Final Book Review

The Secret Life of Bees
By: Sue Monk Kidd
Reviewed by: Alexandra Harris

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd is a well-written book that was recently turned into a movie. I would recommend this book to girls 12 years and older. I wouldn’t suggest that you read this book if you don’t fit this category, only because I don’t think it would be as interesting, and it would be very hard to relate to the plotline about love, and the importance of “family.” The Secret Life of Bees also shows that race doesn’t matter when it comes to love, family, and friends. This historical-fictional novel takes place in South Carolina in the summer of 1964, during the civil rights movement.

The main character, Lily, a girl from Sylvan, South Carolina, sets out on a journey where she finds herself moving out of her house at the age of 14. She breaks her stubborn, loving nanny, Rosaleen, out of jail, and looks for the history about her long-gone, mysterious mother who she accidentally killed when she was a toddler.

Even though this novel may be slow or even boring at times, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. It was extremely well written, and the morals in the book made it interesting. A few of the morals that are presented in this book are: to love people no matter what their race, to stand up for your own rights, and to have moral courage. These morals are shown when Lily finds herself in the middle of a family full of colored people, when the world around her is full of racism.

In the book, Lily starts out looking for the background on her mother so that she knows she was loved. She uses the few remaining items that her mother left behind to find out more about her, and they set her on a journey to figure out even more about herself and her own new family. We can all relate to Lily and the love that, as she finds out, is everywhere.

Even though The Secret Life of Bees was well-written, had a heartwarming storyline, and was easily relatable to some people, I wouldn’t recommend this book to you if you’re interested in action packed books, mystery books, adventure books, or fantasy books because it’s a realistic fiction novel. I enjoyed it because the main character is easily relatable to me, however, you may find this love-filled novel too slow-moving or un-relatable. Overall, I think that Sue Monk Kidd did a great job at writing this interesting plotline about a girl who is desperately seeking motherly-love. I wouldn’t recommend that everyone reads it, but if you’re interested in this beautiful plotline about love, you’ll have to read it yourself to find out what she discovers about her new family full of friends and herself.

Chapter 13

Alexandra Harris

November 3, 2008

Chapter 13: Goodbye Island

The naval officer probed the significantly smaller group of English boys no further and led them to the edge of the shore. The silence was so eerie; neither tribe knew what to say. They followed behind the only adult they had seen in almost a year as the slow moving boat came towards them. Jack didn't take his eyes off of Ralph. He was thinking about what he could have done if the naval officer hadn’t come. Ralph, along with most of the boys, felt strangely safe with the naval officer around. It was probably because he was a responsible adult. Responsibility and order were the two traits the boys lacked. They were also the two traits most adults had.

When the boat finally made it close enough, the kids--who no longer looked like kids, but like savages--filed on. Ralph never looked at Jack's face, knowing what his expression would be. If he looked at it, he knew it would show that he wished the naval officer hadn't come. It would also show his savagery and his want and need to kill. All Ralph could think about was seeing his loving, kind mother again, after he was cleaned up, of course.

Ralph went to take a bath in the bathing room after a few other boys had gone, and then came back to the group of boys wrapped in oddly colored blankets. For the first time in a long time, he noticed that he and every other boy was really tan, now that every boy had washed off his war paint.

Meanwhile, Jack was wishing he could have had five more minutes before they got rescued. For him, it wasn't really about being rescued all along. He still wanted Ralph to be dead. He was the only one who hadn't washed off his war paint yet, and it made the other boys fear him. “He should have let me be the leader all along,” Jack thought to himself, “at least we were finally rescued, but does it really matter anymore? I wanted to be rescued when we landed on the island, but towards the end, life was perfect. Everyone was on my tribe except for Ralph. I was finally the leader, and then right when I almost killed Ralph, we finally got rescued.” He also thought about how he had a lot of fun hunting, and how it was nice without adults. Jack stared at Ralph's barely moving eyes, unable to move his own. Jack still wished Ralph was dead. “All I needed was five more minutes alone with just me, my loyal tribe, the bare island, and the helpless Ralph,” he thought without feeling.

