History+Group

Table of Contents: Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3/4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Entire Book Analysis


 * __Chapter 1:__ **

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1. “The queen for her part, is the unifying force of the community; if she is removed from the hive, the workers very quickly sense her absence. After a few hours, or less, they show signs of queenlessness.” How does Lily’s home show signs of queenlessness? Discuss how this magnifies issues that are considered normal for the girls of Lily’s age and what additional issues this creates. ======

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Like the bees hive in this quote, Lily’s home shows signs of queenlessness too. Lily lost her mother when she was 4 years old. Her mother and father were in a fight and Lily accidentally shot her mom and killed her with the gun her mom dropped on the floor. Her father, who she calls T. Ray, was a very violent and mean person. He was abusive to Lily; he also didn’t take well care of her and didn’t love her. With out her mom she is not loved and uncomfortable at home. Lily is also very unaware of how to take care of herself and be a ‘normal girl’. “You can tell when girls lack mothers by the look of their hair. My hair was constantly going off in eleven wrong directions, and T. Ray, naturally refused to buy me bristle rollers, so all year id had to roll it on Welch’s grape juice cans, which had nearly turned me into an insomniac,” (kidd 3). Lily never had her mom to do her hair or buy her clothes so she was a very messy ugly girl. Her mom’s loss made every thing for her harder to understand. The closest person Lily had to a mother was Rosaleen. Although she had Rosaleen she still didn’t have the support and help from a real mom. ===== (Megan)

2. During the 1960’s the rules for black people and white people are very different. The white people have far more rights then the African Americans during the time period. It is almost like the white people are an inferior people to the African Americans. Three men give Rosaleen, the housekeeper, a hard time and called her a derogatory name “well look what we got coming here he called out where’re you going” (Kidd 31) They then proceeded to beat her up and have her arrested when they should be the ones getting arrested. This goes to show that white people and black people did not have equal rights. When it came to dealing with African Americans whites did not have any rules. I do not agree with the views of the people in the south during the 1960’s. White or Black it does not matter, just because someone is a different race or skin color does not mean that the rules should be different for them. (TIMOHTY)

3. When Rosaleen stood up to the white men in town, she was on her way to register to vote. Knowing the consequences of violating Jim Crow Laws, lynchings most often, Rosaleen must have been compliant, to the rules, in the past. I think Rosaleen stood up to those men, on that particular day, because, when Rosaleen first mentions she is going to register to vote, Lily thinks of a man who was killed for trying to register to vote, Jim Crow Laws, Rosaleen knows that she is in danger for registering and probably would not "brag", except for the fact that the Civil Rights Act was signed into law, by the president, the day before. Now, African Americans' rights were protected by law. Rosaleen saw this to her advantage, but despite the new law Rosaleen still was beat up and arrested. (Kat S.)  4. Two examples from life today that have Jim Crow Laws are that other people treat others different because of there color and race. For example, the government from Arizona wants to pass a law but the president didn’t approve it. Also, racism is the most common one and it is unwritten. I belief, that people should treat everybody equal and to love each other. We are the same and it doesn’t matter if you are different then the other person. In many places in the United States racism exits. Like in the book there is three white racist man and they were been racist to Rosaleen. " Did you ever see one that black?" said the dealer ( Kidd 32). This problem influences other people or their relationships between people because maybe both are think different. Racist people can influence others because they them things why they should hate others. This is when the other person has to think about it and they can become racist. Hopefully at the end of all of this racism in some places would come to an end. So everybody would become friendly and everything would be peaceful. (Maria C.)

5. I feel like when T-Ray, is walking away and Lily imagines hearing “Uncle” under his shoes, I think she is saying that he walked away with defeat and was sort of saying mercy. “Uncle” is used as a term of asking people for mercy, meaning they gave up or were beat. I think the author was saying that Lily thought he was defeated and he didn’t even bother fighting against or with Rosaleen. When using this personification, it says something symbolic instead of the author having to explain it. (Hunter)

