The secret life of bees

The Secret Life of Bees:
Life or Death?
“People who think dying is the worst thing don’t know a thing about life.” How is that possible? Don’t we live for life? Isn’t life over after death? The main character, Lily, says this as she is thinking back on past events and her present situations. I found it odd for someone to say such a thing, especially at such a young age. She is only fourteen years old with many more years to live yet she does not fear death.
This courage that she has is far beyond any others. The quote above represents that Lily believes death is easier than having to deal with life’s obstacles. She knows that there are far worst things that come in life than leaving this life. Lily has such bravery because of her knowledge from previous experiences, the present living situation that she is in, and how wonderful she imagines her afterlife to be.
As she thinks back on the past there is one story she will never forget. Lily killed her mother at the age of four with one shot.
“The gun on the floor. Bending 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)
She often reminds herself of this story and doesn’t have the will in her heart to move past it and forgive herself. Lily has to carry this burden for the rest of her life and this makes living tough. Sometimes she thinks death is the only way to erase this heavy load. Her heart aches to be with her mother and only death can bring them together once again. In Lily’s mind having to die and be able to be in Heaven with her mother forever, is far better than having to carry this constant guilt of knowing that because of her, the one she dearly loved is no longer on this earth.
Lily is among the 896,000 other children that are being physically and verbally abused daily by their parents. T. Ray, her father has never been the father figure in Lily’s life. One night during the middle of the night Lily has the urge to go to her orchard and get some air. She unfortunately falls asleep there and a couple hours later T. Ray finds her lying on the ground of the orchard. Lily could only think of the punishment to come and she knew immediately he was going to give it to her good this time. “He poured a mound of grits the size of an anthill onto the pine floor. “Get over here and kneel down”. I’d been kneeling on grits since I was six, but still I never got used to that powdered-glass feeling beneath my skin.” (24)
Since the time she was six T. Ray has physically abused her. He never smiled or talked to her, and when he did talk it was always harsh and loud. You can see why Lily might think death is not the worst thing in life. She has to live everyday of her life feeling no love and affection from her own father. T. Ray makes Lily feel like she is just extra change that he has to carry around. Death is so much easier than dealing with the pain of feeling unwanted all the time and the physical pain of getting severely beaten for hours.
However, this cruel life she lives will soon end as Lily runs away from home. This may seem positive, but then again she is merely a teenager running away with nowhere to go.
“So what are you planning to do?” she said. “Go from town to town asking people about your mother? Is that your bright idea?” “If I needed somebody to criticize me around the clock, I could’ve brought T. Ray along!” I shouted. “And for your information, I don’t exactly have a plan.”
Lily runs away with a fugitive, her colored nanny, Rosaline, not knowing what’s ahead for tomorrow or better yet, when there next meal was? The factors of starving to death, or getting caught with a black woman fleeing from jail and rigorously punished do not even put a slight doubt into Lily’s decision of running away. She rather live her life with the high possibilities of death every second, than have to stay and deal with this obstacle of life.
You can clearly see that Lily much rather run away from life’s difficulties than face them head on. Many of us believe that perseverance is key and death is not the answer. Is Lily wrong? Would you choose to just give up or deal with it?