Jack eventually realized he wouldn't get any more time to kill Ralph once they got back onto land, and he knew his only chance would be when they were on the ship, with the naval officer present as well. He started to come up with a plan. First, he would get closer to Ralph. Then he would strike. The naval officer hadn't thought to take the spears away yet, thinking that the few little kids would be good little British boys. No one was talking, so Jack would have to do it quietly. He slowly made his way towards Ralph.

Ralph saw Jack out of the corner of his eye, and knew immediately what Jack was trying to do. Jack was still staring at him, and now he was getting closer and closer. All of the boys still felt the safeness of the adult, but Jack still had his war paint on. Savagery was about to occur, and the naval officer was no where in sight; he had gone to the upper deck If Jack did try to kill Ralph, the officer, who told us his name was William, wouldn't be able to stop him.

All of a sudden, Jack sprang at Ralph, his spear in hand. Ralph dodged him quickly, knowing what Jack was doing all along. He smashed into the wall, and William came down, and brought Jack up to the top deck.

He stopped on his was out to ask," Will you kids be alright for a few minutes?"

Ralph was the only one who nodded as a response. As long as Jack wasn't there, they would be all right.

After that day, Ralph and Jack never saw each other again, except for when they got off the boat. Jack had finally taken his war paint off. Ralph was shocked to see Jack’s clean face (which he had forgotten all about because it was always covered with makeshift paint). Ralph almost wished he could have seen Jack a few years later, just to see how he was doing. But then he remembered the horrible memories of Jack almost killing him in the forest. Jack tried to kill him, and had already killed two of his best friends. Those memories stuck with him for the rest of his life.

Ralph, Samneric, and the littluns who had survived hugged their mothers as tight as they could after they ran to their waiting family. Both Ralph and Jack's lives changed from then on, but in some ways, it was also the same as before.

Lord of the Flies~Journal Entry #8

Chapter: Strategies
Simon’s Journal

I woke up not seeing anything. Well, I could see blurs of colors, but that was about all. We had to get fire and my sight back. The only way to do that was to go to their camp. We tried blowing the conch deliriously, but of course none of us really expected them to come. I knew all along that we would have to go to their camp, and that this two tribe thing would end up a war. Ralph vs. Jack. It was obvious who had the advantage, in numbers and in power.
We went to the castle rock, and started hiding (a smart idea in my opinion). But, as I suspected it became a roar, not that I could see it, but the shouting and the yelling from pain told me what was going on. I kept telling Ralph to protect me, I had asthma, I wasn’t atheletic, I couldn’t see, and I was scared. Before I knew it, I felt my stomach distend, and everything went black. I started to see everything that was going on where I had died, but it was more like a movie playing in my head rather than actually being there.
The movie showed Ralph running away, thinking of a way to diddle Jack. And then coming back and talking to Samneric at night. They told him very useful information and then he hid. I was sure that what he was doing was very smart, and I wish I could have been there. But, I didn’t at the same time. If it was a game, sure, but real life…
I kept watching the movie without choice, really. I hoped so much that at least Ralph would make it off, and maybe Samneric, too. Ralph kept hidden, also as I would have. But then, Jack and all of his evilness had to be smart and started a fire. I knew he would rather kill Ralph himself because he was so truculent, but it was strategic of him to use the fire. Ralph ran way faster than I could have, with a little bit of cessation. He seemed invincible. When the grown-up came and rescued them all, I wished so bad that I could have stayed alive for at least that day. If only I did. But I hadn’t. At least Ralph and Samneric made it off though. I was so happy, I even saw my Auntie in the realistic movie. I wish I could have lived.