__** Chapter 2: **__ 1. I think T. Ray isn’t racist because there is no evidence of him saying racial slurs, disrespecting any African Americans, or any other ethnic races. If he was racist though I think it would be understood because he is a farmer from the 60’s and lives in South Carolina. I think there are degrees of racism ranging from violent and extremely grudging to being perfectly okay. I think this because not that many people in our time period are racist because we grew up in a more tolerant towards other ethnicities than they did environment. Even though it might be accepted in some places I think it is not okay looking back at it but sometimes there are exceptions being made. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">(Hunter)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">2. What is the meaning of the metaphor of the jar: “Lily Melissa Owens, your jar is open”? <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">“Lily Melissa Owens, your jar is open” connects back to the bees in the jar who were allowed to be free when their jar was opened. The metaphor furtively asks, “What are you going to do now, what is your next move going to be?” <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">(Kat S.)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">3.I don’t think lily is ready to handle the truth about her mother because she might not like it and do something stupid. She thinks T-Ray is lying to her about her mother leaving her behind but taking her things. Her wishful thinking is that her mom would never leave her behind.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">4.The events that moved Lily to action where when Rosaleen got arrested. Also, she was scared what might happen to her when T. Ray came back. I think that she chose to run away now because she wants to save Rosaleen because she is scared that she might die. Lat month she wasn’t afraid of T. Ray but now she is. Lily though what T. Ray might do to her and she though, “I had to get away from T. Ray, who was probably on his way back this minute to do Lord- knows- what to me” ( Kidd 41). <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">(Maria C.)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">5. Lily is angry with Rosaleen because Rosaleen put them both through a lot of trouble. She poured tobacco juice on the most racist man in the town. Then when the man wanted her to apologize to him she would not “the men yelling for her to apologize and to clean their shoes” (Kidd 32) Because she wouldn’t apologize to him he is now out to get her. He has attacked and beat her on many occasions. Lily and Rosaleen are on the run. Also they have an argument about why Lily ran away from home and her plan to find her mother. This shows that they are having trouble agreeing on the way things should be done. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">I believe that Lily is justified in being angry because Rosaleen made bad decisions that force Lily to take action. It is Rosaleen’s fault and now Lily has to suffer from the consequences. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">(TIMOTHY)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">6. Lily’s interactions with Rosaleen are similar to a girl’s interactions with her mother. Rosaleen and Lily have known each other for a while now and they are very close. Lily goes to Rosaleen for support and protection from her father. A mother would do the same thing; they comfort you if you’re sad or hurt. They also both look after each other like family. When Rosaleen was in jail and in the hospital, Lily ran away from home to free her and move away from her father. “I’m serious. They’re gonna kill you, like those colored people in Mississippi got killed.” Lily really cares about Rosaleen because Rosaleen is all she had in life and she is the closest she has to a mother. Lily does not want to lose Rosaleen; she is very comfortable around her unlike when she’s around her father, T. Ray. (Megan)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">__ Chapter 3/4: __ <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">1. Lily describes Sylvan as only containing Baptists and Methodists. Lily's church is somewhat opposed to Catholics, "we were to offer them the five-part plan of salvation...The church gave us a plastic glove with each step written on a different finger... Some ladies carried [it] in their purse in case they ran into a Catholic unexpectedly" (Kidd 58). Lily grew up in a town filled with only Baptists and Methodists, and seeing as they carry gloves in their purses to convert Catholics, Lily may have some prejudice towards them. However Lily also expresses excitement towards Catholicism, "All I could really figure was my mother had been mixed up with the Catholics somehow, and-I have to say-this secretly thrilled me" (Kidd 58). Lily is open to change, especially if it is a part of her mother's past. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">(Kat S.)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">2. Lily is egocentric when she thanks god for the poor news reporting. She is egocentric because she thinks that everything is about her and why wouldn’t they write a story about them. She then says “sometimes you want to fall on your knees and thank god in heaven for all the poor news reporting that goes on in the world.” (Kidd 66) In saying this you can tell that she believes that Rosaleen and herself should be in the paper. However there are other stories in the paper that may be more important than what happened to them. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-indent: 0.5in;">I think that she is egocentric for thinking this way. There are other things that are happening at the time that are bigger news. For example the civil rights act. On the other hand it could be reported because it is related to the civil rights act. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">(TIMOTHY)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">3. The dream that Rosaleen had was when, “Martin Luther King, Jr., knelt down and painted my toenails with the spit from his mouth, and every nail was red like he’d been sucking on red hots” (Kidd 59). The significance of Rosaleen’s odd dream is that something good is going to happen with the Civil Rights. When Martin Luther King knelt down signifies that she did the right thing when she stood up and defend herself. He was proud that she was not scared and that she was not letting anybody to step on her and to treat her bad as when Mr. Franklin did. When Martin Luther King painted Rosaleen, toenails with red, was telling us that there is going to be violence and death because he is trying to make Civil Rights that protect Africans and to be treated equal. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">(Maria C.)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">4.
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Lily always is looking for a sign to guide her through the rough times. This is a demonstration of faith and superstition. She wants god or a voice to help her find her way in life and to lead her on her way. “What I needed was a sign. I needed a voice speaking to me like I’d heard yesterday in my room saying, Lily Melissa Owens, your jar is open.” Lily heard a voice telling her jar is open and she has the opportunity to leave her house. She left her house and followed the voice now she wants another sign to tell her the truth of her mother. She wants to figure out why her mom died and what happened the day she died. Also Lily wants someone to love her and the signs will find somebody to love her and take care of her.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">(Megan S)
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">6. I think Rosaleen has lost faith in the Civil Rights Act because it is no longer having any benefits for her and is resented by others and is only causing racism. "Gonna have to drag people kicking and screaming.."(Kidd 60). I also think that she sort of was proud of the fact that she could vote in the beginning of the book but when it caused some racists to make fun of her, and events to transpire, she became very skeptical of the whole thing. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">(Hunter)

