Mary Day Mary Day is a two-day celebration commemorating the Assumption of Mary. In the Boatwright house, this celebration involves much cooking, baking, and decorating. The story of Our Lady of Chains is reenacted. Mary's cake Mary's cake is a traditional baked good made with honey and eaten on Mary's Day. Those present at the celebration feed each other the cake. Our Lady of Chains Our Lady of Chains is an effigy of the Virgin Mary that the Boatwrights own. The statue is large and projects Mary in a position of strength with a fist in the air. Mary is portrayed as a black woman, which is an image the Boatwrights relate to. The story behind the statue is that it broke through the chains. Our Lady of Chains and Mary are often used interchangeably in the novel. Settling tank In the settling tank, the honey is heated to about 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Snuff Snuff is tobacco that is breathed in through the nose. Rosaleen uses snuff throughout the novel, and Lily at one point steals a can of snuff for her. Spinner The spinner is a machine that separates out the good parts of the honey from the bad. August says she wishes such a machine could exist for people. Supers Supers are the trays of honeycombs made by the bees. Each tray is sealed by a layer of beeswax. These are what are harvested to create the honey.
11. The bee quote at the start of the chapter talks about how to find the queen. Why is this appropriate for this chapter? The Secret Life of Bees: Written by Sue Monk Kid Study Guide: Chapter Four Important terms to know: mute – unable to speak portal – a doorway feeble – weak simultaneously – at the same time precisely – exactly corrugated – ridged pathetic – sad flounced – walk angrily cultured –polite and civilized kin – relatives sweltering – very hot paranoid – crazy meander – wander Vocabulary: Identify the part of speech for each of the words and write the definition in YOUR own words. TERM P.O.S. Word in context Definition Suspicious “Her face stared at us, suspicious and stern.” (p. 68) Prejudice “August is so intelligent, so cultured, and I was surprised by this. That’s what let me know I had some prejudice buried inside me.” (p. 78) Refugee “Because I just want to be normal for a little while – not a refugee girl looking for her mother, but a regular girl paying a
The Secret Life of Bees: Written by Sue Monk Kid Study Guide: Chapter Ten Important to know: saturated – soaked through concoct – to create vigil – time to watch evaporated – dried up ritual – ceremony mourning – time to miss someone who has died ensure – to make certain carcass – dead body catacombs – caves where people hid resurrected – raised from the dead spectacular – amazing manna – food from heaven
12. What sentence describes the change Lily sees in Zach? 13. Interpret Lily’s description of blame: “…the blame would find a way to stick to them. That’s how blame was.” (Pg. 204) 14. What do August and Zach and Lily do to the hives and why? 15. What is the secret thing which causes Lily’s gladness? 16. What does Lily is “a better plan” for blacks and whites to get along? (Pg. 209) How is this somewhat contradictory to her next observation? 17. What does August say May meant for June to do when she said, “Don’t mess it up”? (Pg. 210) 18. What does Lily say is the “oldest sound”? (Pg. 213)
psychiatric – mental peculiar – very strange commissioned – the job plaited – braided full-blown – complete eighth wonder – one of the amazing things demoralized – spiritless melancholy – very sad lamenting – mourning unfertilized – unable to reproduce drone – worker ho-hum – casual immobilized – motionless skittish – uneasy nauseating – sickening voodoo – involuntarily – unintentionally trolling – fishing apprentice – assistant learning the job forfeited – given up absurdities – strange things French Provincial – style of furniture crocheted – made with needlework ignoramuses – idiots Comprehension Questions 1. What is the simile Lily uses to describe her heart? 2. What does Lily believe people would rather die than do? 3. What does Lily find under her cot?