Bee Yard Etiquette

An entry on Figurative Language

“Act like you know what you are doing, even if you don’t. Above all, send the bees love. Every little thing wants to be loved”

– Kidd, The Secret Life of Bees (92)

I feel that it is very important to treat people the way you want to be treated. As clichè as it is, I feel that there is great value in being kind to others. As a high school student, I have definitely seen a fair share of people from all walks of life. Everyone has a different story, and unique problems they are facing. Something as simple as sitting next to someone that’s sitting alone, or a compliment like: “I like your outfit today!”  can really change the course of a person’s day.

In the novel The Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd, the main character Lily, runs away from home, to escape the wrath of her abusive father (T-Ray). She arrives at a Bee Farm and is taken under the wing of three women named August, June, and May. Through her use of figurative language, Kidd establishes a renewed sense of growth, as Lily learns the lessons that had not been taught to her previously. 

Kidd uses figurative language to create a metaphor between the bees and the world. Through showing Lily “bee yard etiquette”, August teaches Lily life lessons as well. She compares the bee yard to the world by saying “the world is one big bee yard, and the same rules worked fine in both places.”. These “rules” are being ingrained into Lily’s mind and are therefore, altering the somewhat toxic viewpoint she had of the world before she arrived at the Bee Farm. Lily learns to “send the bees love” and to not be swat at the bees. I believe that August anticipated Lily’s past struggles and might not have been entirely talking about bees. Since mentioning the bee yard was similar to the world, August is also creating a metaphor between bees and people. People, like bees want to be loved. However, T-Ray is a prime example of someone who was not practicing what August is preaching. T-Ray was not sending love and was treating Lily with anger and hostility for her whole life. Therefore, Lily had been taught that anger was the primary way to solve all problems. This new way of life however, is teaching Lily the life skills she missed out on growing up (Kidd 92).

Until next time!

-Julia