Skip to main content

The Secret Life of Bees - Emery O

Synopsis: Set in the summer of 1964, right after the passing of the Civil Rights Act, The Secret Life of Bees follows Lily Owens as she runs away from her abusive father in hopes of finding out something about her late mother's life, leading her down a long road of self realization and discovery of the world. Through her journey she is forced to expand her point of view, address the issues of racism in her time and the importance of understanding lives other than your own. Lily spends time growing, bonding and healing with the Boatwright sisters, later finding out that her mother had also lived there many years in the past.

Trailer: 


Screenshot #1:


The pink house where Lily goes to seek out information about her late mother's life, and where she meets the Boatwright sisters. The house is revealed to be pink as part of a lesson to Lily. August tells her that she thought it was the "tackiest" color she had ever seen, but "if it'll lift May's heart, then I guess she ought to live in it." Lily responds saying that it was mighty nice of her to sacrifice the color she wanted, to which August replies: "Well, some things don't after that much, Lily. Like the color of a house and whatnot. But liftin' someone's heart- now that matters."

Screenshot #2: 

In this screencap from the trailer, June shown to be arguing with the officers who came to speak with them after Zach's abduction from the movie theater. Zach was abducted for being black and sitting with Lily during the movie. June argues that they know who took him but aren't doing anything about it.


Analysis:

The Secret Life of Bees taking place at the time of the civil rights movement put the racial issues the film discusses into the spotlight, since it was a time where racial tensions were arguable at their peak with many white people being adverse to the Civil Rights Act and being highly prejudiced against black people. The film explores these concepts through Lily's eyes as a young white girl eager to learn and understand more about the world around her and the people she cares about. While it doesn't exactly have a call to action, being set around almost 60 years ago, "The Secret Life of Bees" does emphasize the importance of activism— fighting for your rights as well as the participation in utilizing them once you get them, even in the face of adversity.


Discussion Questions:

 1) How do you think this movie being a coming of age story influences it's overall message?

 2) Although the Civil Rights Act was passed at the very beginning of the film, almost all of the white people that Lily, Rosaleen (her and her father's hoursekeeper, who also ran away with her) and the Boatwrights encounter treat them with hostility. What are a few reasons you think that the Civil Rights Act had little to no effect on the way black people were being treated? 





Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Everything, Everything - Ellie Marmoll

       The film Everything, Everything , based on the novel by Nicola Yoon , follows the life of newly eighteen-year-old Madeline living with a rare autoimmune dis ease that prevents her from leaving the protection of her sealed home in which she is iso lated from the outside world. Maddy is extremely imaginative, especially when Olly moves in next door and her curiosity for life outside of her home grows, causing her to push the boundaries that formerly kept her safe. With the bond that they had formed with their limited contact, the pair fall deeper in love, and over time Olly helps Maddy realize what she has been doing is not really living.   Trailer     The particular scene in this screenshot is the main turning point of the movie where things drastically begin to change. In this scene, Maddy takes a dramatic leap and decides to leave her house to go to Hawaii with Olly. She packed a bag an d purchased the tickets and accommodations,...

If Beale Street Could Talk -Olivia Backes

If Beale Street Could Talk, based on the novel by James Baldwin, is a romance/crime drama that follows a love story between Tish and Fonny as they become expecting parents while Fonny is wrongfully imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit. Audiences watch as their relationship and romance blossom as well as the dynamics of the different relationships and families of Tish and Fonny during this time of racial injustice and ways in which the judicial process failed Black communities on the basis of their rights and freedoms. This is a story about hope, dreams, and resilience. Fonny expresses joy on the street after he and Tish find somewhere to finally call home in Harlem Tish stands in front of Fonny as a shield between him and the police officer who is harassing Fonny for defending Tish after she was attacked in a store by a white man This film is significant because it tells a love story about the hopes and dreams of a young couple and their families who refuse to let their lives be...

PJ Jefferson -- The Hate U Give

T he film "The Hate U Give" is a powerful and thought-provoking drama that follows the life of Starr Carter, a 16-year-old African American girl who finds herself torn between two worlds: the predominantly Black neighborhood where she lives and the predominantly white private school she attends. Based on the best-selling novel by Angie Thomas, this film explores themes of racial identity, social justice, and the enduring power of one's voice. Starr (Amandla Stenberg) is a bright and talented student who code-switches between her school life and her life at home. Her precarious balance is shattered when she witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood friend Khalil (Algee Smith) by a white police officer during a traffic stop. The incident sends shockwaves through her community, igniting protests and making national headlines. This film defines culture simply by showing the “hood” where Starr grew up. They show the interactions she had and show how those interact...