Lord of the Flies~Journal Entry #7

Chapter: Murder
Ralph's Journal

When I was talking to Piggy today, we both agreed that we should go and check on what Jack's tribe was doing. So, we went to the feast, and we lost some more people from our tribe. We expected that would happen, but as long as we had each other, Samneric and some littluns we were fine. The feast tasted to good.
All of a sudden we saw a dark, corpulent figure immerse from the forest. For a brief second, I thought it was one of Jack's, trying to scare us. But, when Jack starting beating the thing, I realized who it was. That it was Simon. I wasn't sure however, so I got caught up in killing it and joined the circle. I made sure not to get too involved so that if it really was Simon I wouldn't feel so guilty afterwards. Once it was over and we returned home, I realized that it had to have been Simon. But how was I supposed to know?
I did know that it was Simon while I was killing it, and that's the part that was eating me from the inside out with guilt. I killed Simon. I tried to deny it, but it was murder, even though I don't believe in anything theological. Since we landed on this island, I didn't know it would end up like this. I kept trying to say I wasn't involved, but I didn't try to stop it, therefor I was involved. I was supposed to be the responsible leader, but what kind of a responsible leader was I being.
The guilt kept bothering me, but I started to try to focus more on the rescue and our future, rather than the murder and the past. That night, I heard something in the bushes. I couldn't tell what it was, but I assumed it was the beastie. He might have seen us thinking that Simon was him, and come back for revenge for all I knew. All of a sudden it was attacking. I got a good punch or two in, but I also took a few, including a very painful knee. The whole shelter fell down sometime during the short fight; exposing the phosphorescence of the bright moon overhead.
When the barmy fight was over, I knew who it was. It was them. Jack's tribe. I hoped that we wouldn't loose anymore people to them. Also, when it was over, we realized what they came there for, Piggy's glasses. No more fire, no more rescue. I would have to talk to Jack. Soon. Hope purged out of me and I felt anger. Not towards them, but for myself for not being responsible, and for techniacally committing murder. I would get those glasses back soon, no matter what it took. Nothing could be as painful as the guilt of comitting murder.

Lord of the Flies~Journal Entry #6

Chapter: Separation
Jack’s Journal

Today we had a meeting, and I said that there was definetly some sort of a beastie on the island. After that, I couldn’t stand Ralph and all of his pointless rules. He reminded me of a prefect in the way that he always had rules to go by. I had to get away with people that wanted to have fun, and who wanted to hunt. So, I decided to make my own group. I took a vote, and, to my surprise, everyone wanted to stay with Ralph. I didn’t like that at all because I knew that they were only staying with them because they thought I didn’t want to get rescued. I knew htat they wanted to hunt. So, I easily convinced them to follow me. They did, and we went to have fun killing a mother pig.
It was wrong that we slaughtered it, but at least it was out of fun and it wasn't in a demonaic way (in my opinion). I was sick of all of those rules, though, and I was hungry. Also, there were no adults on this island, were there? That's what I felt like saying to Ralph. I can picture saying that to him; his demure expression draining from his face. But, after we paunched the pig, we came to a problem. We had to cook it somehow, so I decided that we should go steal the fire. Everyone agreed with me as they normally did. I just had many more great ideas than Ralph did--I wish there was a taboo around his name--and finally people were realizing that.
We stole the fire with ease, and as we did, it was clear that there were having way less fun than we were. All they were doing was sitting on the hard ground talking. It looked really boring. That only reassured me that we were doing the right thing. We went back and cooked our delicious meat. I knew they wanted to eat the meat, so I savored it n my mouth. I thought of another great idea; keep the pigs head where we camped out for the beastie. Then, while we were out, the beastie wouldn’t bother us. It was yet another one of my great ideas that everyone (in the fun group at least) liked.
In my opinion it was so easy to just go about with no rules, so that’s what I’m doing.

Lord of the Flies~Journal Entry#5

Chapter: Beastie or no Beastie?
Simon's Journal

Late at night, Ralph called an unexpected meeting. He said that Sam and Eric found the beastie and that they were going to go look for it. I decided to come along, still not believing that its there. I wanted to see it with my own eyes. They kept talking about all of this beastie nonsense at the meeting. For all we know, it could be someone trying to save us.
I went , just to see if they were telling the truth. On the way to the rocky side of the mountain, they were still talking about the leviathan-like beastie, and what it looks like. I started believing that there was one, but then I thought of how many times my mom told me that there were no such things as monsters. She wouldn't lie to me.
When we got to the side of the mountain with the rocks, I followed Jack, still unsure about who the leader was. I followed Jack into a cave and watched as Jack and Ralph surprisingly started to get along...for only a minute or so. Then, they started arguing, AGAIN. I just sat back and listened, as I do most of the time, only because I don't want to be embroiled. I also get a not-so-happy feeling from Jack. I don't know what it is, maybe because Ralph seems to be more reasonable most of the time.
They started arguing interminably about throwing boulders down from the hide-out. I had to agree with Ralph, his ideas always seemed to make more sense. I followed Jack down the mountain when the argument was as done as It was ever going to be. Then, when we got back to camp, I watched the littluns for a while.
The next day, I was talking to Ralph. I thought he had great leadership skills, and that he made more sagely decisions than Jack did. I told him that he would make it home, even though I wasn't so sure of it myself. Hopefully it would help Ralph stay as our leader. I don't know how we would get rescued if Jack were our leader. I kept encouraging Ralph, until it seemed like he believed me, then for the rest of the day, I watched the littluns and helped them build sand castles. I don't know why everyone is so mean to the littluns, they don't like being stuck on this island just as much as we don't like it. If only I were brave enough to tell Ralph and Jack that, even if it was diffidently. Or, maybe just Ralph.

