Freedom In Sue Monk Kidd's The Secret Life Of Bees

Freedom is the breeding ground of success or failure. The theme of freedom presents itself often in The Secret Life of Bees, By Sue Monk Kidd. It shows itself often with the protagonist, Lily. Lily is the daughter of T-Ray and Deborah, whom she accidentally killed when Lily was 4. Lily and the housekeeper, Rosaleen, run away after Rosaleen is beaten by racist whites, and end up at the Boatwright sister’s house, where they work off their debts by working on the honey farm. T-Ray attempts to take Lily back, but Lily resists and lives with the Boatwrights until the end of the book. In The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd, the theme of freedom can build up or destroy a life, is shown in the exposition, rising action, and denouement.

A lack

‘Get over here and kneel down.’ I’d been kneeling on grits since I was six but still, I never got used to that powdered-glass feeling beneath my skin.” (Monk Kidd 24) Lily’s freedom is all but free

T-Ray tracks down where Lily lives via a phone bill from her lawyer. He comes to the house to take Lily back with him, but Lily resists. With support from Rosaleen and the Boatwrights, she “looked at August and Rosaleen and the Daughters on the porch. This is the moment I remember clearest of all-how I stood in standing there waiting. All these women, all this love, waiting.” (Monk Kidd 299) Lily believes her life with the Boatwrights has offered her more freedom and will, and she wants to continue with her life with them, as she is more successful with the freedom she has with the Boatwrights. With the passing of the Civil Rights Act in 1964 and Rosaleen of legal age, she decides she will register to vote for the second time. The first time, she was beaten by racists, but this time, “‘I’m gonna finish what I started,’ Rosaleen said, lifting her chin. ‘I’m gonna register to vote.’” (Monk Kidd 281) Rosaleen wants to use the newfound sense of freedom she finds at home with the Boatwrights, and translate that into having her voice spoken through the ballot. Lily and Rosaleen officially recognize their freedom through voting and concluding connections with