The Secret Life of Bees

By Sue Monk Kidd

English 11

Learning Activity Packet

The Secret Life of Bees

What Matters Most Unit

Essential Questions

Do the attributes of a hero remain the same over time?

When does a positive personality trait become a tragic flaw?

What is the role of a hero or “sheroe” (coined by Maya Angelou) in a culture?

How do various cultures reward/recognize their heroes and sheroes?

Why is it important for people and cultures to construct narratives about their experience?

What is the relevance of studying multicultural texts?

How does the media shape our view of the world and ourselves?

In a culture where we are bombarded with other people trying to define us, how do we make

decisions for ourselves?

Secret Life of Bees

Objectives and Standards for this unit:

Students will know how to read the fiction piece at a rate that they

can analyze information, issues and ideas.

Students will know how to identify the elements of style in a text

Students will compare their ideas, values, and perspectives to

those in the novel

Students will demonstrate an understanding of information, ideas,

themes, issues and symbols in the text

Students will know how to extrapolate themes through inference.

Students will know how to extrapolate symbolism by examining connotative words and motifs

Students will demonstrate effective communication through oral presentation and Socratic

seminar

Students will recognize use of theme and symbolism as presented in cinematography

Vocabulary terms Review:

Diction

Concrete nouns

Symbol

Connotation

Denotation Formal and informal- standard English

Abstract nouns

Personification

Dialogue

Metaphor

Simile

Point of view

First person narrative

Narrative essay

Research-based presentation

Historical context

Motif Tone

Setting

Work cited

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Reading Schedule:

Thursday, 9/ 4 Introducing novel-Jim crow Laws Books out-read chapters 1-3

Lesson one –The times are changing

Friday, 9/5 Learning Packets- how do they work? Lesson two-Civil Rights

Monday, 9/8 About the Author

Read - chapters 1-3 Quiz Wednesday

Tuesday, 9/9 Formal vs. informal Standard English

Wednesday, 9/10 Quiz chapters 1-3

Lesson Three

Remember the Titans

Read Chapters 4-5

Thursday, 9/ 11 Vocabulary terms

Complete Remember the Titans

Jim Crow-Laws – Lesson 4

Friday, 9/ 12 Quiz chapters 4-5

Read Chapters 6-9

What is Socratic seminar?

Lesson 5-

Monday, 9/15 Quiz 6-9

How to prepare for Socratic seminar

Quotations and meaning – lesson 6

Tuesday, 9/16 Citing MLA-style vs. ACT style

Wednesday, 9/17 Read chapter 10-11

Emerging Characters in the novel

Lesson 7 and Lesson 8

Thursday, 9/ 18 Collage and biopoem presentations

Vocabulary Review

Personal Writing -Project explained

Friday, 9/ 19 Read chapters 10 -11

Mini Research activity

Lesson 11 – Complete for Monday-may use on test

Finish reading novel

Monday, 9/22 Quiz on chapters 10-11 Socratic seminar - what is it? (Review)

Test on literary terms – hand in lesson 10 after test

Lesson 10 (optional for extra credit) presentations

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Tuesday, 9/23 Mini research due-presentations optional

Editing activity-formal, Standard English

Wednesday 9/24 Real to Reel activity-Lesson 12

Thursday 9/25 Socratic seminar (presented)

Hand in Socratic seminar question responses (individual)

Complete group packet work Real to Reel activity

Friday 9/ 26 Present Real to Real

Timed writing

Wednesday 9/29 Extended definition due

Socratic Seminar:

Prepare for Socratic seminar by reviewing the following questions. Cite evidence for at least

five of the questions below. Remember to cite with page and paragraph numbers. Write two

level two and two level three questions to present during seminar. You will be expected to

submit the pre-seminar worksheet immediately following your participation.

1. Were you surprised to learn that T. Ray used to be different, that once he truly loved Deborah?

2. How do you think Deborah's leaving affected him?

3. Did it shed any light on why T. Ray was so cruel and abusive to Lily?

4. Had you ever heard of "kneeling on grits"? What qualities did Lily have that allowed her to

survive, endure, and eventually thrive, despite T. Ray?

5. Who is the queen bee in this story?

6. Lily's relationship to her dead mother was complex, ranging from guilt to idealization, to hatred, to acceptance. What happens to a daughter when she discovers her mother once abandoned her? Is Lily right—would people generally rather die than forgive? Was it harder for Lily to forgive her mother or herself?