__**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Chapter 5: **__ <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">1.June says something that is a revelation to lily. It opens her eyes to a different way of seeing things. June says “but she is white” (Kidd 87). When June says this Lily is taken back. She did not realize that you can be rejected for being white. She can not believe what she is hearing and is angry “I wanted to march up there, flip a coupe of tables over, and say, excuse me, June Boatwright, but you don’t even know me!” (Kidd 87). This is the first time Lily experiences racism and discrimination for the first time and she realizes how much it hurts. She sees Rosaleen go through it all the time but never really knows how she feels. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">I think that it is good that she sees how badly racism hurts. Now she will be less likely to discriminate against others. Also she will understand what Rosaleen is going through. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">(TIMOTHY)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 13pt;">2. The significance about Lily’s wondering about May is important because she thinks she can confide in May and try to make her not the only one suffering through her pain. I think this is unjust and unfair for May because the way she takes everything so hardly, this would not work so well and might even cause the depression that took April’s life. “That hearing it would, she would feel everything I did?”(Kidd 95). I think even thought of thinking that is cruel. I don’t think May could even take what Lily wishes to bestow her. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 90%;">(Hunter)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">3. June does not want Lily to stay in their house because Lily comes by as very suspicious. They thinks she is lying about how her mom and dad are dead and she ran away to live with her aunt. When August and June were talking Lily overheard them. June was saying how she doesn’t think it’s a good idea that she was staying with them. “I could tell she was bristled at the idea of me and Rosaleen staying; it was the one sore point about our being here.” Lily believes that she is not wanted there and that they think there is something going on with her. She is the sore point in the house because she is keeping secretes and she could get them in a lot of trouble. June thinks they shouldn’t let her stay, but August feels bad for her and thinks something is wrong at home. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">(Megan)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">4.In the quote at the beginning of chapter five it said, “Let’s imagine for a moment that we are tiny enough to follow a bee into a hive. Usually the first thing we would have to get used to is the darkness” (Kidd 82). This is telling us that Lily is trying to get used to be surrounded by black people. Also, the bees represents May, June, August, and Rosaleen. This is really true for Lily because since she was little she live with white people. But now everything is different because Rosaleen, June, August, and May are dark then her. Now she feels that she has to adapt to her new life. (Maria C.) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">5.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">6. The author uses first person narrative in telling the story. Find an example of how we are made aware of a point of view other than Lily’s, even though Lily is telling the story. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-indent: 0.5in;">The reader is made aware of a point of view other than Lily’s when the conversation between August and June is overheard, ===<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> “ Why don’t you just ask her point-blank what kind of trouble she’s in? === ===<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> “Everything in time…she’ll tell us when she’s ready. Let’s be patient. ===

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> “But she’s //white//, August” (Kidd 87).
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-indent: 0.5in;">Here, Sue Kidd expresses June’s opinion, point of view, of Lily through Lily’s story. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">(Kat S.)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">__**Chapter 6:**__ <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">1)The number one question asked in South Carolina is “Where do you come from?” (Kidd 105). The reason this question is asked is because people want to know if they now you. They want to find out if their path ever crossed your path. They want to know if they now some who knows some one who lived in your town. They want to know “if you go to the same Baptist church as our ex-boss” (Kidd 105). These are all questions asked to find out if they now you in any way. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">The number one question asked at our school is “what school did you go to?” Kids want to find out where you are from. If they went to the same school as you. If you are friends with someone else who they are friends with. They want to find out about you and see if your paths ever crossed. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">(TIMOTHY) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">2. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">3.At the beginning of chapter 6 it says, "The queen must produce some substance that attracts the workers...This chemical messenger has been called "queen substance."" (Kidd 102). Kidd portrays August as the queen bee. August's "product" is kindness and wisdom. Even though August does not really know Lily or Rosaleen she took them in and cares fo them, "I should've turned on the fans. It must've been ninety degrees in there" (Kidd 112). August blames herself for Lily's fainting. When June is disrespectful or rude to Lily, August stands up for her, "I heard August scolding, "June, what got into you?"" (Kidd 111). August acts like the mother, reprimanding June for her spitefullness towards Lily. august also produces wisdom and teaches her workers, followers, "On the islands near Charleston, they would go to the praise house and sing and pray, and every single time someone would ask the Lord to send them rescue. To send them consolation. To send them freeedom" (Kidd 108). August "strengthens" and provides hope to the Daughters (and Son) of Mary. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">(Kat S.)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">4.Some reasons that the daughters of Mary might meet in August house, instead of attending a conventional church because the Lady of Chains is there. For example, “one day hauled her off on a wagon and chained her in the carriage house. But then, without any human help, she escaped during the night and made her way back to the praise house. The master chained her fifty times, and fifty times she loosed the chains and went home. Finally he gave up and let her stay there” (Kidd 110). This is why everybody comes because the Lady of Chains is in August house. The Lady of Chains is so important to all of them. Is like when you are weak, you only have to touch her heart and she, “Sends them consolation. To send them freedom” (Kidd 108). <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">The daughters said, “Not because she wore chains.” They called her Our Lady of Chains because she broke them” (Kidd 110). By breaking the chains she gave freedom, faith, and hope to all of them. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">(Maria C.)


