Family

The idea of a perfect family was always running through Lily's mind, but that was far from what Lily had. As the story progresses Lily lears the secrets to her mothers life, the reasons for her fathers behavior, and the truths about the world and just how tough it can be. But though all of this she discovers herself, learns to find love in the most unexpected ways, and through living with the Boatwright sisters and the Lady of Chains she even finds the what she had been searching for all along....mothers.

Lady of Chains

The Black Madonna of Breznichar in Bohemia

         Sue Monk Kidd got the idea for the Lady in Chains when visiting the Tappist Monestary. Here she found a masthead of a women that had been washed up on the shores of a carribean island, that had ended up in an old antique shop. The masthead wasn't really the Virgin Mary, but she was bought and consicrated as Mary.

Social

Racism can be unconscious

In the book racism plays one of the largest roles. The effects of racism take thier toll on the characters in the story, from Rosaline being beaten to Lily and Zach's relationship.

Political

President Lyndon Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act 

Gender

In "The Secret Life of Bees", femininity plays a major role. To a young girl there are some things that only a mother can provide. So when the book states that in a hive the males are only needed when the queen needs fertilized, you can guess that the idea of men only being around when needed also plays a role in the book. For example, June's boyfriend Neil, is never around unless he is fixing something.

Identity

Not until we are lost do we begin to understand ourselves.  ~Henry David Thoreau

This quote relates to the idea of Lily finding herself. I think this because when Lily started to understand that she really didn't know anything about herself, she then began to dig deeper and uncover her mothers past. In doing this she discovered herself along the way.