Secret Life of Bees. Revised Essay.

Aubree Mendez

English 70

08 September 2012

Why Can't this Love be Socially Accepted?

            "Maybe it was a simple matter of being attracted to what I couldn't have." Why can't a love be love? Through the eyes of Lily, she sees African Americans as uneducated and incapable of doing the things a white person can do. In the novel Lily’s love for Rosaleen, the Boatwright’s and Zach are questioned. Why can’t this love be socially accepted? Lily sees that society treats African Americans differently and does not seem to realize that during that particular time period, it was unacceptable to love someone or people that are no the same race. Throughout the novel, Lily has grown to understanding the terrible nature of prejudice. However, as she grows, her love for Rosaleen, Zach, August, May and June become more than just loves.

            In the novel, Zach and Lily have a relationship that begins as a friendship and slowly cultivates into one of a more romantic nature. Initially, Lily meets Zach and is surprised that she is attracted to him, because prior to this moment black people were unattractive in her eyes. "If he was shocked over me being white, I was shocked over him being handsome. At my school they made fun of colored people’s lips and noses. I myself had laughed at these jokes, hoping to fit in. Now I wished I could pen a letter to my school to read at opening assembly that would tell them how wrong we'd all been" (116). As her attraction to Zach gradually grows, she struggles with the thought of having a relationship with him. "It seems like I was now thinking of Zach forty minutes out of every hour, Zach, who was an impossibility. That's what I told myself five hundred times: Impossibility" (133). As the novel continues, Lily realizes that regardless of what she tries to tell herself, she cannot prevent herself from loving Zach. Zach wants to create a world where whites and black will be socially accepted, particularly in a romantic manner. He says, "We can't think of changing our skin…Change the world, that's how we gotta think" (216) Lily sees that there is so much more than just skin color, Zach demonstrates to Lily that he is good, kind and loving and distinguishes that the world is not only filled with fraudulent and judgmental people, but with people that have faith and love and want change.

            In The Secret Life of Bees, Lily has a close nit relationship with Rosaleen, her black housekeeper. Even then she does not consider white and black people to be equal. In the beginning of the novel, Lily does not accept to reconcile her love for Rosaleen with her understanding that blacks are inferior to whites. However, when Rosaleen’s life is threatened by a system that Lily cannot comprehend, nor agree with, she realizes her next step; she must save Rosaleen’s life. She understands that she must conquer extreme measures to protect Rosaleen’s safety, for she has an abundance of love for her and Lily would never want her safety being jeopardized. Lily and Rosaleen’s love for each other is endless. Although Rosaleen is African American, she sees Lily as her very own daughter. She promises to stay by Lily's side no matter what she encounters.

            Lily’s feelings begin to adjust when she meets the Boatwright’s. The Boatwright’s are portrayed as strong back women with a profession, an education and a religious community that is strong and positive. Her perception of black people has changed because of how intelligent and strong the sisters were. Throughout her time spent with the Boatwright’s, I do believe that Lily has seen the true side of love, a love for them that has never been distinguished by her before, a love for them that will never fade.

            I believe that through Lily's stay at the Boatwright’s her heart has been forever altered. Zach also had a significant impact on Lily, causing her to realize it is not about skin color, but about who you truly are. He taught her to listen to her heart. It should not be a matter of your skin color, or how society portrays people. If it is wrong in the eyes of the public, but it is right in your heart, that is all that matters. There should never be boundaries when loving someone of a different race. One should never be judged when loving. Lily soon discovers that love is limitless.