During Reading
As you read be sure to visit the blog on occasion to leave comments with your thoughts. You must comment five times while you read, and in those comments you must respond to a quotation of your choice from the book. I’ll leave my own quotation comment for you as an example.
As you’re writing your own comments, be sure to read other students’ comments as well. You’ll need to respond to two of your peers comments as well. Again, check out the comments I’ve left for an example.
After you finish: Writing Prompts: Choose two (from Penguin Reading Guides)
1. Had you ever heard of “kneeling on grits”? What qualities did Lily have that allowed her to survive, endure, and eventually thrive, despite T. Ray?
2. Who is the queen bee in this story? What qualities make her so?
3. Lily’s relationship to her dead mother was complex, ranging from guilt to idealization, to hatred, to acceptance. What happens to a daughter when she discovers her mother once abandoned her? Is Lily right—would people generally rather die than forgive? Was it harder for Lily to forgive her mother or herself?
4. Lily grew up without her mother, but in the end she finds a house full of them. Have you ever had a mother figure in your life who wasn’t your true mother? Who? Have you ever had to leave home to find home? Where did you go and what did you learn?
5. May built a wailing wall to help her come to terms with the pain she felt. Even though we don’t have May’s condition, do we also need “rituals,” like wailing walls, to help us deal with our grief and suffering? What are some of your own rituals? In what ways do you tend to deal with emotional pain?
6. Project into the future. Does Lily ever see her father again? Does she become a beekeeper? A writer? What happens to Rosaleen? What happens to Lily and Zach? Who would Zach be today? Be creative, but provide details from the story to support your vision. (ex: Don’t tell me Lily ran off to Osaka, Japan to learn the ways of the ninja — that would be a ridiculous response…)
64 Comments
August 5, 2008 at 3:31 pm
“I watched their wings shining like bits of chrome in the dark and felt the longing build in my chest. the way those bees flew,not even looking for a flower, just flying for the feel of the wind, split my heart down its seam.” Lily describes the bees so in depth. She pays attention to every detail she saw within & out the bee.i would never look at i bee like that.I am extrememly scared of bees.But she makes the reader think that they are harmless creatures becuase of her description.
August 5, 2008 at 3:35 pm
When Lily’s mom died, it kind of bring me back to memories of when my stepfather died. He died when i was 4 to days before my 5th bday.but only difference between Lily and I is that i have fond memories of my stepfather. He was more of a father to me than my father. I dont know how Lily can live withoout her mom because i would not have been able to survive at all.
August 5, 2008 at 3:38 pm
Every parent has their way of punishments. but T.Ray (lily’s dad) has Martha Whites. I didnt really get into the part where she states what they are.All i know is when he tells her he is going to bring them out she is quiet instantly. Like me when teachers threaten to call my mother you can hear a pen drop with me.
August 22, 2008 at 2:10 am
“Bees swarm before death…….”(2) This quote showed up more and more as I went into the book…. This really really caught my attention because it made me wonder like, is this the sign of her death, or a signal from her mother, or a sign that something must happen.
August 22, 2008 at 3:00 am
Writing Prompt #4
Yes I have had a mother figure in my life who wasnt my true mother. She has been there since I was a little kid and is still there for me whenever I need her. Even though I have a mother, its always good to have some else like that in your life, that sets a good role model.Well I didnt necessarily have to leave home to find home, but I had to leave home to go to another home. It was kind of hard because thats where I knew, and I had always been.
August 25, 2008 at 10:05 pm
“The gun on the floor. Bending it to pick it up. The noise that exploded around us. This is what I know about myself. She was all I wanted. And I took her away.” (8) I find this very interesting and unfortunate. It’s such a sad memory that she has and more so because it is the only memory she has of her and her mother before she past away. She must have been very devastated but like others say, she “didn’t mean to do it.”