Lord of the Flies~Jounal Entry #4

Chapter: Ideas
Piggy’s Journal

Late tonight, Ralph called a meeting. A few minutes before he called it, he had been yelling about something like no order and some other things that I didn’t care about, in a discursive manner. I was only paying attention to Jack, who was being so mean to me, and who, without decorum, didn’t give me any of the pig that was caught. I thanked Simon for the meat, but also felt bad for him because of Jack. I slowly trudged along to the meeting, and I finally didn’t jump at the sound of the conch. I guess I’m getting used to living this way.
If we could have made a sun dial we could tell what time it was and I wouldn’t get so used to the island, but Ralph never listens to my ideas. Even though he never listens to me, at least he doesn’t hate me like Jack does. Ralph used some of my ideas at the meeting though!!!!!! It made me so happy that he did. He said that we should not have the fire anywhere else besides of the mountain. It was my idea, whether he admits it or not, because I told him that some kids were playing with the fire and that they were getting hurt.
He surprisingly had some other good ideas, too. He explained about how we should have a designated lavatory spot, and he set down the rules. I’ve seen him set down some rules before, but never like this. If Jack were to hold a meeting like this, it would be about something ludicrous, like hunting, and how I don’t matter. To me, he sounded like he was saying the rules tempestuously.
After all of the rules talk, we started talking about the beastie. I don’t believe in it because it’s scientifically impossible. The littluns are still afraid, and their lamentation is clearly heard at night, but I’m afraid of what Jack would say if I tried to tell them how impossible it is. Then they came up with the theory that it comes out of the water, but how can everyone forget what our parents told us about monsters? Things are getting a little bit out of hand, and maybe they should listen to me a little bit more because me and Ralph are way more intelligent.

Lord of the Flies~Journal Entry #3

Chapter: Order
Ralph’s Journal

I knew we had to get started on our shelters right away. Last night, I got no sleep at all because of the constant sprinkling of the clouds. I can’t believe I didn’t think of it sooner. Today was the day. I went out with Simon with a forgiving attitude. We started building the huts with a lot of people helping. We made little progress besides the crowd of volunteers. Soon, the littluns started going away one by one. I went to go check on Jack’s progress to get away from the huts for a few minutes.
I stumbled into Jack; he looked like a wild creature, even though his outer appearance was just the same as before, although maybe with a little bit more swarthiness. I was almost scared at his appearance and his belligerence, and I knew I had to snap him out of it. So, I told him to come help me build the huts. I don’t know what’s with Jack. I was elected the leader and that is how it will remain. He tested me, and I decided it wasn’t worth the fight. I went back to work with Simon, but he went to go help the littluns I noticed. “Those errant kids!”, I was thinking to myself all through the day. Does no one care that I am the leader?
The next day, I hoped for better. It was better…at first. Piggy and I saw a ship out on the horizon. I jumped with joy, but then I realized the maybe the fire wasn’t going. I looked, expecting the smoke to be so big that you could even see it from a satellite. As soon as I looked, the happiness died and I grew angry. Jack had let the fire go out, even though I trusted him so much. This was why I was leader and he wasn’t. That’s the thought that kept my sanity in check.
I ran to the fire to get it started up again and to make sure it wasn’t still going. Just as I saw the unlit ashes, I heard Jack coming up the mountain singing and happy, just like I was when I saw the boat. Malevolently, I told him that there was a boat, and how he screwed it all up. He kept showing me a dead pig with an officious attitude, and at that point I didn’t care how much my stomach wanted to eat. I knew at that point that everyone was getting out of hand, and that I have to step up as leader, and start acting like an adult. If I didn’t, then we will never be rescued. But how would I take action, and put some order into a bunch of order-less kids? That’s the question I need to solve…soon

