Members of these groups interact with members of the Giro groups. The images that link these "spirit groups" (Shapiro, p. 832) are "maintained and codified through the agency of the symbols of blood, oil, honey and water." The rituals go well beyond "what Catholicism teaches" and indeed through these cultural activities the participants are rejecting Catholicism (which Lily certainly was doing in Kidd's novel) and saying that slaves have

Twice she disappeared in the fogged billows, then gradually reemerged like a dream rising up from the bottom of the night" (Kidd, p. 67). Bees creating "wreaths around her head" is adding another image to the element of honey and bees. In the ancient Greco-Roman world people wore wreaths as an indication of their rank in society, or their status, or their occupation. Apollo wore a wreath of laurel

Secret Life of Bees Taking place in the vicious American South in 1964, the era of the Civil Rights Act and increasing racial resentment, Sue Monk Kidd's The Secret Life of Bees is an plausible story not just about bees, but of the coming-of-age story, of the gift of love to transform our lives, and of the often misunderstood desire for comparable women and human rights. Even though this novel is

Secret Life of Bees: The Not-So Secret Life of American Racism The 2003 novel The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd could be subtitled: 'the not-so secret life of American racism.' Set in the deep south during the Civil Rights era, the novel chronicles the childhood of the motherless Lily and her coming-of-age to a greater state of emotional maturity. At the beginning of the novel, Lily is being

That day is always in your possession. That's the day you remember," (p. 97). Thus, both stories keep alive the romantic vision of love as a positive and enduring force. The most extraordinary aspect of both of these stories is the way in which love is portrayed realistically. Love is never easy, whether between interracial couples, between parents and children, or between lovers. For example, "The worst mistakes I've made

Sue Monk Kidd's book, The Secret Life of Bees, is a testament to the healing power of love in a young girl's life. Lily, was left motherless at four, and blames herself for her mother's death. The book is deeply moving and beautifully written, especially through Kidd's treatment of the loss of Lily's mother. Personally, the book reinforced my understanding of the important role a mother plays in her child's