August 25, 2008 at 10:10 pm
“I spent the next mile in deep worry. I had no plan, no prospects of a plan. Until now, I’d mostly believed we would stumble upon a window somewhere and climb through into a brand-new life.” (60) She’s so young and wishes she’s capable of so much but reality is that she isn’t. She still doesn’t understand the truth about life and how mean and unfair the world is, to be more specific, the society. She’s unsure of what to do and can’t do anything to help.
August 25, 2008 at 10:22 pm
“There was nothing white about Zachary Lincoln Taylor. Even the whites of his eyes weren’t exactly white. He had broad shoulders and a narrow waist and short-cropped hair like most of the Negro boys wore, but it was his face I couldn’t help staring at. If he was shocked over me being white, I was shocked over him being handsome.” (116) This is very cute. She’s observing a guy that may in the future be more than just an acquaintance. It’s interesting how there is a stereotype for everything like the way she talks about him not being white because of how he looks.
August 25, 2008 at 10:36 pm
“Writing this is not the Jesus-Others-Yourself philosophy of life, but it brings me J-O-Y to finally say these things to you face.” (162) It’s upsetting to see a daughter have so much hatred for the father not because of the negativity from the daughter but because of the wrongs that the father has done in the past. I can relate to this because I myself have a similar feeling towards my father as Lily. I believe such a feeling should not exist but can’t be helped if the father doesn’t prevent it by choosing his actions correctly.
August 26, 2008 at 9:37 pm
“Standing there, I loved myself and I hated myself. That’s what the black Mary did to me, made me feel my glory and my shame at the same time.” (71)
This quote shows how Lily feels about herself due to her mother’s death. She blames herself for taking her own mother’s life away. It’s sad because she was too young to understand what was happening at the time of the tragic incidence. T. Ray is the one who tells her that she shot her own mother which made her feel guilty and that’s why she began hating herself.
August 26, 2008 at 9:57 pm
“Maybe it was a simple matter being attracted to what I couldn’t have. Or maybe desired kicked in when it pleased without noticing the rules we lived and died by.” (125-126)
This quote shows how Lily starts developing feelings for Zach who is a black man. They both know that they can’t be together because she’s white and he’s black. Therefore, they wouldn’t be accepted by society.
August 26, 2008 at 10:11 pm
“‘You don’t scare me,’ I said, louder this time. A brazen feeling had broken loose in me, a daring something that had been locked up in my chest.” (38)
This quote shows how Lily loosens up by finally standing up to her father. She tells T. Ray that she is not scared of him at all. This shows how Lily is strong and fearless.
August 26, 2008 at 10:16 pm
“I could still hear them humming at the graveside, even though we were miles away in a colored cemetery with crumbled markers and weeds. The sound carried on the breezes while we huddled together and watched them lower May’s coffin into the ground.” (212) The bees are so important to Lily that she can hear it. She may not literally hear it but she can remember it so well, it’s almost like it’s there. It must be very special to her and meaningful that she can hear it far away at the funeral.
August 26, 2008 at 10:21 pm
Bladychas comment on August 5, 2008 at 3:31 pm
I agree with Bladychas comment. She pays a lot of attention to the bees and describes it as if they are harmless. I found this quote interesting as well.
August 26, 2008 at 10:33 pm
“‘June, you go to the house and call the police. Tell them we need help to find our sister.” (190)
This quote reminds me of a recent incident with my grandmother. My grandfather lost her while taking the train so we reported her to the police and the entire family began searching for her everywhere. We couldn’t find her that night but the cops found her the day after. It was the worst experience ever but I was relieved when the cops finally found her.
August 26, 2008 at 10:48 pm
“Her head rolled back, and I saw that her mouth was partially open and her teeth were rimmed with mud. River reeds clung to her hair braids. I looked away. I knew then. May was dead.” (193)
The death of May is ironic because when something happened to her sister April it somehow happened to May too. As August says, they were “like one soul sharing two bodies” (96). It is ironic how April dies and later May also dies.
August 26, 2008 at 10:57 pm
I agree with “JennyM” that you can’t prevent hatred towards a father who doesn’t treat his family with care and respect. If I put myself in Lily’s shoes, I would feel the same way as her. If my father used kneeling on grits as a punishment and if he constantly told me that my mother didn’t care about me, of course I would feel hatred towards my father.
