Object Relations Theory In The Secret Life Of Bees

Family and systems around oneself can impact him or her greatly. In The Secret Life of Bees, the two different family structures, one with a single father and the other with four loving strangers, have impacted Lily, an adolescent, differently. As Lily develops to become more vocal and independent, she goes against the orders by her father who (she believes) never cared for or loved her. Throughout Lily’s life, she unknowingly experienced so many things and learned so many important life lessons- that she is slowly heading towards self-determination where she does not depend on her father anymore. In order to find the past of her mother, Lily leaves the abusive environment of her father’s home with the help of Rosaleen, the housekeeper. Lily

I would strongly lean towards Object relations theory in order to help her. “According to object relations theory, human development takes place within the context of relationships… it is through [Lily’s] relationships with significant people around [her] that [she takes] in parts of other (objects) and slowly build a self-structure” that eventually turns into her personality. At the same time. I will also recognize the impact that her surrounding environments and life experiences at different points of her life have impacted her. Lily has gone through Interpersonal trauma that delayed her development of ego strength that is “to form and maintain healthy relationships” earlier in her life (Lesser & Pope, 2007, pp. 58). Although the positive aspects (as previously noted) could be strengths in Lily’s life and can be used to reform the relationship with her with family therapy or counselling, there are also some signs of distress that indicate a need for intervention. Lily was still emotionally disturbed (although more mature about it than before) by the fact that she accidentally shot and killed her mother when she was four years old (when she faced her father at the end of the book.) She was distressed that she did not really get to know much about her mother