7. Lily grew up without her mother, but in the end she finds a house full of them. Have you ever had a mother figure in your life who wasn't your true mother? Have you ever had to leave home to find home?

8. What compelled Rosaleen to spit on the three men's shoes? What does it take for a person to stand up with conviction against brutalizing injustice? What did you like best about Rosaleen?

9. Had you ever heard of the Black Madonna? What do you think of the story surrounding the Black Madonna in the novel?

10. How would the story be different if it had been a picture of a white Virgin Mary? Do you know women whose lives have been deepened or enriched by a connection to an empowering Divine Mother?

11. Why is it important that women come together? What did you think of the "Calendar Sisters" and the Daughters of Mary? How did being in the company of this circle of females transform Lily?

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12. May built a wailing wall to help her come to terms with the pain she felt. Even though we don't have May's condition, do we also need "rituals," like wailing walls, to help us deal with our grief and suffering?

13. How would you describe Lily and Zach's relationship? What drew them together? Did you root for them to be together?

14. Project into the future. Does Lily ever see her father again? Does she become a beekeeper? A writer? What happens to Rosaleen? What happens to Lily and Zach? Who would Zach be today?

Add your own thoughtful questions:

Two Level Two Questions:

1. _________________________________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________________________________

Two Level Three Questions:

1. _________________________________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________________________________

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LESSON 1: ‘The Times They Are A-Changin’

FOCUS: Setting the stage for novel

WHAT’S ON FOR TODAY AND WHY?: Monk Kidd deliberately sets the story in a very

tumultuous period of American history; as a result, readers need some knowledge of basic terms

and events to fully appreciate this novel. This lesson will provide you with a historical context in

which to place this story.

You will gain a deeper appreciation for the actions and events that occur within The Secret Life

of Bees by being introduced to the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s. The activities in today’s

lesson will strengthen your understanding of the social, political and historical context in which

this novel is set by examining a primary document (Bob Dylans’ song, written in 1964) from this

time.

WHAT TO DO:

1. As a group, brainstorm images, words, expressions and events that come to mind when

reflecting on the 1960s. The writer needs to list them and the speaker will share.

2. You will be asked to think particularly about the music of 1960’s. Artists and songs

brainstormed will also need to be recorded. Why could knowing the popular music of a

specific time help us better understand the social and political climate of that time?

Brainstorm contemporary examples to better understand this connection.

3. What do you know about the Civil Rights Movement? What have you learned in history

classes?

4. You will take turns reading the lines to Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are A-Changin". Each

student will read aloud one line, going around the classroom until every line has been

read. We will then listen to the recording of the song together. This will introduce the

era, and to familiarize you with the idea of "protest" songs and common characteristics

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found in such songs.

5. You will discuss the main themes and attitudes that are expressed, and will be pushed to pose

and answer the questions: Why would this song become an anthem of the Civil Rights

Movement, as we presently understand it (which is to say, with little historical background)?

What is the singer telling us, the listeners? What does the song tell us about what the artist has

witnessed or experienced? While discussing the song, we will review the rhetorical and literary

concepts of tone, style and audience, and apply these terms to Dylan’s work.

Homework:

Write a ½ to 1 page response to the following question:

Can a song written in response to a specific event transcend time and place and have a lasting

appeal? Do Dylan’s lyrics have any meaning today? Can you draw any comparisons between

what we discussed today, the overall tone of the Civil Rights Movement, and the tone of Dylan’s

song?

The Times They Are A-Changin’

by Bob Dylan

Come gather 'round people

Wherever you roam

And admit that the waters

Around you have grown

And accept it that soon

You'll be drenched to the bone.

If your time to you

Is worth savin'

Then you better start swimmin'

Or you'll sink like a stone

For the times they are a-changin'.

Come writers and critics

Who prophesize with your pen

And keep your eyes wide

The chance won't come again

And don't speak too soon

For the wheel's still in spin

And there's no tellin' who

That it's namin'.

For the loser now

Will be later to win

For the times they are a-changin'.

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Come senators, congressmen

Please heed the call

Don't stand in the doorway

Don't block up the hall

For he that gets hurt

Will be he who has stalled

There's a battle outside

And it is ragin'.

