Name the Secret Life of Bees READING GUIDE

Name The Secret Life of Bees READING GUIDE

Chapter topics PG # DESCRIPTION / summary, etc. Chapter 1

Setting (time / place) Rosaleen info

T. Ray info

Narrator’s mother

Lily’s dream of forgiveness Swarm of bees / result

First and only memory of mother details

The gun

Charm school—reasons she didn’t get to go Rosaleen / T. Ray. / the chick

Lily’s dream about Rosaleen / color Wooden pictures of Mary, mother of Jesus / skin color location written on back Conversation before 1st grade w/ T. Ray about Lily’s mother The bracelet request / T. Ray’s reaction?

“I’ll find another roof”

Stopping at the church —problem? Rosaleen’s actions towards racist men Result? Chap. 2 Name The Secret Life of Bees READING GUIDE

The men’s payback T. Ray / Lily conversation about mother (main pts)

“Your jar is open” meaning? Why heading to Tiburon? Chap. 3 The store / black Mary August Boatwright

Chap. 4 Lily’s story to the calendar sisters August’s decision to let them stay or not “She saw right through it.” Who saw through what? Discovery of her own prejudice

May’s wall description

Chap. 5 May info

June info

Aug/ June conversation Lily overhears

Lily feels self conscious and ashamed—why? “bee yard etiquette” / - life similarities: -

- Name The Secret Life of Bees READING GUIDE

Why May gets upset, according to August Chap. 6 Daughters of Mary

Purpose of “Our Lady” to the women June’s gesture w/ Lily (w/ Mary)

Chap. 7 Zach description / Lily’s reaction to him Zach’s dream profession “You gotta imagine what’s never been.” Lily’s breakdown w/ Zach / cause? June / Neil interaction

Chap. 8 - What Lily loves -

- Big Mama/ Lady in Chains conversation

Why the house is pink

“They know what matters, but they don’t choose it” (Explain meaning) “I loved the idea of the Context: bees having a secret life, just like the one I was living.” Meaning of book title: (explain context + meaning of title) She was starting to come unglued— meaning? Name The Secret Life of Bees READING GUIDE

Lily’s phone call / question Lily’s letter / result (purpose?) Chap. 9 Lily’s passage to true beekeeper Deborah Fontanel

Zach makes a stand / result? May’s reaction to Zach’s situation

Chap. 10 May’s fate Officer questions Lily— not about May’s situation but about what? August / Zach conversation about May May’s message to her sisters (last two sentences) Chap. 11 Lily’s move / why?

Neil’s proposal/result this time? Why?

Mary Day

Lily’s connection between fish story to Zach Chap. 12 “You are the spitting image of her” (context?) Lily’s confession to August about mom’s death Lily’s feelings about herself / August’s Name The Secret Life of Bees READING GUIDE response

Lily’s mom’s reason for marrying T. Ray

Lily’s feelings after learning her mother left her behind Deborah’s reason for leaving Chap. 13 The honey house mess (inference about cause?) Mother’s belongings - - - - The sign that Lily was loved Chap. 14 Forgive vs. die Rosaleen’s decision w/ voter’s card T. Ray’s visit / actions

Lily’s understanding of his feelings Why doesn’t T. Ray really want Lily back? The truth confirmed by T. Ray

“I have forgiven us both” The Wall Keeper