August 26, 2008 at 11:04 pm
I also agree with “JennyM” that Lily didn’t mean to shoot her own mother. At the time, Lily was only four years old. She was too young to understand what was going on. Maybe she just wanted to protect her mother by trying to shoot her father but accidentally shot her mother.
August 26, 2008 at 11:18 pm
Prompt #4
I have a cousin who was actually adopted by my aunt when she was a newborn. As she grew older, my aunt told her that she was adopted. I think she felt hatred towards her real mother because she abandoned her. But I think she felt love and appreciation towards her adopted mother because she took care of her and gave her many opportunities.
August 26, 2008 at 11:35 pm
Prompt #5
I think that May’s wailing wall is actually a great way to deal with pain and anger but I think that’s the best ritual for people who have a problem talking about their problems. Usually when I’m in pain or if I’m angry, I would talk to my close friends and family. I would usually talk to someone who cares, listens, understands and can give me good advice.
August 27, 2008 at 2:13 pm
Admiradora’s comment on August 22, 2008 at 2:10 am
The way Admiradora think of this quote is very interesting. It’s a sign for something negative, unfortunately.
August 27, 2008 at 2:18 pm
Prompt #3
When a daughter discovers her mother once abandoned her, she can have a mix of emotions. She may feel awful wondering why her mother would do that. I believe that sometimes it may be very hard to forgive a person but I don’t think in general people would rather die than forgive. I believe it was harder for Lily to forgive herself than her mother because she still thinks about what she did. She remembers it so clearly and it seems like it bothers her so much. It’s hard to forgive another if you can’t first forgive yourself.
August 27, 2008 at 2:23 pm
Prompt #4
My grandma was like a mother figure during my childhood years. She took care of me and taught me what was right and wrong. She was there when my mother worked everyday. I didn’t ever had to leave home to find a home but I can understand how much I would learn from it. Someone who experiences not having a home can see things in a different perspective. Any life experiences causes a person to learn a lot. The fact that I never had to leave home to find a new home makes me learn the value of what I have and allows me to learn that not everyone is as fortunate and we should cherish what we have.
August 30, 2008 at 6:38 am
“The bag contained a pair of white cottom gloves stained the color of age. When I pulled them out, I thought, Her very hands were inside here. I feel foolish about it now, but one time I stuffed the gloves with cotton balls and held them through the night” (14).
Lily really missed her mother. She stuffed cotton balls inside the gloves just so that she can imagine her mother holding onto her through the night. I think Lily’s mother never gave her anything as a memory or as a mother because Lily seem to really like holding onto her gloves as if that was the only thing her mom left her.
August 30, 2008 at 6:40 am
“By then Rosaleen lay sprawled on the ground, pinned, twisting her fingers around clumps of grass. Blood ran from a cut beneath her eye. It curved under her chin the way tears do” (33).
This quote stood out to me because it gave me an image in my head about how she looked and felt. The image made me visulize that there was a lot of blood pouring out and it was from a woman. I believe I’ve never seen a woman bleed like that before.
August 30, 2008 at 6:41 am
“You don’t scare me,” I said, louder this time. A brazen feeling had broken loose in me, a daring something that had been locked up in my chest” (38).
This shows that Lily is strong enough to stand up to her father for the first time. She had enough of all his harsh treatments. She finally have the nerves to let out everything that has been bottled up inside of her.
August 30, 2008 at 6:42 am
“I believe I must have it, because the moment I stepped into the house I felt a trembling along my skin, a traveling current that moved up my spine, down my arms, pulsing out from my fingertips. I was practically radiating. The body knows things a long time before the mind catches up to them. I was wondering what my body knew that I didn’t” (69).
Lily and Rosaleen came to live in this new area. Lily sensed that something is going to happen here but it haven’t happened yet. Maybe Lily can sense this because she’s so adapted to being in trouble or being in weird situations that this was just another one of those times.