It'll soon shake your windows

And rattle your walls

For the times they are a-changin'.

Come mothers and fathers

Throughout the land

And don't criticize

What you can't understand

Your sons and your daughters

Are beyond your command

Your old road is

Rapidly agin'.

Please get out of the new one

If you can't lend your hand

For the times they are a-changin'.

The line it is drawn

The curse it is cast

The slow one now

Will later be fast

As the present now

Will later be past

The order is

Rapidly fadin'.

And the first one now

Will later be last

For the times they are a-changin'.

LESSON 2: A Discussion of Civil Rights

FOCUS: Setting the stage for novel

WHAT IS GOING TODAY AND WHY: You will be able to define civil rights and will be able

to give several examples of civil rights. You will study the Civil Rights Act of 1960 to understand

that the major purpose of civil rights is to guarantee fair treatment to all citizens without

distinction to one’s race, creed, color or sex. You will further your study of the political climate

of the 1960’s. This novel is set in 1964, the year the Civil Rights Act was passed, which

contributes a great deal to the story. The fact that the Civil Rights Act attempted to deal with the

problem of African Americans being denied the vote in the south is discussed in the novel

through the character of Rosaleen. Understanding the turmoil that was surrounding race

relations at this time will help you better appreciate the plight of the main characters in this

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novel.

WHAT TO DO:

1. As a group, define the term ‘civil rights’. Then, please specify civil rights that U.S. citizens are

granted.

2. There are many types of civil rights, and that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is an example of an

act passed by Congress to guarantee certain civil rights. Read this Act and then specify the civil

rights guaranteed in these amendments.

3. In groups, you will also comment on the following John F. Kennedy quote :

The Negro baby born in America today, regardless of the section of the nation in which he

is born, has about one-half as much chance of completing high school as a white baby born in the

same place on the same day; one third as much chance of completing college; one third as much

chance of becoming a professional man; twice as much chance of becoming unemployed; about

one-seventh as much chance of earning $10,000 a year; a life expectancy which is seven years

shorter; and the prospects of earning only half as much.

We preach freedom around the world, and we mean it. And we cherish our freedom here at

home. But are we to say to the world - and much more importantly to each other - that this is the

land of the free, except for the Negroes; that we have no second-class citizens, except Negroes;

that we no class or caste system, no ghettos, no master race, except with respect to Negroes.

(June 11, 1963)

Use the space provided and respond: Does this quotation enable you to better understand what

life was like at this time? Is it still true today?

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13th Amendment Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude except as a punishment for crime where of the party

shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the U.S. (Outlaws Slavery)

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Civil Rights Act

Major Features Title I: Barred unequal application of voter registration requirements, but did not

abolish literacy tests sometimes used to disqualify African Americans and poor

white voters.

Title II: Outlawed discrimination in hotels, motels, restaurants, theaters, and all

other public accommodations engaged in interstate commerce; exempted private

clubs without defining "private," thereby allowing a loophole.

Title III: Encouraged the desegregation of public schools and authorized the U. S.

Attorney General to file suits to force desegregation, but did not authorize busing as

a means to overcome segregation based on residence.

Title IV: Authorized but did not require withdrawal of federal funds from programs

which practiced discrimination.

Title V: Outlawed discrimination in employment in any business exceeding twenty

five people and creates an Equal Employment Opportunities Commission to review

complaints, although it lacked meaningful enforcement powers.

NOTE: The text of the entire act is posted at http://usinfo.state.gov/usa/infousa/laws/majorlaw/civilr19.htm

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14th Amendment

All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are

citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce

any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor

shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty or property without due process of law, nor

deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the law.

LESSON 3: Dream Speech

Today we will listen to a segment of Martin Luther King’s famous speech. As you watch

and listen follow along using the script below. Underline the use of repetition to add

rhythm. Also imagine you are Rosaleen as she hears this speech for the first time. How

do the stylistic techniques of repetition, parallelism, and allusion enhance the content of

speech?

Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends. And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is

a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal." I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not

be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today! I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" -- one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

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I have a dream today! I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made

straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."² This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray

together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day. And this will be the day -- this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning:

My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.

Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride,

From every mountainside, let freedom ring! And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.

And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.

Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania. Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado. Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.

But not only that:

Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.

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Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee. Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.

