meganmelinda (meganmelinda) wrote in phyrebards, @ 2007-11-27 10:34:00 |
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Current location: | Lawrence ST |
Current mood: | hungry |
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd Novel Review
Students are required to read and interpret literary texts within the English classroom and the goal of any teacher approaching literature is to appeal to the interest of their students. The modern classroom is a diverse learning environment that is not composed of students that represent only the Euro-American viewpoint; therefore, neither should the literature. The push for English teachers to break through the classical literary cannon is stronger now than ever before because of the wide variety of cultures represented in today’s classroom. Emerging young adult literature that appeals to these diverse audience are every bit as relevant to the development of literary skills as the classical pieces. Not that all of the classical cannon should be avoided, because continuing in higher education means being familiar with these staple English classroom texts, but choosing literature that appeals to students in order to encourage a love of reading should be a major goal of English teachers.
Sue Monk Kidd’s novel The Secret Life of Bees is slowly emerging as one of the forefront modern texts to be incorporated into the high school English classroom. The novel has been a bestseller since its publication in 2002 and has remained a favorite in book clubs across the country. Lily, the protagonist, is a 14 year old white girl whose mother died when she was only four years old in an accident involving a gun. The memory of this tragic event haunts Lily throughout her childhood and creates uncertainty in an already abusive household. Lily’s only real family and friend is Rosaleen, a black housekeeper that her abusive father hired to take care of Lily following her mother’s death. The story is set on an isolated peach farm in South Carolina in 1964 during the heart of the civil rights movement. Lily dreams of escaping the racist town that she hates in search of a better life and in hopes of finding a link to her mother.
Rosaleen is a proud and outspoken black woman and when she is awarded her right to vote, she marches down to the center of town with Lily on her birthday. She is attacked by three racist men on her way to the courthouse and is thrown in jail. Lilly is determined to break her out and after the ladies escape, they go searching for a new beginning in Tiburon, South Carolina. The pair know nothing about the town except that in a box of Lily’s mother’s belongings there is a picture of a black Virgin Marry with the words, “Tiburon, South Carolina” written on the back. After a long and painful journey, Lilly and Rosaleen reach the town and are taken in by three black bee keepers, August, May, and June Boatwright that worship the Black Madonna. While living with these three powerful women, Lilly learns the importance of hard work, friendship, honesty, love, and faith. She learns to trust these women as she uncovers the secrets to her mother’s past and gains closure through the everlasting relationships with the bees and her new ‘mothers.’
The novel is categorized as young adult fiction, but readers of all ages have enjoyed Lilly’s coming of age story in which she finds closure through love and trust. The setting of the novel, during the heart of the civil rights movement, is a time when many older readers can recall the harsh laws and regulations that segregated citizens of the south. Lilly is white teenager that refuses to practice the unjustly regulated path of her community and continues practicing her beliefs despite the criticisms of those surrounding her. Anyone who has ever stood up for what they believe in or felt alone in the only home they have known will be able to relate to the protagonists’ struggle. The novel is quickly gaining popularity within the high school classroom because of its reader level, intense thematic elements, and ability to appeal to readers of different cultures. The historical setting of the novel, during the civil rights movement, is also a great basis for content and theory incorporation into discussion. Students are usually able to connect and relate to the protagonist because she is a high school student facing issues of race, equality, and adolescents.
Success with this novel in the high school classroom is an extremely rewarding experience for both students and teachers. My co-teacher (Ms. Rogers) and I are currently teaching this novel to our ninth grade CP class and the students have instantly connected with the work. This is the first semester that Ms. Rogers has incorporated this novel into her literary choices and the students’ involvement have been more than either of us could have hoped. Most of the students (8 out of 13) are repeaters of English and have likely not read any novels that English teachers have assigned. We read a chapter as a class each day and students cannot wait to get out their books and begin. When it is time to stop and complete review questions, the students beg to keep reading. They are emotionally attached to the book and have great comments and questions about the plot line and characters. Reading Monk’s novel has also sparked an interest in the students concerning the civil rights movement.
Students had to research the historical events and then draw the connections to the effects the movement has on the characters of the novel. The entire unit has been a success thus far and as we move deeper into the heart of the novel, I suspect student interest and involvement will continue to flourish.