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">__Chapter 7__ **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;">1. Ethnocentrism is belief in the intrinsic superiority of the nation, culture, or group to which one belongs, often accompanied by feelings of dislike for other groups. Whites thought they were better then the blacks. Lily used to believe this but now that she is living with all African Americans she views them a lot differently. Lily is describing Zachary by is personality and heart. When Zach and lily were talking about their future and what occupation they want to do Lily thinks blacks don’t have good jobs accept sports. Also her and Zach both know they cant be together because she’s white and black. For example, “Finally he unwound my arms and said, Lily, I like you better than any girl I’ve ever known, but you have to understand, there are people who would kill boys like me for even looking at girls like you.” Most of the whites think that black boys should not talk or even look at black girls because they don’t respect blacks and they think that whites are greater. Lily and Zach want to be together but I will not work out all because of ethnocentrism. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px;">(Megan S.)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">3. When Lily suggests Zach could be a professional player he says, “Why is it sports is the only thing white people see us being successful at? I don’t want to play football” (Kidd 120). Zach is tired of people assuming all his future holds is a football scholarship. What he really wants to do is become a lawyer, and he wants people to notice that he is capable of fulfilling his aspirations. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">(Kat S.)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">4.Lily is crying over Zach. She realizes that they can never be together “I was crying, I realized, for Zach.”(Kidd 128) They can never be together because he is Black and she is White. Because he is Black he can not talk to her with out being beat up. Therefore they can not even be friends. Because of this she is really sad and just starts crying.(TIMOTHY)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">5.When Lily says “The word is a great big log thrown on the fires of love” (Kidd 133). I think she is depressed that she knows it will be very hard to be in a relationship with an African American when she is in fact Caucasian. In this time period, it was not very accepted and even now in our era, there is some resentment towards interracial marriages. I think she knows very well that her love is sort of forbidden and she should not go through with it. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Huner

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">6. Lily’s attitude towards African American people has changed since she has stayed in August house. Before she came to live with them she used to make fun of African Americans in her school. Lily said, “At my school they made fun of colored people’s lips and noses. I myself had laughed at these jokes, hoping to fit in” (Kidd 116). Now Lily, looks at her past and wishes that she had never had made fun of African Americans. She has become really good friends with Zach and they have a lot of fun. She told him that she wants to become a writer. Zach said, “This is for you.” “So you can get a head start on your writing” (Kidd 135). He really thinks she can become a writer and they have become really good friends. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: small; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">(Maria C.) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">3. When August tells Big Mama’s story of hearing bees sing on Christmas Eve, she does not mean it literally, “Some things happen in a literal way, Lily. And then other things, like this one, happen in a not-literal way, but they still happen” (Kidd 144). August tells the story to show Lily that things can be even if it has never been thought of before, “You gotta imagine what’s never been” (Kidd 121). August wants Lily to realize that things are possible even if they’ve never been put into real life, even if they haven’t been “discovered” yet, because “bees have a secret life we don’t know anything about” (Kidd 148). The secret life of bees is the unknown possibilities of Lily’s life, things she can do but never have thought of before. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">(Kat S.)
 * __<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: small; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> Chapter 8 __**

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">4. I think June resents Lily because she is white and June sort of has racism towards the white population because of the oppressing of the blacks and general segregation and hatred. I also think that she is embarrassed and ashamed that anyone in her family would be a housekeeper because back then it was a common stereotype for black women to be working as maids or housekeepers. So when August says “You wouldn’t catch her keeping house for white people”(Kidd 145). She is referring to June being proud of being the working class without completely working for someone else. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">hunter

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">7.The pink house and the beehive are similar because the bees have a queen and they have there own work to do. For example, the queen gives orders to the bees and bees have a job that they are good at it. Like August represents the queen and May, June, Rosaleen, Lily are workers too because each of them have a role to do in the house. August was telling the life of every bee and she said, “Well, for instance, every bee has its role to play” (Kidd 148). This is saying that not only bees have a role but every human has a role to do. Then, the similarities that the pink house and the beehive have in commend is that they have a role to play in there life’s. In the pink house everybody is busy doing there own job that they have to do. In the beehive the bees never stop working and in the pink house too. Also, many people in the community don’t know how bee’s life is. August was talking with Lily and she said, “Most people don’t have any idea about all the complicated life going on inside a hive. Bees have a secret life we don’t know anything about” (Kidd 148). This quote is the same as the three sisters that have a secret that other people don’t know about them. We all think we know the person but we might not know who they really are. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">(Maria C)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">1.August says to Lily, “Actually you can be bad at something, Lily, but if you love doing it, that will be enough.” She is trying to say that as long as you try hard and have passion for what you’re doing skill doesn’t matter. Say one is bad at a sport, if they love to play and are dedicated it doesn’t matter because they are trying. “Ever since I’d set foot in the pink house, some part of me had kept believing that my mother had been here. No, not believing it so much as day dreaming it and running it through a maze of wishful thinking. But now that the actual possibility seemed to be right in front of me, it seemed so far-fetched, crazy” (Kidd172-173). Lily wants to find out what happened with her mom and if she stayed at the pink house also. She is trying very hard to ask August but she can not figure out what to say or when to say it. So she just decides to ask her because that is her dream and passion and even though it was a little suspicious she asked and that was enough and all that counted. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">(Megan S.)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">__Chapter 9:__ **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> 4. Coming of age means to grow up, becoming older and starting to mature as a person. It means you lose your childhood innocence and start to think like an adult. Lily becomes of age through out the novel. She starts to grow up and realize that not everything is perfect. She also realizes that T-Ray does not love her “so what if he doesn’t know the color you love best? So what?” (Kidd 160) When she realizes that he doesn’t know her favorite color is she realizes that he doesn’t love her. By realizing and accepting this she is growing up, coming of age.(TIMOTHY)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**__Chapter 10__** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">1)When May gets up to go to the wall August knows something is wrong right away. She knows this because of the way May is acting. Also she is acting weird “I’ll be okay. Her words came out in an odd monotone” (Kidd 187) As soon as May says this August knows that something is up right away. She knows this because of the way she was talking. Then when August suggests that she go with her she says “No, please, August, just me.” (Kidd 188) After she says this August and the rest of them know that something is definitely wrong.(TIMOTHY)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">2. I do not know why the Wailing Wall has failed May because it always did help her cope with her pains, and I feel that if it was today, she would not of killed herself because there are so many new innovations and things that are made for preventing these things, such as antidepressants, qualified psychologists, etc. “Would have been different if one of them had answered the phone instead of May”(Kidd 185). If May did not pick up the phone, I also think that she wouldn’t of committed suicide and today in time if she did she could have been talked through considering they do understand the human mind as well as we do today. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Hunter