From every mountainside, let freedom ring. And when this happens, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:

Free at last! Free at last!

Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!³

² Isaiah 40:4-5 (King James Version of the Holy Bible). Quotation marks are excluded from part of this moment in the text because King's rendering of Isaiah 40:4 does not precisely follow the KJV version from which he quotes (e.g., "hill" and "mountain" are reversed in the KJV). King's rendering of Isaiah 40:5, however, is precisely quoted from the KJV. ³ At: http://www.negrospirituals.com/news-song/free_at_last_from.htm Video Source: Linked directly to: http://www.earthstation1.com/ Also in this database: Martin Luther King, Jr: A Time to Break Silence External Link: http://www.mlkmemorial.org/ External Link: http://www.thekingcenter.org/

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkihaveadream.htm

* Underline several examples of repetition.

* Find at least two examples of parallelism and star them.

* Circle at least three examples of allusion.

* In the space below, write a response to this speech as Rosaleen.

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Joseph Holloway:

Jim Crow Laws I was nine years old and the year was 1961. It was summer and time to start our journey from Los Angeles to Louisiana. My great grandmother, Cornelia Hadnot, was 106 and dying from cancer. My Los Angeles family wanted to see her one more time. It was also time to introduce us youngsters (me, and my cousins Robert, Gus Jr., and Grundy) to our relatives back home. Though we were born and raised in Los Angeles, Louisiana was the birthplace of our parents. My mother had already taken a train, and we were supposed to meet her in Colfax. My uncle Gus brought a new Chrysler for this trip. There were no interstate highways in those days, only Route 66. In his new Chrysler we were packed like sardines. In the front seat were my Uncle Gus and Aunty Leola. I had to share the back seat with my cousins. To say the least, it was crowded and I could not wait that first day on the road until we would finally stop to sleep at a Holiday Inn.

"Uncle Gus?" I finally said, after driving most of the day and night. We must have been somewhere in western Texas. "Yes Joe," he answered, looking at me in his rear-view mirror. "When are we going to stop to sleep at the Holiday Inn?" He laughed. But then remembering, I guess, that I was not born and raised in the South, he replied in a serious tone, "Negroes cannot stay at the Holiday Inn." "Then let's go to another hotel," I said. "We cannot stay there either." "Why?" "No white hotels rent to Negroes." "Where will we sleep then?" "Right where you are." "In the back of a car seat?" "That's it. Right in the back seat." "What about food when we get hungry?" "Don't worry, your Aunty Leola packed everything we need in the trunk until we arrive in Louisiana. Sometimes the stores in the South will not sell us food because we're black. Other times, we have to go to the back of the store, so that white customers won't see us."

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"Why is that?" "Many white owners think that if white customers see us they won't buy the food." "Don't you pay with money like them?" "Yes." "So why do we have to go in by the back way?" "Well, Joe, that's the way things is in the South. This is not Los Angeles, this is the South and that's just the way things are here. I don't much like them, but there is nothing we can do. Nothing!" We drove on without stopping. Even when we finally stopped for gas, uncle Gus kept the engine running. He was afraid the white gasoline station people would not sell us gas. I remember several gas stations refused to sell us gas because they did not "sell gas to niggers." I remember that we stopped somewhere in central Texas at a Texaco gas station that also sold food and other items. For some reason, I don't recall now why, we all walked into the station's diner and took a seat to eat. The manager immediately came over and said, "Sir, excuse me." My uncle answered, "Yes sir." "We don't serve your kind." "You mean you don't want our business?" "No, I mean we don't serve or sell to niggers here at the table. You all have to go around the side of the station and we serve niggers there." And the more he talked, the more agitated he became with us. "This is Texas. I see your Yankee license plate is from California. You know we kill niggers in this town. Do you know where you are boys? This is the South. Now you all just move your collective ass to the back entrance before I call the police." "Is it okay for us to buy gas?" my uncle asked. "Yea, I'll take your money. It's green ain't it?" "Uh um." "Then I'm open for business." As we were walking around the side of the building toward the rear entrance, we stopped to use the restroom. It was a large, clean, fully-equipped bathroom. The owner suddenly ran out of the store and blocked the entrance to the restroom. "Nigger, can't you read the sign? It says 'Whites Only.'" My uncle asked politely, "Where is the restroom for coloreds?" "It's there in the middle of the field. See right there, that's the one for niggers."

