The Secret Life of Bees Ch. 1
Author: Sue Monk Kidd; Kenny Watson and Jorden Moreland
"Once in a while, though, some caring soul would say 'Just put it out of your head, Lily. It was an accident. You didn't mean to do it'" (Ch.1 Pg. 3)
While this will probably be explained later in the novel. I cant help but wonder Lilys part in the death of her mother. This seems to be implied, even if it was an accident. She might also feel guilt deep inside herself. This could lead to some interesting conflicts and plot developments. What prompted her to pick up the gun? Does she realzie why her mother and T. Ray were fighting?
"I didn't know whether to be excited for her or worried." (Ch. 1 pg. 20)
Lily seems to say this because she knows, that even with this new right, Rosaleen may face difficulty becoming accepted by whites. She cares a lot for Rosaleen, doesnt want to see her hurt or anything. While this novel sounds more like a coming of age story, I cant help but think that race and discrimination will still play a part. This could be a small foreshadowing for a potential future conflict.
"This will sound crazy, but until then, I thought T. Ray probably loved me some. I could never forget the time he smiled in church while singing from the hymnbook upside down." (Ch 1 Page 25-26)
This makes me wonder whether T. Ray still has room to love his one and only daughter. It seems to be quite obvious that T. Ray has become bitter and abusive due to the loss of his wife. This seems to be a struggle for him, which in turn changes into a struggle for Lily to regian her father's love. The fact that Lily notices small instances of her father being happy means that he is not a cause without hope. WIth effort from each, they can both learn to move on from the past and embrace the loved ones they do have.