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">3)In this chapter, Lily believed that, “This had been the thing they’d been waiting for half their lives without even realizing it,” (Kidd194). The sister all knew that may was a very sensitive depressed woman. Everything bad or scary that is happening in the world around May affects her just the same. “I was sure they’d pictured May’s last moments too, but I did not see horror on their faces now, just a heartbroken acceptance,” (Kidd194). June and August might not have suspected that she would go as far as killing her self but deep down inside they believed it was a possibility. Also Mays twin sister killed herself also so they knew that the same thing could happen to May. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">(Megan S.)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">4. Lily says, “I knew it would be selfish to pour this into her cup” (Kidd 201). Lily wants to tell August the truth about herself but she does not want to burden her when her **cup** “was already to the brim with grief for May” (Kidd 201). August and June have so much on their minds with May’s death and Zach’s incarceration, Lily does not want to move the focus on her, but to think of May in this time of mourning. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">(Kat S.) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">5. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">6. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 90%;">The differences between the origin of rituals of men and the rituals of bees are that they do different things when they die. Like rituals of men they do vigil when somebody dies. Also, people cover the hives with a black cloth and this is a ritual for a bee. August was telling a story to Lily and she said, “A long time ago beekeepers always covered their hives when someone in their family died” (Kidd 205). This means that this is an important ritual to them because they believe that if bees swarm off when a death took place the dead person would live again. Next, bees have rituals like they follow their queen’s rules so they don’t get lost. If they get lost they would die because they can’t handle things by themselves. Every men and bees have different rituals in there life because they act different and they have their own rules. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 90%;">(Maria C)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 90%;">1. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Over the course of the book Zach has changed a lot. He has been to prison and got out. Because he has been to prison he is become a meaner and angry person. He is so angry he tells lily “Sometimes, lily, I’m so angry I wanna kill something.” (Kidd 230) This shows that he is really angry, he is so angry that he wants to kill something. Also the jail cell made him a more determined person “that jail cell is gonna make me earn grades higher then I ever got.” (Kidd 230) Zach is saying that he wants to get good grades and is determined to do this. I think that the jail cell has made lots of changes to him some good others bad. (TIMOTHY)
 * __<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 90%;">Chapter 11: __**

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">2. “It takes honeybee workers ten million foraging trips to gather enough nectar to make one pound of honey” (Kidd 214). It takes a lot of hard work, but in the end you get that sweet reward. Neil asks June over and over to marry him, “I came over here planning to ask you, for the hundredth time, to marry me” (Kidd 222). Neil is working towards this goal of his to win over June and finally she accepts. Zach is also willing to work hard for a reward, “Nobody will believe how hard I’m gonna study this year…And when this year is over, nothing can keep me from leaving here and going to college” (Kidd 230). Zach is going to work hard to do well in school and become a lawyer, but he is also going to work hard so he and Lily can be together, “We can’t be together now, Lily, but one day, after I’ve gone away and become somebody, I’m gonna find you, and we’ll be together then” (Kidd 231). Zach cares about Lily and is willing to wait and work hard so they can be together in the future. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">(Kat S.)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">3. I think that he would change his skin because maybe he wants to fit in and not be a minority but apart of a race that makes up a majority of America. He also says that he wants for them to change the world, I think this means that they want to live in a tolerant environment being the same way that they are now where people will accept them. “We can’t be together now, Lily, but one day”(Kidd 231). They both know that they can’t be together but they still have hope and faith. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Hunter

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">4. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Routines affect daily life in a positive way because without them life would be messy and unorganized. Routines help keep people busy and distracted from anything stressful. This is like June trying to cope with May’s death, with a routine she will not be completely focused in her and the reason of her death and how she could have stopped it. “When I got to the kitchen, there were August, June, and Rosaleen, dusted with flour baking these small one-layer cakes the size of honey buns. They were singing while they worked,”(Kidd219). June and also everyone else was working and singing and having fun instead of laying in bed mourning. When they work and celebrate holidays they get distracted and think about the good things in life. Part of their routine is to pray, when they pray they are relaxed and focusing on healing the pain.\ <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">(Megan) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">5. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 90%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">When Lily wants to move back into the honey house, Rosaleen doesn’t protest because she wants her own space. Rosaleen was happy that Lily was moving into the honey house and was in favor. This didn’t felt like rejection because both of them wanted there own space for them themselves. Lily said, “I found out I’d missed having a room to myself” (Kidd 218). This means that she missed her room a lot because got used to it. Also, because in her room she could anything she wanted. She also though that Rosaleen might feel the same and she said, “I guess she’d missed having a room to herself, too” (Kidd 219). Lily thinks that Rosaleen would love to stay in Mays room for her. Also, it wasn’t rejection when Rosaleen doesn’t protest because of them know that they want their own space to sleep. Lily understands her because for a long time since she has been in August house and when Rosaleen left to sleep with May Lily has been by her self alone. When I was nine years old I wanted my own space because I wanted my own room. My mom didn’t want me to sleep by myself and we argued. It didn’t felt like rejection because I understand her that she wanted me to sleep with my sister so I wouldn’t be alone in the night. At the end I had to sleep with my sister and it turn out to be a better decision than I though. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 90%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">(Maria C.)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">2. As answered in question 1, chapter 5, Lily realizes that June doesn’t want Lily there because she is white but now that August has told her, Lily knows, “she resented your mother so much… she just couldn’t get over me working as a maid in your mother’s house” (Kidd 242). In chapter 5 Lily experienced racism towards herself, she had no right then, to be offended because June and other blacks were discriminated against more often than that, but now that she knows June resented her because of her mother, Lily has a right to be offended that June grouped her and her mother with all other whites without getting to know them. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">(Kat S.)
 * __<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 90%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Chapter 12: __**