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He had pointed to a cow patch in the middle of the wilderness. I walked to the spot, which was quite a distance from the road, and I kept hearing my Uncle Gus yell for me to watch out for snakes. The "colored" restroom was an old outhouse. The door was hanging off and there were holes throughout. Anyone passing could see everything. It stank and looked horrible. As we were about to leave after getting our gas, the owner walked over to the car. He looked serious but not so mean now. He said to my uncle in a voice kind of under his breath but clear, "Boy I'm goin' give you some friendly advice. You niggers be out this town by nightfall. I would not like to see something happen to your family. I can't tell you much, but by nightfall y'all better be gone from here." It was nearly dark and we just wanted to get back on the road. We jumped into the car and took off, bone tired but also plenty scared. My Uncle Gus had been driving more than two days and nights without sleep or rest. More than a couple of times we got lost a little because he could not read the road signs; he depended on his instincts, our help, and familiar landmarks and sign posts along. The latest road signs said that we were in or near Waco, Texas. The gas station had been a few miles outside of town, I guess. It was there that we almost became the innocent victims of a lynching. Uncle Gus had made a wrong turn by accident, and then he had to turn back and retrace our steps. Somehow we ended up in the middle of town, possibly Waco itself, but I'm not sure. Up ahead was a crowd of white people. We didn't know what was going on. Maybe a circus or something. There must have been 500 people, men and women and children. We slowed the car. It was then that we heard them shouting, "Kill the nigger." We could see a person on fire but still alive and screaming in the middle of the street tied to a big wheel. We could smell the stench of his burning human flesh. Uncle Gus slammed on his brakes and turned full circle in the middle of the road, which now focused the attention of the mob on us. I remember hearing someone shout, "There's some more niggers, let's get them." We could see people from our back window running for their cars and trucks. By then my uncle had turned the corner, as he put the pedal to the metal and we went as fast as his big Chrysler car could go. He turned off the car headlights and we drove for five minutes in darkness before he careened the car off the road into a four-foot wide wagon ditch or pathway in the woods. We made it just in time. What seemed like a caravan of cars passed our hiding place, followed by police cars with sirens blaring. We were all extremely quiet. No one spoke a word in fear that a whisper would be heard and betray our hiding place. We remained in our hiding place for about four hours, which seemed like eternity. This was the first time I had seen my uncle afraid of anything. Finally, my uncle spoke. "We will stay off the main road until we get through this town." I don't know how he found it, but we took an old dirt road just at daylight, and we emerged on the other side of town. I don't know. He just drove slowly with his lights off. Once on the other side of town, we drove fast away. My uncle finally said, "I'm going to have to learn how to read, you can sometime find yourself at the wrong place." My aunty, still in a state shock and very angry, said to him, "You almost got us killed because you don't know where you going." He answered her, "You don't know either, because if you could read you could've told me I was turning onto the wrong road. Enough -- we were saved by the grace of God. That's all. Now we are back on the road to Alexandria, which will take us to Colfax."

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As soon as we returned to Los Angeles my aunt started night school and she learned how to read and write. I've never been back to that place that may have been Waco, Texas, except in my nightmares. This interview is courtesy of the New York Life-funded History of Jim Crow educator's Web site: www.jimcrowhistory.org

LESSON 4: Jim Crow

After reading the personal narrative by Joseph Holloway, go back and review the

questions at the beginning of the article. Answer each question completely on a separate

sheet of paper. Please use MLA heading and type or write in ink.

Recount how racial violence was employed against African Americans during the Jim

Crow era.

Cite and quote textual information for evidence of racial violence.

Describe the response of the African American community to racial violence.

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LESSON 5: Dear T-Ray…

WHAT’S ON FOR TODAY AND WHY?: You will be able to utilize the language of the

protagonist to construct a letter that articulates one character’s feelings towards another. This

requires a close reading of the novel, as well as the demonstration of attention to detail and

reflection upon the events within the novel. To allow you to ‘get into Lily’s head’, to relate to

Lily and to better understand her plight and motivations. This activity gives you an opportunity

to express your feelings about this particular familial relationship on paper in a creative way. In

doing so, you are becoming active participants in the reading process, not passive readers.

