Chap 1-3, the secret life of bees

I choose to write a bit about courage since all the characters and chapters have been described already. My reasons to bring up courage, is that it is something relevant during this story we are reading. The books characters shows it often trough the story, and the characters we get to know most in the 3 first chapters are Lily and Rosaleen.

Lily is the main character in the story, she is 14 years old and she is white.- At least in contrast to Rosaleen. Rosaleen is the maid and nanny in the house where Lily lived with T Ray, and - She is black.

Lily and Rosaleen have build up quite a relationship between them during the time they have had together. They are both alone in a way. As we are told in the book Rosaleen live al by herself, and her mother is also dead just as Lily’s. On the other hand T Ray was not really there for Lily either, not in a positive way at least. The shortcomings of both of them, have given them strength, and will continue to strengthen them in their development as we will see more and more of trough the story. They have already taken a step to become independent, to gain courage to stand up for them selves and be responsible for their own opinions and decisions.

What my point is, is that although it seems that they are so completely different, they have learned to relate to each other. They both need to be part of something. They both have a courage which grows daily. When I look at the whole of what I've read so far, it requires pretty much courage for a black person, specially a black woman, to stand up and defy the white people who look at you as nothing, as it requires to take of and run away from home on your own when you are 14 years old in the hope of a better life.

I started to read this book, being a little sceptic because I was afraid it would be such an unserious “chicflick”, but as it seems I’m pretty satisfied with the book, it got my attention and it actually has some good point of views shining trough the story.