Feminist Literature

The Secret Life of Bees Sue Monk Kidd

“Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?”Joyce Carol Oates

Presentation by: Lisa Kolstad, Alexandra Nunnally, Jenna Brehmer, Kim Veale

Timeline of Feminist Literature

Feminine phase (1840–1880)

Feminist phase (1880–1920)

Female phase (1920—present )

Important Figures in Feminist Literature

Louisa May Alcott (“Little Women”)

Maya Angelou (“I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings”)

Simone de Beauvoir (“She Came to Stay”)

Determination

Goes hand-in-hand with Women’s Rights

The feminist literature authors describe strong-willed women who are fighting for what they want.

Equality/ “Gynocritics”Construct a female framework for the analysis of women’s literature

Develop new models based on the study of female experience

Begins at the point when women free themselves from the linear absolutes of male literary history, stop trying to fit women between the lines of the male tradition, and focus instead on the newly visible world of female culture

Women as the Main Character, Men as the Minor Character

The male is portrayed as bad or against what the women are doing, even setting them back, or they are all together left out of the story

Women are portrayed as the highlight of the plot, and usually come out successful in the end

Gender/ Sexuality/ Women’s Rights

Modern Feminist political activists commonly campaign for women’s rights

Workplace rights such as maternity leave and equal pay

Protection against street harassment, rape, sexual harassment and violence within a domestic partnership

The Secret Life of Beesby: Sue Monk Kidd

Characters

Lily Owens - 14 year old girl who loves beesRosaleen - Lily’s nanny. One person who truly cares and love Lily.T-ray Owens- Lily’s dad who abuses her.Deborah- Lily’s mother who died when she was youngZack Taylor - black boy who Lily likesAugust, June, and May Boatwright- sisters who take in Lily and Rosaleen

Summary

In her room Lily has flashbacks of her mothers death while looking at the bees.Lily goes with Rosaleen to vote. They both end up in jail because the white men harassed them.T-ray bails Lily out and find that the men will probably kill Rosaleen. At home, Lily decides to run away. She escapes Rosaline out of the hospital and they head to Tiburon.At their stop they see a pink house. Lily makes up a story and they are invited to stay.

They learn about the sisters and how they are called, “Daughters of Mary,” and who worship a statue of the Black Mary.

Lily meets a black boy, Zack who she has a crush on, and he buys her a notebook.

After awhile, T-ray find Lily due to a phone call, and he comes to the house.

At the house Lily stands up for herself and tells T-ray she is independent and will not go with him.

He leaves and she calls him “Daddy.”» The End

Criticism 1

New York Timesreviewer -Adam Mazmanian -31 03 2002"Lily is a wonderfully petulant and self-absorbed adolescent, and Kidd deftly portrays her sense of injustice as it expands to accommodate broader social evils. At the same time, the political aspects of Lily's growth never threaten to overwhelm the personal. The core of this story is Lily's search for a mother, and she finds one in a place she never expected. August and her sisters, June and May, are no mere vehicles for Lily's salvation; they are individuals as fully imagined as the sweltering, kudzu-carpeted landscape that surrounds them. "

Criticism 2

“You’ll want to tear thought he pages. Restrain yourself. The beautiful language and seamless unfolding of this well-written story deserve more. It merits sweet time and savoring.” -Southern Living“A powerful story…Kidd’s writing is sharp and descriptive. Before the first chapter had ended, I had recoiled, I had cried and I had laughed. I was also entranced, and knew I had to make the journey with Lily, her endearing caretaker Rosaleen and the marvelous Calendar sisters….Let us hope that Kidd has more stores to tell.” – The State (Columbia, South Carolina)

Brief BiographyHer father was a creative storyteller, and as a child she loved to listen to him. This greatly influenced her later life as she inherited his flair for weaving a tale, a flair which was noticed by her English teachers in school. At age 15, she read “Walden” by Thoreau which outlined the course of her writing career which she was inspired by.In 1970 she graduated from college she became a nurse, got married, had two children It was not until she was nearly thirty that she was able to return to her first love, writing.Her first published work was a personal essay submitted to Guideposts Magazine and then reprinted in Readers Digest. After submitting regularly to Guideposts for a time, she became a Contributing Editor, publishing several hundred articles.1st novel written: The Secret Life of Bees1st book: “God’s Joyful Surprise," published in 1988. 2nd book: “When the Heart Waits,” published in 1990. As she learned more about feminist theology, the book “The Dance of the Dissident Daughter” was released, causing some fervor in religious circles.

Themes

Individual vs. Society

Growth of Women

Individual vs. Society

Lily encounters racism in her societyFather

Police

Lily overcomes racism by living with August and her sisters

Lily supports Zach as he enters a primarily white high school

Individual vs. Society in Past Readings

Hester Prynne is forced into isolationHas different feelings on life’s importance

Hester refuses to conform

Hester accepts and tolerates people She does not judge them

Growth of Women

In the beginning, Lily accepts the abuse from her father

Rebels by running awayInspired by her mother’s picture

Learns to grow and be independent from August and the sisters

Growth of Women in Past Readings

In “The Yellow Wallpaper” the wife is taken into a secluded area without any say

Forced to only stay inside her roomRestricted of guests

Her true self comes outShe can no longer conform to what is normal and people’s expectationsHer restriction as a woman is gone

Key Elements in Short Story

Equality“[June] was so plain and chunky and steady that Connie had to hear her praised all the time by her mother and her mother’s sisters. June did this, June did that… and Connie couldn’t do a thing, her mind was all filled with trashy daydreams” (page 1 third paragraph)

Women as the main characters, men as the minor characters

“Their father was away at work most of the time and when he came home he wanted supper and he read the newspaper at supper and after supper he went to bed. He didn’t bother talking much to them…” (page 1 third paragraph)

Gender/ Sexuality/ Women’s Rights“Yes, I am your lover. You don’t know what that is but you will… I know that too. I know all about you. But look: it’s real nice and you couldn’t ask for nobody better than me, or more polite. I always keep my word. I’ll tell you how it is, I’m always nice at first, the first time. I’ll hold you so tight you won’t think you have to try to get away or pretend anything because you’ll know you can’t. And I’ll come inside you where it’s all secret and you’ll give in to me and you’ll love me—” (page 8-9 tenth and first paragraph)