MOTIVATION:

1. Let’s have a class discussion. How do you feel about the novel so far? In particular, what are

your thoughts on the characters we have met so far? Can you sympathize with T-Ray? With

Lily? How do you think Deborah's leaving affected T-Ray? Had you ever heard of "kneeling on

grits"? What qualities did Lily have that allowed her to survive, endure, and eventually thrive,

despite T. Ray? Have you ever had fights with your parents like the argument between T-Ray

and Lily? Is this a standard part of growing up?

2. You will write a letter from Lily to T. Ray. This letter must reference specific events, quotes or

actions in the novel.

3. Share their letters with 1 or 2 peers. Peers will offer constructive feedback, and will record

their name on the bottom of the letter to demonstrate active participation in this process. Letters

will be collected when packets are due.

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LESSON 6: New Label

"Place a beehive on my grave

and let the honey soak through.

When I'm dead and gone,

that's what I want from you.

The streets of heaven are gold and sunny,

but I'll stick with my plot and a pot of honey.

Place a beehive on my grave

and let the honey soak through."

-The Boatwright Sisters

It's time to flex your creative muscles. Create your own label for Black Madonna

Honey. You may create your own artistic rendering of the Black Madonna, or you

may use an already existing work of art (be sure to include the name of the work,

the artist, and where you found this work of art). You must develop a motto for

the label that incorporates a direct quote from the novel.

You may either present on paper or electronically. (INCLUDE group member’s names)

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LESSON 7: Black Madonna

WHAT’S ON FOR TODAY AND WHY?: You will be able to play with language of the novel

while discussing the importance of the Black Madonna. You will think about the author’s

intentions with including the Black Madonna by reading an interview with her. All of the action

in the novel is initiated by a single label from a Black Madonna honey jar. You must be able to

visualize this imagery, and reflect upon this art that is so powerful that it successfully draws Lily

away from her home. This is an important symbol in the novel.

WHAT TO DO:

1. In your group, discuss: Had you ever heard of the Black Madonna? What do you think

of the story surrounding the Black Madonna in the novel? How would the story be

different if it had been a picture of a white Virgin Mary?

2. On your own, read the section of an interview with the author discussing the Black

Madonna.

3. Write a ½ to 1-page response, reflecting upon the significance of these images and answer the

following questions: Why is the presence of the Black Madonna crucial to the novel?

How does it tie into the bee metaphor?

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Black Madonna Interview

What exactly are Black Madonnas?

There are hundreds of these images of dark-skinned Black Madonnas in Europe, and they

are some of the most ancient images we have of Mary. The most well known is probably Our

Lady of Czestochowa in Poland. Many of them are in great Gothic cathedrals, like Chartres,

France, often in the crypts. There are a lot of inventive speculations about why they are black.

Some people have said it's about candle smoke (I think that theory has been more or less

rejected), but some scholars believe they are black because they have connections to pre-

Christian goddesses, many of whom are pictured black. Their history suggests that there may

have been a kind of underground nerve center for worshiping the divine feminine within the

medieval church, and it often came through in the Black Madonna. If that is the case, we've got a

very powerful amalgamation going on, a blending of the Christian Mary and these old earth

goddesses. And there's an amalgamation going on not just in her history, but in her spirituality, in

her mythology, in the stories that evolve around her and in the way people relate to her.

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How do people relate to her differently?

C. G. Jung said, "Dogma or not, Mary is experienced as divine." That is because the

human psyche or heart really needs a divine mother, and we will figure out a way to have one. In

the case of the Black Madonna, I think we can begin to see reflections of the sacred feminine, of

the feminine face of God. Because of that, these images carry enormous power.

Read together and paraphrase what you read in the space below. Each member of your

group should be able to articulate what was read when called upon.

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LESSON 8: Character Sketches

WHAT’S ON FOR TODAY AND WHY?: You will be able to create an accurate character

analysis of one of the main characters in the novel, using specific quotes and images from the

novel. You will use your understanding of this character to create a bio-poem about that person.

There are many complex and interesting characters in the novel. Because thinking about

characters is so important, you will be given a simple framework to use when you start. This

framework will guide you in looking at five different collections of human attributes (physical,

intellectual, social, emotional, and philosophical) and provide you with some basic questions in

each category to get you started. This requires a close reading of the novel. Ultimately, you need

to ponder, “What can we learn from this character about how to live in the world?” This project

gives you the opportunity to reflect on material within a poetic form, and to allow you to

synthesize what ypu have learned about a person, place, thing, concept or event.