Lord of the Flies~Journal Entry #2

Chapter: Responsibility VS. Leader
Jack’s Journal

This morning, I woke up with a feeling of officiousness. I had a feeling we were going to get swept off of this island any minute. I knew we had to send out some signal if an airplane swept over us. We would have to do it soon, and if no one brought anything up about it, forget trying to making the young boys like me. I would have to make a recrimination.
The eagerness I felt this morning must have been felt through the other boys, too. At the meeting we had this morning, Ralph had the same idea I had. I could have been the leader…I should have been the leader. The way to do that would be to make the others fearful of me, just like my own group. It couldn’t be done today, though, because at the meeting Ralph had my same idea, and he knew how to conduct it.
His idea was brilliant, but I still think I should be the leader, or at least take on more responsibility. We started to plan immediately; making a fire on the mountain so the airplane would see it. I would have done a way better job at it because we couldn’t even find firewood. So, knowing that, I decided we would do Plan B: take on more responsibility. I decided to be in charge of the fire and look out for boats and airplanes.
This plan was flawed from the very beginning; not knowing where to find firewood. I knew the plan wouldn’t work, I would have thought of a better idea than that if I were leader. I thought of pinching Piggy’s specks before Ralph did, too. I should be the leader! I went along with the plan anyway because I didn’t have a better idea. I can’t believe I let us go through with it, but at least we have more responsibility now.
At a meeting later on, this shy kid said he saw a “beasty” at night. I believed him all along, and it turned out I was right and Ralph was wrong, once again. I still didn’t say anything, though. I played along, but then I guess the weird looking shy kid disappeared, we all assumed he was out capering in the woods near the fire, and the fire was right where we suspected he was. I knew the idea was flawed all along, I should have said something. I’m always right about that kind of thing, it’s me natural instinct.
I knew I had a martyred expression at the later meeting, and I kind of hoped Ralph would see it. Maybe he would give up his positions for me, even though it was highly unlikely. I still hope he will, and I will still take on more responsibility. I should be the leader.

Lord of the Flies~Journal Entry #1

Chapter #1: A Lot of Confusion
Simon’s Journal

Today was a very interesting day to say the least. After school we were immediately evacuated by airplane. I was with no one I knew, and none of us knew where we were going.
The trip hadn’t lasted very long until something frightening and unusual happened. First, a fat guy with glasses and the same uniform everyone else had on yelled,” LOOK OUT THE WINDOW EVERYBODY!!”
I hate being in airplanes, and I knew this was going to be another unpleasant plane ride by the sound of the fat boys panicked voice. No more airplanes for me after this one, no way. A few seconds after the kid said to look out the window, everyone started screaming. I still hadn’t looked myself. I quickly looked out the window. It made me start screaming, inside, of course. What I saw was the nearly blinding sight of the other half of the plane on fire, and detached from our half. There was so much effulgence in the sight, but at the same time so much panic.
Sooner than I thought there was a big thud. I can’t remember arriving on the island, I can only remember thud. I probably fainted, what’s new? When I woke up a few other kids were staring at me. One of them asked me,” Are you okay?!” I replied,” Yes, I’m fine.” Since none of them knew me, they didn’t know that I faint frequently. Last I remember fainting though was during matins, over a week ago.
We had no idea what to do, until after what only seemed like minutes, we heard this blaring, ugly noise. It was coming from the south side of---what seemed like---an island. We started walking towards it, as decided with the few people I saw. Who knew how many people were on this “island”. We arrived at where the loud noise had come from, not knowing what to do. I started to faint—again!
When I woke up, people were arguing about who should be the leader. I didn’t know either of the nominee’s I guess you would call them, but I got a strong feeling of enormity from the one wearing a tog. I voted for the boy who said his name was Ralph, and felt a sense of communion out of the school boys. It had been a long, exhausting day and who knows what could happen tomorrow.