Essay On Sue Monk Kidd

The Secret Life of Bees was written by Sue Monk Kidd and is considered a fictional novel filled with young romance and adventure. This novel was published by Penguin Books and when released in 2002 it received critical acclaim and was on the New York Times bestseller list. This 302 page novel challenges the mind to think back to the past when the color of skin determined the number of hardships one would have. This novel is read by millions and relates to many when the were young. This novel takes place in Tiburon and Sylvan South Carolina in 1964. The main protagonist of this story is a fourteen year old girl named Lily Melissa Owens who experiences a man versus self conflict since she was four years old. The novel is told from first person point of view where the story is told from Lily’s eyes. Other characters include Terrence Ray Owens, Lilies abusive angry father and Rosaleen an African American maid and stand in mother for Lily. The Boatwright sisters, August, June, and May are important characters also as the story progresses all three sisters change and evolve. Deborah Fontanel Owens plays a major role in this novel even

This is a novel many would appeal to since it involves romance and adventure. Sue Monk Kidd tapped into the young adults brain when writing this novel and perfectly summed up the life as a teenager. This novel also ties back to the history of African Americans living in a society where they were looked down upon. Kidd uses an immense amount of imagery and symbols in the plot which help the reader better understand the connections in the plot. The symbols used in the story is one of the many things readers enjoy about the novel. There are more than a thousand positive comments that rave over how great and moving this novel is. “ A moving first novel … Lily is an authentic and winning character and her story is compelling told,” USA