August 30, 2008 at 6:43 am
“That’s when I knew I would never find a better friend than Zachary Taylor. I threw my arms around him and leaned into his chest. He made a sound like Whoa, but after a second his arms folded around me, and we stayed like that, in a true embrace. He moved his hands up and down my back, till I was almost dizzy. Finally he unwound my arms and said, “Lily, I like you better than any girl I’ve ever known, but you have to understand, there are people who would kill boys like me for even looking at girls like you” (135).
I predict that something is going to happen to them both because they seem to like each other. But it’s not acceptable for them to be together.
August 30, 2008 at 6:44 am
Paulina
August 26, 2008 at 11:35 pm
Prompt #5
I agree with Paulina because expressing out your feelings to your friends help you feel better. Keeping everything bottled up is unhealthy anyways.
August 30, 2008 at 6:45 am
JennyM
August 25, 2008 at 10:05 pm
I agree with JennyM because she was really young when she accidently killed her own mom. She probably didn’t even know that was a gun and what it do. But Lily really loved her mother so she never meant to kill her at all.
August 30, 2008 at 6:46 am
4. Lily grew up without her mother, but in the end she finds a house full of them. Have you ever had a mother figure in your life who wasn’t your true mother? Who? Have you ever had to leave home to find home? Where did you go and what did you learn?
I don’t have a mother figure besides my real mother. But I’ve seen people whose mother left them when they were young. They felt sad when foster moms told them that their real mother abandoned them because of certain reasons. But I do learn to cherish and appreciate everything that I have in my life and that i’m lucky to have parents who love me so much.
August 30, 2008 at 6:50 am
5. May built a wailing wall to help her come to terms with the pain she felt. Even though we don’t have May’s condition, do we also need “rituals,” like wailing walls, to help us deal with our grief and suffering? What are some of your own rituals? In what ways do you tend to deal with emotional pain?
Mary’s wailing wall helped her with her problems. But I believe talking to someone; a close friend, or a friend that you can trust, can help you release the stress and anger. It’s never a good thing to keep everything bottled up because that will lead into severe issues.
August 31, 2008 at 6:00 pm
I agree with “JennyM” that she “didn’t mean to do it.”
Lily was only a four year old innocent child who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. You can not blame a children for a crime that they did not know they would be doing. Killing your own mother and remembering all about it must be the worst memory a child can have. You had done something wrong, but you never meant it. Now the action can not be changed. Lily’s mother only lies in her memories and as her guardian angel.
August 31, 2008 at 6:35 pm
4. Lily grew up without her mother, but in the end she finds a house full of them. Have you ever had a mother figure in your life who wasn’t your true mother? Who? Have you ever had to leave home to find home? Where did you go and what did you learn?
The only mother figure that I have ever had was my own mother. I had never had another mother figure. I never had to leave home to find home. I am hopeful to have one home which is my comfort zone. I believe that no matter how far one may travel, no one will ever give the love of a real mother or replace the place of their mothers.
August 31, 2008 at 7:32 pm
Yes, I agree with AH6LC that Lily is strong enough to stand up against her father. She has always had the courage and strength to stand up to any danger, such as bees and running away with Rosaleen. However, she has not had the strength to stand up to her father until now. I believe she has done the right thing because her father has always treated her unfairly. And much of her path in life was led by herself as an individual. Her final obstacle was her unloving father.
August 31, 2008 at 8:13 pm
1. Had you ever heard of “kneeling on grits”? What qualities did Lily have that allowed her to survive, endure, and eventually thrive, despite T. Ray?
No, I have never heard of “kneeling on grits”, but it may be a harmful punishment. Lily is a determined and courageous girl who has been through a lot. Her ability to live through a lonely life with no real parent figure has allowed her to grow as an individual. This has allowed her to be an independent person who could survive on her own.
August 31, 2008 at 10:29 pm
““I’ve just never heard of a Negro lawyer, that’s all. You’ve got to hear of these things before you can imagine them.”
