The Secret Life of Bees Essays: Themes to Consider

The Secret Life of Bees Essays: Themes to Consider

In 2002, The Secret Life of Bees – a novel by Sue Monk Kidd – was recognized as a bestseller by New York Times. The 2008 film adaptation of the novel was nominated for the Orange Broadband Prize. If you have read the novel, you should understand why it became so popular.

Besides, you have to prepare The Secret Life of Bees essay, which is impossible without reading the novel. The novel tells the story of a fourteen years old girl Lily who one day decides to learn more about her past and her mother’s past who died when Lily was 4. To achieve her goals, Lily leaves her house and travels to Tiburon, South Carolina.

Sure, it is a very brief summary of the novel, which can still help you start working on your The Secret Life of Bees essay. However, if you want to come up with a good topic idea or specific questions to answer in your The Secret Life of Bees essay, read the novel.

Below, we have listed several prompts for writing The Secret Life of Bees essays. But, you will be able to disclose these topics properly only after reading the story and getting its main message.

Themes to consider in The Secret Life of Bees essays:

  • Motherhood – it is one of the central themes of the novel, and a good idea to touch upon in your The Secret Life of Bees essay. Discuss Lily’s attitude to her mother, how it changes throughout the novel.
  • Dependence – relations between characters in the novel show how people in general depend on each other. In your The Secret Life of Bees essay, you may also explain how bees symbolize dependence in human society.
  • Racial issues – Kidd described one of the most significant events in the American history – the Civil Rights Act. In your The Secret Life of Bees essay, discuss relations between Lily and African American women that surround her or Lily’s relations with a black boy Zach.

You can also visit our blog if you have problems with literary analysis essays or a Rose for Emily essay.