WHAT TO DO:

1. Choose a character: Rosaleen, August, Zach, May, Lily, and June. (You should be aware that

this activity will help you better understand characters from the novel, their hopes, motivations,

etc. It requires a very close reading and true understanding of that reading.)

2. Create a collage representing your character, describing the physical, social, and emotional

characteristics. You will use quotations from chapters 1-11 to reveal important information

about your character.

3. Using the sample biopoem, create a biopoem about your character. This will be attached to

the collage.

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Character Collage Preparation

Think about the following when creating images and words for your collage: Physical Traits: What does the character look like? How do the character’s physical attributes

play a role in the story? How does the character feel about his physical attributes? How does

the character change physically during the story? How do these changes affect the character’s

experience?

Notes:_______________________________________________________________

Intellectual Traits: How would you describe this character’s intelligence? What does this

character know? How does this character’s intellect compare to others in the story? Is this

character smart enough to thrive in the world in which he or she lives? What does this

character learn as the story develops?

Notes:_______________________________________________________________

Emotional Traits: How does this character feel most of the time? How do his feelings change

throughout the story? How does this character feel about himself? When faced with challenges

in the story, what emotions come up for this character?

Notes:_______________________________________________________________

Social Traits: How does this character get along with other characters in the story? Who

does this character choose for friends and why does this character choose them? Where does

this character stand in the social order? How does this character’s social standing affect

events in the story?

Notes:_______________________________________________________________

Philosophical Traits: What does this character believe about the way life is? What are these

beliefs based on? How do these beliefs affect the choices this character makes? How do

those beliefs change throughout the story? Do others in the story share these beliefs?

Notes:_______________________________________________________________

Your collage must include at least 6 quotations from chapters 1-11 that reveal something significant about this character (include the page #).

You will have the rest of the class period to work on this assignment. Divide

responsibilities and complete for presentation when we return to class.

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Biopoems

Use this pattern to create a biopoem for a character from The

Secret Life of Bees. Don’t be afraid to look beyond the obvious

answer and get creative! Remember, several means three or more

items. Use this as a draft. Your final should be diamond shaped.

You may want to make it in a poster format.

Line 1. First Name

Line 2. Four traits that describe character

Line 3. Relative (brother, sister, daughter, etc.) of ____________

Line 4. Lover of ____________ (list several things or people)

Line 5. Who feels ____________ (several items)

Line 6. Who needs ____________ (several items)

Line 7. Who fears ____________ (several items)

Line 8. Who gives ____________(several items)

Line 9. Who would like to see ____________ (several items)

Line 10. Resident of ____________

Line 11. Last name

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LESSON 9: Wailing Wall

As a team discuss work on the following. However, when it comes to the “me” get a half

sheet of colored paper and write your own. Be sure to include your name to insure credit.

WHAT’S ON FOR TODAY AND WHY?: You will be able to participate in a ritual similar to

May’s wailing wall, enabling you to immerse yourself in the characters of May, as well as reflect

upon the inner workings of the other characters in the novel. May’s wailing wall is a moving

image in the novel. The stone wall touches each of the characters, particularly Lily. The wall

represents a life filled with pain and suffering and an attempt to relieve that pain, which allows

you to reflect upon the difficulties of being an African-American in the South in 1964, as well as

reflect upon your own practices for dealing with sadness and pain.

May’s Wailing Wall

“We tried for years to get May some help. She saw doctors, but they didn’t have any idea

what to do with her except put her away. So June and I came up with this idea of a wailing

wall.”

“A what kind of wall?”

“Wailing wall,” she said again. “Like they have in Jerusalem. The Jewish people go

there to mourn. It’s a way for them to deal with their suffering. See, they write their prayers on

scraps of paper and tuck them in the wall.”

“And that’s what May does?”

August nodded. “All those bits of paper you see out there stuck between the stones are things

May has written down – all the heavy feelings she carries around. It seems like the only thing

that helps her.” (page 97-98)

What wishes or fears would Rosaleen, June, August, Zach, T-Ray and Lily put in the wailing

wall? Get inside their heads, think about their fears and hopes, and create wailing wall notes for

each of them. Be creative! What about you? What’s bothering you? Continue to page 26

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Rosaleen:

June:

August:

Zach:

T-Ray:

Lily:

ME: (individually completed and submitted for credit)

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LESSON 10: Absent or Redemption Opportunity (optional) Sign up on the bulletin

board if you plan to take advantage of this extra credit.

