The Secret Life of Bees Study Guide

The Secret Life of Bees Study Guide

The Secret Life of Bees Study Guide

Chapter 1

  1. Who is Lily?

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  1. Who is Rosaleen?

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  1. Lily wakes up T. Ray in the middle of the night to show him something. What does shewant to show him? Why?

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  1. What happened to Lily's mother?

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  1. What does Lily think will give her a "real chance" to learn how to be a beautiful,fashionable girl?

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  1. How did Lily discover Rosaleen loved her "beyond reason"?

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  1. What daydreams did Lily have about Rosaleen?

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  1. Identify Deborah and tell three "scraps of information" Lily knows about her.

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  1. What items were in the paper bag Lily found in the attic?

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  1. What did Mrs. Henry do for Lily?

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  1. Before Lily went into first grade, T. Ray came to the peach stand to tell her something.What did he want to tell her? Why?

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  1. What major event on television captures Rosaleen's total attention?

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  1. When Lily asks for the silver charm bracelet for her birthday, T. Ray just looks at herand then keeps on eating. What effect does his response have on her?

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  1. During the overnight hours after she had asked for the charm bracelet, Lily sneaks out ofthe house and goes somewhere. Where does she go? Why?

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  1. Why does T. Ray make Lily kneel down on the Martha White grits?

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  1. The morning after she is punished for being in the orchard, Lily wakes up late. T. Rayyells at her for not going to work at the peach stand on time. What does Lily understandafter T. Ray tells her, "As long as you're under my roof, you'll do what I say!"?

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  1. Why does Rosaleen want to go to town?

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  1. For what is Rosaleen arrested?

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Chapters 2-3

  1. After T. Ray gets Lily out of jail, they have a fight. Whatdoes T. Ray say to Lily that"would sink [her] forever"?

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  1. Where does Lily go first when she leaves home, and how does she get there?

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  1. Why isn't Rosaleen at the jail when Lily goes back to see her?

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  1. How does Lily get Rosaleen out of the hospital?

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  1. Where do Lily and Rosaleen go after they escape from the hospital? How do they getthere?

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  1. What does Lily see in the Frogmore Stew General Store and Restaurant that shocks her?

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  1. Identify August Boatwright.

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Chapters 4-5

  1. When August says, "Who've we got here?" what is Lily's reply, and how does Augustrespond to that?

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  1. Lily knows her mother was from Virginia and tells August that she and Rosaleen areheadedto Virginia to find her aunt there. What does August say that electrifies Lily?

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  1. What first lets Lily know she has some prejudice buried inside herself?

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  1. What is odd about the stone wall Lily comes upon in the woods?

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  1. What does May do when an unpleasant topic is brought up? What is the only thing thatseems to help her get over it?

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  1. How do June and August feel about Lily and Rosaleen?

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  1. For what special help did Lily pray to Mary?

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  1. Name the rules for "bee yard etiquette."

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  1. August tells Lily how May is special. What does she say?

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  1. Who was April, and what happened to her?

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  1. What is the "wailing wall"?

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  1. What does Lily do at the wailing wall?

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Chapters 6-7

  1. When Neil appears on the scene, what does Lily learn about him and June from May?

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  1. Who are The Daughters of Mary?

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  1. What happens when Lily goes to touch the heart of Our Lady of Chains?

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  1. What is Lily's first impression of Zach?

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  1. What feelings does Lily discover when she and Zach go into the country to harvesthoney?

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  1. When Zach stops at a stop sign next to the Dixie Cafe, Lily declares she "will neverthrow rose petals to anybody." What happens next?

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  1. How does Lily feel about Rosaleen's moving to May's room?

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  1. What happens when Neil and June are picking tomatoes?

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Chapter 8

  1. What does Lily learn from August while they are pasting labels on the jars of honey?

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  1. What does August say is the whole problem with people?

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  1. What is the relationship of the queen bee to all the other bees in the hive?

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  1. What news does Zach bring on the lunch feast day?

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  1. Who does Lily call from Mr. Forrest's office? Why?

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  1. Lily writes a letter to T. Ray then tears it up. That night, what did Lily do in the parlor?

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Chapter 9

  1. What is the result of Lily and June's fighting over the water sprinkler?

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  1. What does Lily discover May doing that made her have a strange, thick feeling inside and made her feel trembly?

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  1. What critical piece of information does May tell Lily?

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  1. What happens when Zach and Lily ride to town to get a new radiator hose?

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  1. What happens to May when she finds out about Zach's being arrested?

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Chapter 10

  1. Whathappens to May after she goes to the wailing wall for the last time?

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  1. What messages does Lily have for May during the vigil?

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  1. How does Zach get out of jail?

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  1. What brings Lily the most cause for gladness while the Daughters of Mary are holdingvigil forMay?

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  1. What important message is in May's note to August and June?

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  1. What is August's advice to June after reading May's note?

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Chapter 11

  1. What is Mary Day?

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  1. What big event happens on the first morning of Mary Day?

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  1. Why does Lily leave the honey house while everyone seems to be meditating with OurLady in Chains?

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  1. What promise does Zach make to Lily?

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Chapter 12

  1. What reason does August give Lily for not telling her sooner about her mother?

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  1. Why did June treat Lily so badly when she first came to the Boatwrights' house?

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  1. Identify Tica Tee.

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  1. Why did Deborah Fontanel come to Sylvan?

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  1. Why did Deborah marry T. Ray?

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  1. What does August tell Lily about her mother that makes Lily say, "I hate her"?

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  1. What has August had to live without knowing all these years?

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  1. What are August's parting words to Lily as she stands in the doorway after putting herto bed on the night of their big conversation?

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Chapter 13

  1. What does Lily do after August leaves her in the honey house after their talk?

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  1. What is Rosaleen's response when Lily asks her why she never told her what she knewabout her mother?

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  1. What does the hat box August brings to Lily in the honey house contain?

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  1. Why is the photograph in the hat box so important?

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Chapter 14

  1. How does having her mother's things and knowing the whole story affect Lily? Whatdoes she do?

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  1. Where does Rosaleen goin her new red dress with big white flowers?

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  1. After talking with Zach on the telephone, Lily thinks, "Both of us, it seemed like, weredoomed to misery." What does she mean?

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  1. What does August take Lily out to see first thing in the morning?

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  1. What happens to the bees when the queen dies?

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  1. How does T. Ray find Lily?

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  1. What happens in the afternoon after August had taken Lily to see the queen-less colony?

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  1. What happens to T. Ray when he finds out that Deborah had been at the Boatwrights'home when she left him?

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  1. What brings T. Ray back to his senses?

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  1. What declaration does Lily make to T. Ray?

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  1. What does August do to help diffuse the situation between T. Ray and Lily?

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  1. Lily runs after T. Ray as he leaves, yelling for him to stop. What does she ask him, andwhat is his response?

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  1. Who is Becca?

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  1. What are Becca and Lily called at school? Why?

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  1. What is the closing image of the novel?

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