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">3. This quote relates to how Lily is sort of cooped up in the house and gets out rarely and less often then she may want to. The part where it talks about lack maternal instinct are about her mother leaving her and not caring for her young as it says in the quote. So I think its talking about her mother and Lily. “My mother had left me”(Kidd 251) It brings up hatred for her mother when she thinks to herself after August tells her. I think that this is a huge thing for Lily to live with. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Hunter

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> 4. The truth about Deborah, that lily finds out from August, differs from what she tough of her. Lily had an unrealistic vision of her mother to begin with. She thought of her mother as a perfect mother and that she loved her and she was going to leave with her. In reality she it was totally different, “Unwanted, I thought. I was an unwanted baby.” (Kidd 249) This shows that she was not even a planned baby she was an accident. They never intended to have a kid. Also when she left she did not leave with lily, “No, honey, she came by her self.” (Kidd 251) Here lily finds out that she was wrong in thinking that her mother was going to leave with her. Instead of that she left by herself and left lily with T-ray. I still think that Deborah loved lily but not in the unrealistic way that lily thought. (TIMOTHY)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">5.Deborah and T. Ray were not good parents. T. Ray was in love with Deborah while she was growing apart from him. He had asked her to many him but she said no, then after she found out she was pregnant with Lily she thought she had to marry him. That made many problems with Lily’s parent’s relationship. Lily realized, “My mother had been looking for love, and instead she’d found T. Ray and the farm, and then me, and I had not been enough for her. She’d Left me with T. Ray Owens,” (Kidd252). Now that Lily knows what really happened with her mother and how she left her she feels abandoned and unloved. Deborah had to leave though because she was very sick and depressed and she couldn’t save Lily from T. Ray unless she saved herself and left first. She came back to the house to take Lily with her; therefore she did care about her and love her. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">(Megan S.)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">6. Lily hasn’t found the mother within herself because she doesn’t love herself. When Lily was in August room she said, “I am unlovable” (Kidd 242). Also, she has mature a lot since she came but still she doesn’t like herself. This means that she hasn’t found the mother within herself and she needs to understand that her mother didn’t leave her. If she understands what August is telling her she would start loving herself? Also, if she forgives she would feel better about herself. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">(Maria C)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 90%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">**__Chapter 13__** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">1.The quote in the beginning of the chapter explains a person that has so much weight on their shoulders and is stressed out that it’s exhausting. This relates to Lily because she was told by August that her mom had to leave her but Lily is still affected by this and she is very sad. Lily gets really mad and cannot control herself, she thinks, “How dare she? How dare she leave me? I was her child,” (Kidd259).Lily becomes so mad that she throws the honey jars. Lily is still carrying the stress of knowing that her mom abandoned her. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">(Megan S.)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> 2. Lily was not correct to be so angry. Life happens and you can not get angry she has to learn to accept it. Also I believe that you can talk your self out of anger. Lily tried to do this but she did not succeed, “I told myself, you’re not angry. You don’t have any right to be angry.” (Kidd 259) Here lily is telling herself that she shouldn’t be angry and is trying to talk herself out of it, but it is not working. Even though she is angry she does not have any right to destroy the honey house. I believe that there are many other ways for her to let her anger out instead of throwing the honey jars. Instead of throwing the honey jars she could of gone for a walk or talked to August or Rosaleen. (TIMOTHY)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">3. One of the events that moved Lily toward peace was when she saw the picture of her mom and her when she was little. when Lily saw the picture, “The frame contained a picture of a woman in profile, her head bent toward a little girl who sat in a high chair with a smudge of baby food on the side of her mouth” (Kidd 275). When Lily saw her mom with her she realizes that her mom loves her. She knows that her mom loves her because she was taking care of her. She saw in the picture that her mom was feeding her. Also, Lily saw that her mom rubbed her nose against hers. This event made her to have peace towards her mom and to be a happy person. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 90%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">(Maria C)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">A. “See, Lily, honey is a preservative. It seals over the comb in the hives to keep it safe and pure so the bees can survive the winter. When we bathe Our Lady in it, I guess you’d say we’re preserving her for another year, at least inside our hearts we’re doing that”(Kidd 269). This quote is sort of hopeful and to keep their faith alive and to reassure themselves mentally that they have someone to believe in. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Hunter

