. When looking at this from a literary perspective rather than sociological, you become aware of the archetypal mother figure. The Secret Life Of Bees. The major theme of this novel is expressed in its title, which comes from a statement made by August: “Most people don’t have any idea about all the complicated life going on inside a hive. Each of the bees has a job to do, and Lily is learning her own job at the Boatright house. These three themes have proven themselves to be the most important in the book - Guilt, Guardianship, and Forgiveness. The devastating tragedy of losing a mother at such a young age can affect a person’s life drastically. Check out our revolutionary side-by-side summary and analysis. We need you to answer this question! THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES: LITERARY ELEMENTS ANALYSIS THEMES - THEME ANALYSIS Secret Lives . Important Themes. The main conflict of The Secret Life of Bees is rooted in several major themes; elements that embed themselves in the lives of the characters and shape the lessons they will have to learn and how easily they will overcome challenges. LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Secret Life of Bees, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES BY SUE MONK KIDD . The pink house is symbolized by a beehive. When looking at this from a literary perspective rather than sociological, you become aware of the archetypal mother figure. Lily sees the parallel between the bees and her own secret life. One of the major themes in The Secret Life of Bees is death. This symbolizes the day-to-day chores that everyone has to do, the jobs that are being done outside the house, and of course, the hive itself: The … In the novel The Secret Life of Bees Lily loses her mother at a very young age. Lily struggles with the death of her mother throughout the story. figure to the maturation and growth of her daughter. Race, America, and the 1960s The Secret Life of Bees takes place in 1964, immediately after the signing of the Civil Rights Act by President Lyndon B. Johnson . The take home? The Secret Life Of Bees Themes Essay 1585 Words | 7 Pages. All bees in a hive have a job, and if all bees do not do their job, all bees die. The book is mainly about three black women who don’t have husbands and they work on their own as beekeeper to provide themselves with everything that they need. This Study Guide consists of approximately 60 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of The Secret Life of Bees. Although the history of a de-segregating South churns in the background (with occasional intrusions on Lily's world), The Secret Life of Bees is primarily the story of Lily's coming-of-age. As the bees have a mother to care for them and provide sustenance, so Lily has a mother for whom she yearns. Questions About Lies and Deceit. May is also preoccupied... See full answer below. Lilly has to deal with the abuse of her single father,and Rosaleen's (African-American housekeeper) insulted three deeply racist white … and find homework help for other The Secret Life of Bees questions at eNotes THEMES - THEME ANALYSIS . The Secret Life of Bees study guide contains a biography of Sue Monk Kidd, literature essays, 100 quiz questions, major themes, characters, a glossary, and a full summary and analysis. Coming-of-Age. Literature essays on The Secret Life of Bees are academic essays for citation. The recurring theme throughout “The Secret Life of Bees” is the importance of the mother figure to the maturation and growth of her daughter. How are the themes of lies/deceit and storytelling linked? It's definitely a gray area . These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. Thesis Statement The recurring theme throughout “The Secret Life of Bees” is the importance of the mother. Major Themes that took place In the Book The Secret Life of Bees was abuse,mental heath, and discrimination.