“Bullshit. You gotta imagine what’s never been.”
-This conversation, between Lily and Zach, takes place in the middle of chapter 7 and encapsulates Lily’s limited understanding of how people may transcend social roles.
August 31, 2008 at 10:29 pm
” I can tell you this much: the world is a great big log thrown on the fires of love.”
-Lily comes to this conclusion at the end of chapter 7, after she has her first semisexual interaction with Zach and has witnessed Neil and June have a fight. In these two very intense moments, she comes face to face with love and learns that it not only brings people together but also sometimes drives people apart.
August 31, 2008 at 10:31 pm
““Most people don’t have any idea about all the complicated life going on inside a hive. Bees have a secret life we don’t know anything about.”
-As she explains the nature of spirituality as it relates to bee’s lives, August speaks these words to Lily in chapter 8. August has taught Lily all about the communities bees keep inside their lives.
August 31, 2008 at 10:32 pm
.“There is nothing perfect,” August said from the doorway. “There is only life.”
-This quotation comes at the end of chapter 12 and represents the relationship August has with Lily, to whom she speaks these lines. Initially, these words seem rather sharp, but, taken in context, they actually encapsulate the kind of invaluable maternal comfort August provides Lily.
August 31, 2008 at 10:33 pm
” She was black as could be, twisted like driftwood from being out in the weather, her face a map of all the storms and journeys she’d been through. ”
-In this quotation, from the beginning of chapter four, Lily describes the black Mary statue. Lily has just spotted it in the Boatwright house. She has yet to learn of its significance, to experience its important role in the lives of the Daughters of Mary, and to understand its place in the family history of the Boatwright sisters.
September 1, 2008 at 7:50 pm
“…her face a map of all the storms and journeys she’d been through.”
Lily describes the black Mary statue. She has not learned how important it is and its role it plays in the lives of the daughters of Mary. Lily just belives the the statue is aware that she is lying to August and June about where she came from and why she has come to Tiburon.
September 2, 2008 at 12:02 am
Bees serve as Lily’s unspoken guides throughout the novel. In the beginning, they come to her room to relay the message that she should head out on her own and leave T. Ray’s house. Likewise, Lily follows the trail of the honey label to Tiburon—and to the truth about her mother. In Tiburon, she lives in the honey house, and tending bees becomes her occupation. They guide Lily, accompany her, and drive her forward.
September 2, 2008 at 12:03 am
The lack of mothers, the search for mothers, and the importance of mothers appear throughout the novel and demonstrate the significance of mothers to adequate human development. Everyone, regardless of circumstance or color, needs a mother. As Lily discovers, a person does not need to share a biological connection with a mother figure. Ever since her mother died, she has longed for a maternal touch.
September 2, 2008 at 12:16 am
“You’re under arrest…Assault, theft, and disturbing peace” (33)
The year was 1964 and it was a time where racism was still high. This book puts in a lot of history in to the context. It gives readers a feel of how things were with a sense of history and not just literature.
September 2, 2008 at 12:57 am
“leaning back on my elbows, I slid down till the water sealed over my head” (56)
This scene can be related to another piece of literature. This scene reminds me of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Lily is Huck and Jim is Rosaleen. In both, there is a scene where they are by a river, in peace. The river is their only place of safety and peace. They both are running away from society and are hiding in the woods. From these first two chapters, I have seen many connections to other things outside of this book.
September 2, 2008 at 1:34 am
“Lily Melissa Owens, your jar is open” (41)
Like the bees in Lily’s, the time has come for Lily to be free. She has her opening to escape her miserable life with her father. She now has the chance to run away like bees flying out of a jar. Trapped in a jar her whole life, she can finally leave. This also shows what she has been wanting to do her whole life. She has wanted to run away with her mother, Rosaleen is her mother in this case.
September 2, 2008 at 1:56 am
“That night I lay in bed and thought about dying and going to be with my mother in paradise.” (3)
This shows how Lily dislikes her life and wish to die so that she can be with her mom. Moreover, she wants to say sorry to her mom because Lily was the one who kill her.
