Direct Characterization In The Secret Life Of Bees

How the decisions one makes can affect others in The Secret Life of Bees
In American author Sue Monk Kidd’s novel The Secret Life of Bees, fourteen-year-old Lily Owens abandons her abusive father, Terrence Ray, with her caretaker Rosaleen. They set off on an adventure to find closure after her mother’s tragic death, and end up in Tiburon, South Carolina. She is taken care of by the Boatwright sisters, August, May, and June, who takes her under their wings and teaches her about their religion, while she learns about her mother’s life. In one passage, while collecting honey from the beehives with August, Lily inquires about how the color of the Boatwright house came to be. August replies by teaching her an essential lesson about prioritization.

Walking with August, Lily asks her, “How come if your favorite color is blue, you painted your house so pink? She laughed” (Kidd 147). Amused by Lily’s question through her laughter, the reader can blatantly observe August’s laid-back behavior. It is obvious that the color of the house is not a serious matter to her, but rather more of a fun story to tell. In spite of not being able to choose her favorite color, one can see that August is loving and open-minded, explaining that taking May’s color over her own will make her sister happy. Not only having a direct effect on May, the audience can also see that August is lighthearted as an effect of May radiating her happiness. August talks about how “. . . we’ll have half the town talking about us . . .” if the house is painted pink (Kidd 146). Having chosen an untraditional house color, August is made aware of the gossip that could sprout from it. Her consideration of the town’s thoughts indicates that August is self-conscious of other people’s judgment. As a result, she allows this consciousness to cloud her judgment for a split second before reaching a final decision. Lily, finally understanding, says “‘All this time I just figured you liked pink’ . . . She laughed again” (Kidd 147). Combined with the use of short syntax, it proves once again that August is caring, acknowledging that Lily is able to grip what she said,

Confused by her choice, Lily asks August “How come if your favorite color is blue, you painted your house so pink?” (Kidd 146). The color blue is symbolic of August’s own preference, an easy choice she is eager to make, but knows she can not without taking into account the opinions of her sisters. August replies, “I had a nice tan color in mind, but May latched on this sample called Caribbean Pink” (Kidd 147). The tan color represents a neutral ground, an okay color that would be accepted by both parties, rather than choosing one color over the other. August understands that choosing one particular color over the other would cause a disagreement, which is why she settles on a neutral color. The metaphor used compares May’s fascination and intrigue of the color, to something that quite literally clamps onto something. The pink color she chooses is a direct representation of her happiness, a vibrant color that emits joy from just the sight of it. This indirectly characterizes May as she is seen enthralled by a bright hue, someone easily enticed through sight. Stuck between options, August explains her love for May “but it was still so hard to choose Caribbean Pink” (Kidd 147). The pink that is painted on the Boatwright house is a portrayal of August’s love for May. She decides to make it pink given how happy it makes May. Knowing that it will keep May happy longer than it will make