Text of Finding Yourself The Secret Life of Bees, The Color Purple, and The Bell Jar
Slide 1
Finding Yourself The Secret Life of Bees, The Color Purple, and
The Bell Jar
Slide 2
Sue Monk Kidd Born in Sylvester, Georgia, in 1948 Majored in
nursing Inspired by Thoureaus Walden and Kate Chopins The Awakening
Enrolled in a writing class after she was married Started out as a
non-fiction writer but changed to fiction when she wrote The Secret
Life of Bees in 2002 Used the power and spirituality of women in
many of her novels
Slide 3
The Secret Life of Bees 14 year old, Lilly Owens, goes on a
search to find out about her mother and in reality herself Themes
Feminine power is represented by four black women: Rosealeen Daise
August Boatwright June Boatwright May Boatwright Controversy of
black and white Dates someone of a different race Maturity Stands
up to her father Grows mature enough to forgive her mother
Slide 4
Events Lilly runs away to find out about her mother Gains
courage and independence Symbols Use bee keeping as an example to
teach Lilly about love, sisterhood, and independence ''Let's
imagine for the moment that we are tiny enough to follow a bee into
a hive. Usually the first thing we would have to get used to is the
darkness... -Exploring the World of Social Insects
Slide 5
Sunflower and Bees Ginette Fine Art LLC http://www.youtube.co
m/watch?v=vig6vCfXM3k http://www.youtube.co
m/watch?v=vig6vCfXM3k
Slide 6
Alice Walker Born in Eatonton, Georgia in 1944 Youngest of
eight children Parents believed education was very important; went
to school and college Worked as a teacher, social worker, and
lecturer An accomplished poet and essayist but best known for her
novels Won the Pulitzer prize for The Color Purple Don't wait
around for other people to be happy for you. Any happiness you get
you've got to make yourself. Alice Walker
Slide 7
The Color Purple Celie is abused and undermined by her
stepfather and husband Epistolary novel Dear God Letters to Nettie
in Africa Themes The effect of rape and abuse Dear God, I am
fourteen years old. I have always been a good girl. Maybe you can
give me a sign letting me know what is happening to me Celie "You
better not tell nobody but God. It'd kill your mammy" - Alphonso
Strong Women Shug Sofia
Slide 8
Events Celie has to find the courage to stand up to her
stepfather and husband Celie takes what she learns about
independence and passes it on to Squeak Symbols The letters from
Nettie is what keeps her alive and her hopes up Celie making pants
Form of independence
Slide 9
By Golden Pear Art http://thegoldenpear.wordpress.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsoHqApn_4E
Slide 10
Sylvia Plath Born in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, in 1932 Was
a perfect student and won a scholarship to Smith College and
internship to work in New York Wrote 400 poems while at Smith Wrote
an autobiography of her life, The Bell Jar, in 1963 Committed
suicide at the age of thirty
Slide 11
The Bell Jar Esther Greenwood is a unhappy young women living
the life during the 1950s Themes The uncertainty of what her life
is and what it should be drives her crazy Misconception Esther
seems to have everything Men push her further away Buddy Willard
Doctor Gordon Events Wants to become writer Doesnt achieve the goal
of finding herself Tries to commit suicide many times Lives in a
mental home
Slide 12
Symbols The bell jar Represents the minuteness of her life
Feels like shes trapped inside sour air Perfection Envies Doreen
for being perfect
Slide 13
Untitled
Slide 14
Finding Themselves The Secret Life of Bees Lilly runs away to
find out about her mother Uses the strong, feminine power of the
Boatwright sisters to gain independence The Color Purple Abused and
undermined by her step father and Mr. ____ Shug is the role model
that encourages Celie Celie in return helps Squeak The Bell Jar
Didnt achieve the goal of finding yourself The searching drove her
insane
Slide 15
The protagonist of Secret Life and Color Purple both accomplish
their goal They both use the feminine power around them The Bell
Jar doesnt accomplish this goal The first two characters come from
abused families and Esther comes from a good family Similarities
and Differences
Slide 16
Bibliography "Sunflowers & Bees Watercolor Painting by
Ginette." Art Prints by Ginette Fine Art LLC. 2012. Web. 18 May
2012..Flanagan, Mark. "Sue Monk Kidd." About.com Contemporary
Literature. 2012. Web. 18 May 2012.. No One, but Me | The Secret
Life of Bees. 2010. Slide program. Youtube. 13 Aug. 2010. Web. 5
May 2012.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vig6vCfXM3k The Color
Purple - Best Scene. Dir. Stephen Spielberg. Youtube. 13 Dec. 2007.
Web. 5 May 2012.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsoHqApn_4E "Alice
Walker Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television. Web. 18
May 2012.. http://www.biography.com/people/alice-walker- 9521939
"Alice Walker Quotes." BrainyQuote. Xplore. Web. 18 May 2012..
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/a/alice_walker.html
"Memorable Quotes for the Color Purple." IMDb. IMDb.com. Web. 18
May 2012.. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088939/quotes "Biography of
Sylvia Plath." Sylvia Plath. Web. 5 May 2012..
http://www.poemhunter.com/sylvia-plath/biography/ Arriola, Drew.
"Sylvia Plath Reads "The Stones"" YouTube. YouTube, 10 May 2008.
Web. 18 May 2012.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUpZQMeHumw
"Google Images." Google Images. Web. 18 May 2012..(picture of
sunflower, sleeping woman, and bell
jar)http://images.google.com/