September 2, 2008 at 1:56 am
“Most people don’t have any idea about all the complicated life going on inside a hive. Bees have a secret life we don’t know anything about.” (148)
This quote reminds me of the “Bee movie” which show what the bees do inside their hive. I believe bee has complicate jobs because they have to make honey and worrying about human trying to kill them. Whenever a bee fly around people, most of them will think that the bee is going to harm them.
September 2, 2008 at 1:56 am
“What I needed was a sign. I needed a voice speaking to me like I’d heard yesterday in my room saying, Lily Melissa Owens, your jar is open” (60)
At first when Lily opens the jar, the bee did not fly away. However when the bee escapes, Lily decides to run away. The escape of the bee is a sign for Lily to leave the place and go to Tiburon.
September 2, 2008 at 1:57 am
“…it made us believe death was nothing but a doorway.” (201).
When people decide to give up in this world, they decide to kill themselves to escape it. When the situation gets tough, death is one of their choices that they will make. To some people, death is like a doorway to heaven.
September 2, 2008 at 2:02 am
“I know, honey. Your mother was Deborah Fontanel Owens” (235)
When Lily first set off to find out about her mother, I did not believe that she would have found the place where she was. It seemed as if it was a meaningless journey that Lily had taken, guided by bees. However, I can not wonder why August did not tell Lily about her mother earlier. August had known of their mother and daughter relation, but kept it a secret from Lily.
September 2, 2008 at 2:04 am
kilua
August 31, 2008 at 10:32 pm
.“There is nothing perfect,” August said from the doorway. “There is only life.”
I agree with kilua about there is a deep meaning to it. However, I was confuse of what Kilua means by”they actually encapsulate the kind of invaluable maternal comfort August provides Lily”. I think this means that there is nothing in this world that is perfect which a makes perfect life.
September 2, 2008 at 2:09 am
AH6LC
August 30, 2008 at 6:41 am
“You don’t scare me,” I said, louder this time. A brazen feeling had broken loose in me, a daring something that had been locked up in my chest” (38).
I agree with Ah6LC of how she was not afraid of her father anymore. She called her “dad” instead of T-Rex in the end of the story which means she not afraid. I believe she matures every since she arrived at Tiburon.
September 2, 2008 at 2:19 am
Project into the future. Does Lily ever see her father again? Does she become a beekeeper? A writer? What happens to Rosaleen? What happens to Lily and Zach? Who would Zach be today?
I think in the future, Lily will see her father again. I don’t think she will be a beekeeper but a writer instead. Rosaleen will probably stand and works in the bee house. There is a high chance Lily and Zach will be together. I hope Zach will be a football professional in the future.
September 2, 2008 at 2:22 am
4. Lily grew up without her mother, but in the end she finds a house full of them. Have you ever had a mother figure in your life who wasn’t your true mother? Who? Have you ever had to leave home to find home? Where did you go and what did you learn?
I don’t there is a time when I have a mother figure in my life who wasn’t my true mother. My mom treats my sister and I well and gave me a good life. I never have to leave home to find home, as i said before my mom treats me well. If i ever have to leave home, I will just go to my cousin’s home which is only a cross street from where I live.
September 2, 2008 at 2:37 am
“Good riddance” (298)
The ending of this book reminds me of the book “Matilda” by Roald Dahl In both pieces, it is about a girl who did not fit in with biological family. However, they found a new family with women. With the Boatwrights, Lily thrives in this new community like Matilda with her teacher. This book has related to other pieces of literature. Although both characters never had the best childhood, they both always looked for self comfort and a better future.
September 2, 2008 at 2:38 am
Snorlax
“Lily Melissa Owens, your jar is open” (41)
I agree with Snorlax explanation. It give Lily a chance to get away finally after so long. Its exactly as the bees, like when they come out of the jar and fly away, its like shes doing the same she has the freedom she has always wanted. Good quote….
