Writingprompts,

TheSecretLifeofBees
,chapters7&8

Chooseoneofthefollowingquotestowriteabout.Yourpiecemaybespecificto
Bees
,
discussinghowthequoteisrelevanttothemesorphilosophiesinthenovel.Italsocanbetotally
unrelatedtothenovel,focusinginsteadontheideabehindthequoteandyourtakeoniteither
fromapersonalstandpointorasanobservationofhowtheworldaroundyouworks.Youmay
alsouseitasastartingplaceforashortcreativepiecethatusesthequoteasitsthemeorpurpose.

1. Yougottaimaginewhatsneverbeen.(p.121)Ireallylikethisquote.Ilikethecontext
ofit,howZachisexplainingthathewantstobealawyerandhowhewantstobeoneof
thefirstblacklawyers.Lilymakesitclearshedoesntbelievethatitcanhappenorthat
hecandoitbecausehesblack.Well,maybenotbecausehesblackbutbecauseshes
neverheardofablacklawyer.Soshedoesntbelieveitcanhappen.Butsheprobably
wouldnthavethoughtshewouldenduplivingwiththreeblackwomeninahotpink
housebecauseshedneverthoughtthatwassomehtingthatpeopledo.ButIreallylike
thisquotebecauseitskindofsayingjustbecauseyouveneverdonesomething,orother
peopledontseeitsomethingasthenormitdoesntmeanyoucantdoit.Like,ifIwere
tocomefromafamilywheremyparentsdidntgotocollegeorsomethingifthatsort.I
dontknow,Ijustreallylikethequote.

2. IntelevisioncommercialsthewomanwhoworkedtheLadyKenmoreworeanevening
gownandseemedtobeenjoyingherself.Mayjustlookedhotandtired.(p.130)I
thinkthisisabouthowthecommercialsalwaysglamourizeeverything,andmakeitseem
likethosewhobuytheproductwillbehappyandsmileyandlovelife.ButmostlyIthink
thatthewomaninthecommercialwillbewhiteandhavethetypicalBettyDraperesque
lifethatpeoplewillthinktheyllhaveiftheybuythatproduct.Imusingtheknowledge
thatMadMenhastaughtme.

3. Icantellyouthismuch:theword[impossibility]isagreatbiglogthrownonthefiresof
love.(p.133)IthinkAugustislikethewisestpersonintheworld.ShessokindtoLily
andIthinkinthisinstanceshestalkingaboutLilyandZach.ButitpertainstoLilyliving
withthem,andLilygettingoutofherhousewithT.Ray.Soshessayingyoushould
alwaysbehopefulorstriveforwhatyouwant.

4. Honeybeesdependnotonlyonphysicalcontactwiththecolony,butalsorequireits
socialcompanionshipandsupport.Isolateahoneybeefromhersistersandshewillsoon
die.(P.136)IthinkthatbeesareasymbolfortheBoatwrightsisters.Theyneedeach
othertobehealthyandhappy,theydependoneachother.AndAugustisobviouslythe
QueenbeebecauseshekindofrunsthefarmbutshedependsonJuneandMaytohelp
thingsrunsmoothlyandtheymakeherhappy.SoIminterestedtoseewhathappenswith
JuneandAugustnowthatMaydied.Whichwassosad,andIalmostcantbelieveit
happened.IthinkthattensionwillrisewithJuneandLily,maybe.

5. Itgavemeashockedfeeling,likemaybeIhadnoideawhatkindofworldIwaslivingin.
(p.142)
IthinkthisiswhenLilylearnsaboutAugustspastormaybethatMaystwincommittedsuicide/
ButthisispartofLilyscomingofagemoments.Eachtimesherealizessomethingorhearsor
learnsanewthingabouttheBoatwrightsistersherlifechangesmoreandmore.Idontthinkshe
hadevenreallythoughtabouthowdifferentherlifewasgoingtobewhenshestartedlivingwith
them,becauseoftheirtraditionsandpasts.n

6. [BigMama]likedtotelleverybodythatwomenmadethebestbeekeepers,causethey
haveaspecialabilitybuiltintothemtolovecreaturesthatsting.(p.143)Ithinkthisis
regardinghowwomeninthistimeperiod,previoslyandafterwereexpectedtobenice
andpoliteandsmileandsayyes,nomatterhowtheyweretreated.Itskindofcynical,
butIthinkitmakessenseanditfitsAugustspersonalityverywell.

7. Ifyouhavetherightkindofearsyoucanhearsilentthingsontheothersideofthe
everydayworldthatnobodyelsecan.(p.144)Thisistalkingabouthowifyourequiet
andobservantyoullpickuponnonverbalwaysofcommunicationordifferentdynamics
thatwillmakeyoumoreawareofothersthanyourpeers.

8. Idecidedagainstmarryingaltogether.Therewereenoughrestrictionsinmylifewithout
someoneexpectingmetowaitonhimhandandfoot.NotthatImagainstmarrying,
Lily.Imjustagainsthowitssetup.(p.145)Augustisjustindependentanddoesstuff
forherselfwithoutworryinghowothersviewher.Thisquotesaysalotabouther
characterandhowstrongsheisandwhatshebelievesin.Sheisntapologeticfornot
marrying,andshesperfectlycontentwithherlifeasitis.

9. Thehardestthingonearthischoosingwhatmatters.(p.147)Youcantchoose
everythingthatyoucareabouttodedicateallyourtimeto.itwouldbeniceifyoucould,
butthatsnothowlifeworks.AndIthinkthisisAugustexplainingthattoLily.AUgust
chosewhatmatterstoher,whichmightnothavebeenaneasydecision.Shechosebee
keepingandtakingcareofhersisters.ForLily,itshardtoimagineAugustinadifferent
typeoflivingsituation.SoIthinkthisispromptingheroratleastcouldrelatetoAugust
promptingLilytonotworryaboutherfatherorwhatheisdoing.