The Secret Life of Bees Study Guide Name Date Block Chapter 1 What does Lily notice in her bedroom as she lies in bed at night? Why does she think they arrived that year? What happened to Lily s mother? a) Describe T. Ray Owens. b) How does he treat Lily, his daughter? Relate the events of December 3, 1954. What is the setting of the novel? What items did Lily find inside the box that belonged to her mother? What does Lily do with the box? What is Lily s summer job? What rule of her father s must she follow while at work? Before she starts school, Lily has a serious conversation with her father. What does T. Ray tell her about December 3, 1954?
Name the significant legislation that was signed in July of 1964. What is Lily s punishment for being out in the field after dark? What did Lily believe until this happened? What does Rosaleen intend to do on Lily s birthday? What crimes did Rosaleen (and Lily) supposedly commit on their way into town that same day? What is Rosaleen s punishment at the hands of three racist men? Chapter 2 What does T. Ray claim is the truth about Lily s mother? What does Lily think she hears when she has a religious moment? What does it cause her to do? Where does Lily find Rosaleen? Why is Rosaleen there? Chapter 3 Why is Lily so intrigued with the Madonna (Mary)? What does Lily find at the general store that inspires her? What does she learn about this item? What does Lily steal from the general store and why?
Chapter 4 To what/whom does Lily compare August Boatwright when she sees her for the first time? Name August s sisters and explain the origin of their names, What stands in the Boatwrights living room? Describe this object. What lie does Lily tell August and her sisters? What is a spinner and how does it teach a lesson about life? What does Lily realize she has developed after growing up in T. Ray s house? (see page 78) What does Lily find in the woods near the Boatwrights home? Chapter 5 Explain how life at August s is like a timeout during a sporting event for Lily. What does Lily like about the honey song?
How did the Boatwrights use honey? Why is Lily a marvel? How does Rosaleen explain May s habit of humming Oh! Susanna? What revelation does Lily overhear when listening to June and August speak about her? What is the story of Beatrix the nun? Why does August tell this story? What are August s life lessons relating to a bee yard? How does August explain May s sadness and her wall? How did April die? What was May s reaction? Why does Lily go to the wailing wall?
Chapter 6 Name one reason June is hesitant to marry Neil. What/who are the Daughters of Mary? Recount the basic elements of the story of Our Lady of Chains. Why is the Mary called Our Lady of Chains? What happens to Lily as she reaches to touch Mary s heart? Chapter 7 Why does Lily dread dinner time at the Boatwright home? Lily implies that Zach, because he is Black, should be good at, but he truly wants to be. What does Rosaleen like to tell Lily she is doing while living with the Boatwrights? Why does Lily think she is attracted to Zach? Why does Lily now live alone in the honey house? What does Zach give Lily and what is his view of their friendship? Chapter 8
Lily finds out that the Black Madonna is not unusual. What is August s explanation? The Mary statue in the Boatwrights living room is actually Why do women make the best beekeepers? What is August s view of marriage? Where does the author reference the title of the novel in this chapter? Why does Lily want to cry as she is talking to T. Ray? Lily composes an acrostic poem about her father. How does she describe him? What does Lily as of Mary as she prays with her hand over her heart? Chapter 9 What does Lily learn from August as they listen to the news? What errand are August and Lily on and why? What is the initiation Lily undergoes and what does it signify, according to August? According to August, why is it acceptable to be bad at something?
What incident changes the relationship between Lily and June? What is the significance of an elevator in Lily s life? What does Lily tell God during their private conference? How does May cope with roaches, and why does it seem important to Lily? Lily asks May about Deborah Fontanel. What is May s response? Why is a group of white men gathered in front of the movie theater? Describe the incident between Zach and his friends and the group of men mentioned in the previous question. Why must Zach stay in jail for five days? To what does Lily compare Rosaleen and August?
Lily visits Zach in jail. What do they discuss during their brief conversation? What does May learn when she answers the phone? How does she react to what she hears? Chapter 10 The longer the women search for May, the more convinced they are that.. What does Lily due to calm her fears as she searches for May? Where is June? What has happened? A police officer, Eddie Hazelwurst, interviews Lily and the Boatwrights. With what is he must concerned? What does Hazelwurst advise Lily to do? According to August, what is the purpose of a vigil? What does Lily want to do as she stands by May s coffin? What does Lily want from her deceased mother?
How does Zach feel about May s death? (Consider the phone call). Why do August, Zach, and Lily place black cloth on the bee hives? Summarize the message of May s note to her sisters. Chapter 11 Why has the routine changed for everyone at the Boatwright home? How, according to Zach, can he and Lily ever be together? What is the purpose of Mary Day? How did it get its name? What is the ritual the Daughters Mary do each Mary Day (regarding the statue)? What is June s response to Neil s latest marriage proposal and why? is everything. August Boatwright (see page 228) How has Zach changed since his arrest? Chapter 12 What picture of Mary has a profound impact on Lily? What does August admit she already knows about Lily and her past?
Why did August choose NOT to tell Lily what she knew about her (Lily)? Why did August know a very young Deborah Fontanel? Why does Lily think she is a bad person? A voice speaks to Lily and tells her she is. August reassures her that this is not true. Why has June taken so long to love and accept Lily? After hearing Lily s story, how does August explain the way Lily found her and her sisters? (page 245) What was T. Ray like when he first met Deborah Fontanel? According to August, why did Deborah marry T. Ray? Had Lily s mother ever left her? How does August explain Deborah s behavior? There is nothing perfect there is only. August Boatwright Chapter 13 What message does Lily ask August to relay to Zach? Why do the Daughters of Mary bathe the statue in honey? August brings Lily a hatbox. What is inside? Be specific.
How does Lily interpret the items she finds? (page 276) Chapter 14 don t help anything. You know that. A.B. Why is Lily worried for Rosaleen? Why is Zach doomed to misery? Why did Rosaleen call each of the Daughters of Mary? According to August, where is Our Lady? Who knocks on the Boatwrights door at the end of Chapter 14? How did this person find Lily at their house? How does T. Ray at confused when he is enraged at Lily? Lily asks T. Ray (again) about the day her mother died. How does he explain the events of that day?