September 2, 2008 at 2:40 am
I like Lily’s personality, she doesnt give up and she keeps striving for what she wants.. she gets the freedom she wants and finds herself in a house full of mothers the one she didnt have growing up. Her father wasnt an exactly good influence to her life as child.
September 2, 2008 at 2:42 am
QUESTIONS.
4. Lily grew up without her mother, but in the end she finds a house full of them. Have you ever had a mother figure in your life who wasn’t your true mother? Who? Have you ever had to leave home to find home? Where did you go and what did you learn?
Even though i do have my mother in my life and im extremely gratefull for, theres another woman who is indeed a mother figure for me. This woman would be Sandra Love my best friend Shannon Griffith’s mother. Shannon and I has been friends since the 6th grade allowing me to always be around his mom, therefore whenever my mom would be on vacation etc she would look after me. Whether it was scolding me as if i were her own or loving me like i was. Being that they live 6 blocks away from me their home is like my home as well. Meeting her made me learn that other than our real mom its more than possible for someone else to love you just as much.
3. Lily’s relationship to her dead mother was complex, ranging from guilt to idealization, to hatred, to acceptance. What happens to a daughter when she discovers her mother once abandoned her? Is Lily right—would people generally rather die than forgive? Was it harder for Lily to forgive her mother or herself?
When Lily discovered that Deborah had abondoned her i guess this is where the transition to hatred starts. She hadnt known that her mom left to already experience the pink house. Lily was wrong for feeling that people would rather die than forgive. This statement seemed to be a response to her finding out that her mom did abandone her and it was a ironic that she dies when coming back for Lily. Lily’s train of thought made it way harder to forgive herself than her mother. Although her mom did leave she did come back, but Lily accidentley shooting her mother made her feel as if everything was her fault. At the point the fact Deborah left didnt matter the fact she killed her when she returned for her did. This was why she constantly beat herself up about what happened.
QUOTATIONS
“The truth is your mother ran off and left you.”
This quote was the words that tore Lily apart. She was already having trouble dealing with the fact that Deborah was dead so this was too much. At this time she didnt know the truth that she really did leave her daughter. T.Ray saying this made Lily run away, however i feel it was for the better. Why? because that reality check [the quote] allowed oppertunity for Lily to go out on a journey to her past. This illustrates a sense of “Coming Of Age”.
“It was you who did it, Lily. You didn’t mean it, but it was you.”
With only hearing the loud noise that she stated in the beginning of the book involving her mothers death, her question was finnally answered. It was her who was responsible for Deborahs death not T.Ray. Although she accidentley shot her T.Ray let it be known that she didnt do this purposely. After visiting the honey house with everything unfolding this actually helps herself forgive herself not for purposely killing Deborah, but for accidentley killing her.
“People who think dying is the worst thing don’t know a thing about life.”
This was just a statement by Lily expressing how she feels as far as her mother dying. People automatically feel that when someone dies thats just the worst its the last that can happen badley to a person. However, what about to people left behind that has to deal with the lost of a loved one. Sometimes people mourn forever which can really put a hold on life, this can make someone whom is alive feel “dead” after loosing someone dear to them.
“Lily, I like you better than any girl I’ve ever known, but you have to understand, there are people who would kill boys like me for even looking at girls like you.”
This statement my seem like hes rejecting Lily, but its really not like that. These words actually shows his love for Lily and his concern for their social life as well. With her being white and him an African American Zach worries for his life. The Racism level at that point in time was very high so he didnt want that to become a factor in their relationship. These were words of hope for the future after he lets her know hes going to try to change the way things are with dreams of becoming a lawyer.
“I know, honey. Your mother was Deborah Fontanel Owen”
After Lily being so afraid to speak the truth on her arrival August already knew. This suprised Lily, but also put her on a emotional roller coaster, finding out her mom did leave her like T.Ray said and ended up in the same place she is now. I feel this is ironic hence her mothers same exact path, but it was meant because Lily found her way too a bunch of mother figures she didn’t have who happened to have known Deborah. Im Starting to believe that this house symbolized Deborahs spirit.
