which indicates Tiburon, at the back. The message depicted a vision of direction to the place where her mother was possible previously in. Rosaleen, on the other hand,