Secret Life of Bees: Motif
In her novel, The Secret Life of Bees, Sue Monk Kidd includes many motifs to reinforce the story’s theme. The Virgin Mary is a recurring figure that enhances the strong, feminist plot. The motif serves as a guide for the character Lily as she goes on a journey to discover who her mother was and escape the abusive clutches of her father, while also representing hope and being a figure of feminism.
As Lily escapes the miserable peach orchard, she is steered by a picture of a black Virgin Mary that once had belonged to her late mother. On the back of the picture, it read: Tiburon, S.C. The picture is her gateway to discover who her mother was. “Just where did I think we’d go? […] Tiburon, South Carolina. Of Course”
In her novel, The Secret Life of Bees, Sue Monk Kidd includes many motifs to reinforce the story’s theme. The Virgin Mary is a recurring figure that enhances the strong, feminist plot. The motif serves as a guide for the character Lily as she goes on a journey to discover who her mother was and escape the abusive clutches of her father, while also representing hope and being a figure of feminism.
As Lily escapes the miserable peach orchard, she is steered by a picture of a black Virgin Mary that once had belonged to her late mother. On the back of the picture, it read: Tiburon, S.C. The picture is her gateway to discover who her mother was. “Just where did I think we’d go? […] Tiburon, South Carolina. Of Course”