September 2, 2008 at 2:50 am
“When I woke up in the mornings, my first thought was the hatbox. It was almost like my mother herself was hiding under the bed” (278)
The hatbox represents her memory of her mom and which is important to Lily. In addition, Lily misses her mom and has to live with her father which treated her unfairly. I think Lily sees the hatbox in the morning to makes herself think that her mom was still a live.
September 2, 2008 at 3:20 am
4. Lily grew up without her mother, but in the end she finds a house full of them. Have you ever had a mother figure in your life who wasn’t your true mother? Who? Have you ever had to leave home to find home? Where did you go and what did you learn?
One mother figure in my life (even though I have a mother) is my grandmother. I’ve appreciated this woman all my life. When I felt that I was all alone, she was there to comfort me. All my life, I’ve felt that I’ve lived at her house too because I was always there. And I appreciate her a lot.
3. Lily’s relationship to her dead mother was complex, ranging from guilt to idealization, to hatred, to acceptance. What happens to a daughter when she discovers her mother once abandoned her? Is Lily right—would people generally rather die than forgive? Was it harder for Lily to forgive her mother or herself?
Abandoning a child could be the worst thing in that child life. Especially when a daughter is abandoned by there mother. That daughter doesn’t have a woman figure in there life. And I disagree with Lily about people generally rather die than forgive. Forgiveness is always the best thing to do. Even though I believe it was harder for her to forgive her mother , it was the right choice.
Quotes
“He didn’t believe in slumber parties or sock hops, which wasn’t a big concern, as I never got invited to them anyway, but he refused to drive me to town for football games, pep rallies, or beta club car washes, which were held on Saturdays. He did not care that I wore clothes I made for myself in home economics class, cotton print shirtwaists with crooked zippers and skirts hanging below my knees, outfits only the Pentecostal girls wore. I might as well have worn a sign on my back: I Am Not Popular, and Never Will Be.”
This quote indicates and explains how her boyfriend or friend saw her oddness and didn’t care. He didn’t want to put her or see her in that type of crowd where the popular people was. But Lily saw that type of crowd and felt some kind of envy and wanted to like that. But she sees clearly that she would never be popular.
“You don’t scare me,” I said, louder this time. A brazen feeling had broken loose in me, a daring something that had been locked up in my chest” (38)
This quote shows how Lily had another persona and side of her that’s been hidden. She claims to have not been pushed that much to release this type of feeling.
“People who think dying is the worst thing don’t know a thing about life.”
In this quote, Lily expresses her feelings about her mother dying. Many believe that death could be the worst. But with people that have to grief forever from a love one leaving could be the worst thing that happened to them. Especially someone that’s a widow.
September 2, 2008 at 3:31 am
In response to {Snorlax
September 2, 2008 at 12:16 am
“You’re under arrest…Assault, theft, and disturbing peace” (33)
The year was 1964 and it was a time where racism was still high. This book puts in a lot of history in to the context. It gives readers a feel of how things were with a sense of history and not just literature}
I agree with this person. This quote reminds me of a book i read ” A Lesson Before Dying”. Its about a book during the time of racism, when a black man was accused of murder when he was innocent.
September 2, 2008 at 3:33 am
In response to {AH6LC
August 30, 2008 at 6:43 am
“That’s when I knew I would never find a better friend than Zachary Taylor. I threw my arms around him and leaned into his chest. He made a sound like Whoa, but after a second his arms folded around me, and we stayed like that, in a true embrace. He moved his hands up and down my back, till I was almost dizzy. Finally he unwound my arms and said, “Lily, I like you better than any girl I’ve ever known, but you have to understand, there are people who would kill boys like me for even looking at girls like you” (135).
I predict that something is going to happen to them both because they seem to like each other. But it’s not acceptable for them to be together}
I agree with this person. Both of them are both different from each other. Zachary is popular and Lily isn’t. So its not really the good type to be together. But i must say, it looks like something might happen between the both of them.