Student Name: Jacqueline Sardinas Date: 11/13/08 Per: 3

Novel: “The Secret Life of Bees” Author: Sue Monk Kidd Document:
Unit Plan
Directions: Please answer the following questions in complete sentences. (Typed
responses for chapters 2-4 will earn an additional 3 points per chapter)
Chapter 2 Questions (Value: 20 points)

1. Lily, in a very innocent manner, questions how Rosaleen could be hurt while
the policemen are present. What happens immediately after? Why do you
think this happens?
- 1.After Lily says that, the dealer goes and hits rosaleen in the forehead with a flash
light.
This happens because in this certain time period racism was a big deal and how
white policemen didn't care and used to beat up African Americans for no reason.

2. What does the conversation between Lily and T. Ray (pgs 37-39) reveal?
-T-ray and lily argued about Rosaleen in jail. Then lily back talked to t-ray saying her
mother was the only person that loved her.t-ray only laughed and said she was
foolish for believing that.

3. Lily makes an allusion to Thomas Edison. What is the allusion? What is Lily
Talking about?
- She refers to T. Ray as the “Thomas Edison” of inventing punishments. Lily is
talking about the possibility of T. Ray making up the reason why her mother left to
punish her like had done before.

4. Explain the metaphor: “Lily Melissa Owens, your jar is open”.

- It was saying that a door was open in front of lily and now she had the opportunity
to what she wanted to do.

5. There are lots of events that foreshadow Lily escape to Tiburon. Name at
Least two.
-One event is when she escapes Rosaleen from the hospital and when the reverend
gives her a ride to the police station and she lies to him.

6. Lily says: “Pious people have always gotten on my nerves” (44). What does?
this quote illuminate?
-

7. The author takes great length to explain the hospital in Sylvan. What does it
reveal about the town of Sylvan itself?
- The hospital's description is the same towards the city because the city hates
African Americans so they treat them as trash and with self disrespect. Unlike white
people, they had more of a free ride and more rights than African Americans.

8. Why is Lily angry at Rosaleen?

- Lily's angry at rosaleen because rosaleen thought that lily's plans were stupid and
also how she thought she was treating her like a dumb nigger. Lily called rosaleen a
dumb nigger because she was stupid enough to pour snuff juice on a white man’s
shoe and disrespect them and break pretty much a law.
9. Why does Lily believe that she belongs in “reform school or juvenile
retention”? Why does she say this? At what point in time in the novel is this
revealed?
- Lily said when she is copying the police officers voice and how lying that girl is.
This happened when she’s trying to get the other officers out of the building by
bringing the top officer towards the nurse at the phone line. To get Rosaleen out of
the hospital.

10. Why does Rosaleen get angry with Lily? Why does Lily in turn call Rosaleen
dumb? Who do you agree with? Why?
- Rosaleen is angry at Lily because Lily called rosaleen a dumb nigger because she
was stupid enough to pour juice on a white mans shoe. I sort of agree with Rosaleen
because maybe lily was taking all of this a little to over exaggerated

11. Lily, at 14, learns that being white has its advantages as it relates to
Rosaleen. Explain Lily’s ability to lie and how this helps her.
- Lily knows that been white is an advantage because she can at least get treated
with respect unlike most African Americans.

12.Identify two similes from this chapter. Give the page number and indicate
what you think the similes mean.
- A. Laying each word like it was sweet potatoes on her tongue. Meaning that what
every she is saying is giving her a sweet touch to it to her tongue.

B.Water beaded across her shoulders, shining like drops of milk,and her breasts
swayed in the currents. Meaning that the moon light is reflecting towards the rain
and making the rain look white turning it to milk as it seems towards lily.

Chapter 3 Questions (Value: 10 points)

1. Lily’s love for reading is highlighted early on in the novel. She makes a
reference to Henry David Thoreau, in which Thoreau chose to live alone, as
simply as he could. What about this appeals to Lily? Why?
- This appeals to Lily because Thoreau lives alone and thats what lily wants to do for her
whole life with rosaleen.

2. Religion plays a significant role in the novel—especially the variation of

Catholicism. Lily describes her church’s attitude toward Catholics. Why do
you think the author chose to include this information?
- The author applies reglion because he is explaining how crupted it was those years
ago. And it also applies to rasicm because these two issues are similar to each other.

3. What does Lily’s question and Rosaleen’s answer about the Civil Rights Act
reveal about each of their character?
- This reveals that Lily believes that the civil rights is a big thing towards the African
American but, for Rosaleen she believes that the civil rights act helps the African
Americans but it doesn't affect that will so you need to fight for it.
4. Lily steals something. Why does she resort to doing this in your estimate?
- Lily's steal some snuff because even if she gets caught she won't get into trouble
because shes white and the police or the bartendar ain't going to do anything.

5. The bee quote at the beginning of chapter 3 talks about how to find the
queen. Explain the significance of the quote after you read this chapter.
- The chapter reflects towards the quote in the beginning of the chapter by the only
way to find the queen is by finding first the people surrounding the queen bee. So
for example the queen could be the so called August Boatwright and the way lily
found out by her was by going to places were they knew August Boatwright.