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">B. The picture of Lily and her mom was a sign of her mother’s love. When August told Lily that her mother left without her, she became certain that her mother did not love her, “How dare she? How dare she leave me? I was her child” (Kidd 259). Lily waits for a sign of her mother’s love, throughout the book, and she sees the picture as that sign, “I didn’t care about anything on this earth except the way her face was tipped toward mine, our noses just touching, how wide and gorgeous her smile was, like sparklers going off…May must’ve made it to heaven and explained to my mother about the sign I wanted. the one that would let me know I was loved” (Kidd 276). <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">(Kat S.)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**__Chapter 14__** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">1) Lily finds mouse bones under her bed. She picks them up and them around in her pocket. The reason for her doing this is because she needs to take care of something, “I decided sometimes you just need to nurse something that’s all.” (Kidd 285) Lily carried the mouse bones around because she needed something to take care of. She just needs to have something that was hers. This does make sense to me because she does not have a mom she feels like she needs to take care of something, be a mom to something. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">(TIMOTHY)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">3. At the beginning of the story, when the Civil Rights Act was signed, Rosaleen thought, “Lord have mercy” (Kidd 20). Rosaleen realizes the chaos that will result from the Act. After meeting the Boatwright sisters, Rosaleen has been influenced, and has realized that there is still hope African Americans’ freedom, “I’m gonna finish what I started…I’m gonna register to vote” (Kidd 281). Rosaleen is more positive and ready than ever to claim her rights as a citizen of the United States. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">(Kat S.)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">4. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The quote in the beginning of chapter 14 relates to when Lily and August are out in the yard looking at the bee hives. One of the bee hives queen had died so the worker bees were very melancholy and fatigue. This is a little like how Lily lost her mother and her and T. Ray went crazy. Lily’s mom’s death completely changed their lives. Lily went through years of queenlessness and now that she came to the pink house with August she has a mom and someone to love her and take care of her. August said to T. Ray when he found Lily in the pink house, “we love Lily and we will take care of her, I promise you that. We’ll start her in school here and keep her straight,” (Kidd 298). August explains to T. Ray that they love her and she will be in better care with them because they will be like mothers to Lily. Lily’s life will be more normal and better with August and June in the pink house. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">(Megan)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">7. Deborah didn’t leave because T. Ray was mean. She left because she was depressed and couldn’t handle living on a farm. August told Lily about T. Ray and she said, “I don’t doubt he started off loving your mother. In fact, I think he worshiped her” (Kidd 293). This means that T. Ray became mean after Deborah left him. When she was leaving in the farm he gave her everything because he loved her a lot, but Deborah didn’t love him back as he did. After Deborah came back he was mean to her because he hated her for leaving him. Then, after her death he was a mean person to Lily because she looked like her mom. He treated her really bad because he thought that she was Deborah. In the beginning when Deborah and T. Ray were dating he was a nice person to her. Then, he became mean because Deborah left him and this made him become mean to Lily and everybody. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">(Maria C.)

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">11. The person who shot Deborah was Lily. This was no surprise in the book because in the beginning they already told you that she shot her mom. “And I took her away” (Kidd 8). This is how they explained it in the beginning and this represents her killing her mom. “It was you who did it, Lily” (Kidd 299). This is when T. Ray reassures her of her horrors about taking her mother’s life. If T. Ray did not do this, then I think that Lily would still have some sort of false hope. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Hunter

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Lily and June’s relationship changes from enmity to friendship throughout the novel. When Lily first arrives at the Boatwright sisters’ house, June opened the door and, “her face stared at us, suspicious and stern. I noticed she carried a bow tucked under her arm like a riding whip. It crossed my mind she might use it on us” (Kidd 68). June’s first impression on Lily is not a positive one, and June proves to be not happy at Lily’s company, when she says, “but she’s //white//, August” (Kidd 87). June did no want Lily there because of her skin color. At this, Lily is furious, “I wanted to march up there, flip a couple of tables over, and say, //Excuse me, June Boatwright, but you don’t even know me//” (Kidd 87). Lily and June have their hardships and disagreements, but they resolve those problems on a hot day, in an argument, “I yanked the sprinkler, and each of us held on to one side of it while it blasted away at our stomachs and chins…August laughed, and I saw the softening come around June’s eyes, how she was trying not to laugh…the minute she softened her eyes, the whole thing collapsed…she let go and sprawled back on the grass in convulsions of laughter…and then, to my shock, she hugged me” (Kidd 169). June and Lily realize how silly their continuous rivalry really is, and they decide to resolve their issues, becoming friends. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">(Kat S.)
 * __<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Entire Book Analysis: __**

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">The theme of the book:

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Hope is represented as Lily hoping to find a clue to know more about her mom past. One clue Lily saw was when there was a highway of broken graham crackers and marshmallow bits across the floor that May had made. Then, Lily realizes that her mom use to do the same thing as May. Lily was thinking about what she had just had seen and said, “I looked again at May. My mother couldn’t have learned the roach trick from May, I thought. Could she?” (Kidd 172). This clue was a big shock and hope for her because she couldn’t believe it that her mom had been here were she was. Next, another hope that Lily had was when May was taking the news calmly about Zach been in jail. Then, Lily was just looking at May and said to herself, “I started thinking maybe some sort of miracle had taken place and she’d somehow had gotten cured” (Kidd 186). Everybody was shock of seen May taking the news calmly and they hope that she would get better. Also, one day Lily wanted a signed from her mom to know if Deborah her mom loved her. She had a lot of hope because she didn’t gave up she said, “I would pick out a tree and say, if a bird lands in that tree before I count to ten, that is my mother sending her sign of love” (Kidd 215). She did it when August wasn’t around so nobody would know about it. Threw out the book Lily showed hope and that she believe that every clue she found came from her mom. This made her stronger then she was before she came to August house. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">(Maria C.)

