Book Project Central Idea

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

"The Secret Life of Bees" is the story about a young girl and her struggles in life during a time of harsh prejudice. I think the central idea of this book is that your family isn't just the people you are genetically connected with, its also the people you love and that you care for. This is the central idea because this whole book was bout Lily and her quest to find love, especially maternal love. She feels this longing for kindness because her mother died when she was 4 years old and her father is an abusive man. Even though her housecleaner, Rosaleen, shows her she cares sometimes, it isn't enough. When Lily meets the Boatwright sisters, she feels the love and tenderness she has been searching for. She imediately forms a connection with August Boatwright.  August acts as a mother figure to Lily. Although the other Boatwright sisters take their time to warm up to Lily, in the end they are all practically family. Kidd develops this idea throughout the book by constantly reminding the reader of how Lily yearns for an actually family, specifically a mother. We finally realize that Lily has found a family when she settles down with the Boatwright sisters. In conclusion, "The Secret Life of Bees" informs us that your family is all the people that you love and  care about no matter what happens.