Project: Choose one of the following topics and develop an oral presentation:

August lived in Richmond, Virginia, during the 1920s and 1930s. Research

Richmond during these times and then write a story of August's life with

Deborah, Lily's mother.

Sue Monk Kidd grew up in the 1960s. Probe more deeply into the sixties

and into conversations with Ms. Kidd in order to discuss how her childhood

experiences are reflected in this novel?

Research the mythology of Black Madonnas and show how Kidd weaves

legend into this novel.

Respond to Eudora Welty's statement that "people give pain, are callous

and insensitive, empty and cruel...but place heals the hurt, soothes the

outrage, fills the terrible vacuum that these human beings make." Relate the

meaning of this statement to The Secret Life of Bees.

How are the words and teachings of Martin Luther King, Jr., reflected in

this novel? Be creative in the mode you choose to present this information.

Project this story to the present time. Where are the characters now and

what are they doing?

Compose a song (or songs) that will reflect the themes of this novel after

visiting the following sites that present the music during the Civil Rights

Movement of the sixties. Study the lyrics and themes that were prevalent.

Listen to the songs.

http://www.sbgmusic.com/html/teacher/reference/historical/freedom.html

a biography of Marian Anderson http://www.afrovoices.com/anderson.html

Odetta: http://folkmusicarchives.org/odetta.htm

bio on Peter, Paul and Mary http://www.classicbands.com/ppm.html;

Mahalia Jackson http://www.rockhall.com/hof/inductee.asp?id=126

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LESSON 11: Literary terms

Define the following literary terms in the context of English II, provide examples from

this book, and include the page number where you found the example.

Term: Definition Quoted example from

text

Page

cited

Diction

Concrete nouns

Abstract nouns

Connotation

Denotation

Tone

1st Person Narrative

Dialogue

Historical Content

Allusion

Motif

Symbol

Metaphor

Personification

Litotes

Hyperbole

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LESSON 12: Your Review

In the space provided, write a journal reviewing this novel. Be sure to

answer the following:

Using a scale of 1 (low) to 4 (high) stars, how would you rate this novel?

What did you like? What didn’t you like? Would you recommend this

novel to someone else? Why did we read this? Explain the value this book

holds for today’s teenager.

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LESSON 13: Remember the Titans

As you watch Remember the Titans listen/look for answers to the following questions. Some of

the questions have specific, concrete answers from the film, others ask for your opinion or

interpretation.

1. What year was it when TC Williams High School was created?

2. What day does the team leave for football camp at Gettysburg College?

3. What reason does Gerry give when he tells Julius that he honestly thinks he (Julius) is “nothing,

nothing but a pure waste of God-given talent”?

4. Ronny Bass joins the team during the camp at Gettysburg. What nickname does the team give him

and why?

5. Does Sheryl approve of Coach Boone’s football camp?

6. What happens on the first day of school?

7. Before the first game of the season, Coach Boone tells the team that they are already winners. Why

does he believe this?

8. When Gerry tells his mother he plans to go play basketball with Julius, she tells him not to go.

Gerry tells his mother she should just get to know Julius. His mother replies, “I don’t want to get

to know him.” This conversation between Gerry and his mom expresses one of the themes of the

movie (theme=“lesson“). What is this theme?

9. The beginning of game three starts differently than the other games. How does it start?

10. How does “Sunshine” prove that he can do a good job as the substitute quarterback?

11. Why does Yoast do that causes him to lose the nomination to the Virginia High School Football

Hall of Fame?

12. Why does Gerry end up in the hospital?

13. Would the players have bonded if the team had not won?

14. How did playing football help the students overcome their prejudices about each other?

15. How did the football team at TC Williams help the adults in the community overcome their

prejudices?

16. Why does the movie begin and end with a funeral scene?

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LESSON 14: Real to Reel

The movie, Remember the Titans, is based on a true story. After taking time

to research via “Real to Reel,” write a one page response to the question:

What were three major changes made? Was each a change for the better or

worse? Defend or refute the necessity of the changes.