Throughout the novel, __The Secret Life of Bees,__ many of the characters went through hard depressing times to finally reach a good change at the end of the book. For example, at first, T. Ray was very strict and controlling. When he finds Lily, he decides he has to do what is best for everyone and lets her go. In the beginning of the book, Lily explained how her father, T. Ray, was very unfair and mean, “ He didn’t believe in slumber parties or sock hops…, but he refused to drive me to town for football games, pep rallies, or beta club car washes, which were held on Saturdays,” (Kidd 8). Lily was not a normal teenage girl because of T. Ray. She couldn’t do the things other girls did, like have a friend over or go to the movies. T. Ray did not care about her social life at all. He wanted to protect her, and also he was afraid she would leave him like Deborah did. T. Ray is not a good parent mostly because of all the anger he has and he was not well taught on how to be a good father, without a mother it’s tough to be a good father. Also, in the beginning of the book Lily goes outside in the middle of the night and watches the stars and looks at her mothers stuff while having her shirt unbuttoned. T. Ray finds her and thinks she was with a boy, “I expect this out of boys, Lily_ you can’t blame them_ but I expect more out of you. You act no better than a slut,” (Kidd 24). T. Ray does not trust Lily yet, he thinks she is going to sneak around and do bad things. When he suspects that she’s fooling around or being bad he punishes her with Martha whites. Martha whites are when T. Ray puts an anthill size pile of grits on the wood floor and Lily is forced to crawl around on her knees so her legs get all cut up and raw. T. Ray does not like seeing Lily grow up mostly because she looks a lot like her mom, Deborah. At the end of the book T. Ray finds Lily in the pink house, he is very angry and wants to force her to come back home. He treated Lily as if she was Deborah and got in a big argument with her. Then he realized how he had to stop and let her go, “He looked back at me a moment longer, then inched backward out of the driveway, leaving me with the smell of truck oil,” (Kidd 298). When August came in the house and talked to T. Ray and told him that they will take good care of Lily and they love her, he realized she is safer and in better hands with the Boatwrite sisters. T. Ray changed throughout the book because in the beginning, he was not aware of how unhealthy it was for him to be taking care of Lily and for Lily to be living with him. By the end of the book, T. ray came to understand Lily was with people that loved her and could take good care if her, so he left her there to be happy. (Megan S)

The book //The Secret Life of Bees// conveys strong evidence of historical happenings and portrays actual things that could have possibly took place. When Rosaleen vandalizes the racist men’s shoes, she is standing up for herself and while this does not show the historical evidence, the fact that she was on her way to vote does. When she is also arrested for the crimes she barely committed, she is treated sort of harshly because she is of a different race and is an African American. “That was when the dealer lifted the flashlight over his head, then down, smashing it into Rosaleen’s forehead. She dropped to her knees” (Kidd 35). The Police officer just let this happen as if it was nothing but if this were to happen today it would be a serious offense and would be called a hate crime. Another historical aspect of the book is when they are talking about stories of slaves that relate to their religion. “A slave named Obadiah… saw something washed up on the bank… the wooden figure of a woman” (Kidd 108). This brings together history with their religion. It still is referring to history because all blacks were slaves about 100 years before this time period and yet still they have not gained complete freedom with all the rights that they may deserve. This is probably why they talk about slaves because most of the sisters’ ancestors were most likely slaves and this is where their heritage may have started. As stated, //The Secret Life of Bees// portrays strong evidence of historical happenings and portrays nonfictional things.(Hunter)

__LILY__ Lily Owens changes and grows as a person through out the course of the novel. In the beginning of the novel she is a lost child, not because she is physically lost but because she is going through life without a mother and has no purpose in life. She is lost without a mom “You can tell which girls lack mothers by the look of there hair. My hair was constantly going of in eleven wrong directions.” (Kidd 3) Lily lacks a mother therefore her hair is messed up. Her hair is messed up because she never had a mother to teach her how to take care of her hair. Lily does not like this therefore she wants to go to charm school “I had thought my real chance would come from going charm school at the Women’s Club last spring.” (Kidd 9) Lily is so upset and lost without a mom that she wants to get outside help to learn the things that her mother would teach her. However she can not get accepted to the school because of the fact that she does not have a mother. For all of the problems that she encounters with beauty, popularity, and school she blames them on her mother and thinks that her mom did this to her.

However as the story goes on she meets August Boatwright and August tells her the truth about what happened. Lily’s idea that her mom left her turns out to be false. Her mother came back for her “She came back to get me? She planned to bring you her to Tiburon to live.” (Kidd 254) Lily realizes that her mother did not do this to her on purpose and that she loved her. August also acts as a mother to her as well. She shows her the love of a mom that she has never known “Oh, Lily, you’re better off there in that house of colored women. You never would flowered with me like you will with them.” (Kidd 300) This is Lily telling herself that August is her “mother” that she is better of with her and the sisters that she would be at home with T. ray. That August Acts like a mother and loves her like a mother. (TIMOTHY)