Interracial Relationships In The Secret Life Of Bees

A New Family: Interracial Relationships and Religion in The Secret Life of Bees
In such a diverse world where different races come together and interact, the early 1960s reveal society’s surprised reaction to these relationships. Interracial relationships are strongly frowned upon during this time, almost as if they are illegal. Fortunately, over time, people begin to accept those with different backgrounds and can easily communicate with each other. Hardships are still present today, but society in moving in a better direction. Also, society is turning more towards religion as guidance and strength to move along in life. Sue Kidd Monk prove these views and incorporates her own perspective of society. In her novel, The Secret Life of Bees, Sue Monk Kidd reveals the complexity and

Lily has the strongest relationship with Rosaleen, in which she describes her:
She had a big round face and a body that sloped out from her neck like a pup tent, and she was so black that night seemed to seep from her skin. She lived alone in a little house tucked back in the woods, not so far from us, and came every day to cook, clean, and be my stand-in mother. Rosaleen have never had a child herself, so for the last ten years I’d been her guinea pig. (Kidd 2)
The readers can visualize Rosaleen’s physical appearance through Lily’s description, which represents that she is a colored woman. Within Rosaleen and Lily’s relationship, they benefit from one another. Rosaleen takes care of Lily as if she were her own, true daughter. Rosaleen gets the opportunity to be able to protect and love someone other than herself. For Lily, since her mother is absent, Rosaleen is her new guardian. Lily barely knew her own mother, and T. Ray, her father, abuses her and could care less. Lily gets to experience the parent-child love from Rosaleen. Kidd asserts that the interaction between different races can lead to loving