“Heroic Journey” in “Secret life of the Bees” Essay

The classic tale of the heros pilgrimageing can be accepted in approximately e re onlyy situation. It is non except apparent finished daily life and historical horizontalts, but in this circumstance, a fictional novel, as well. As an epic ocean trip, it can be recognised in the vast absolute majority of record books throughout the course of history. One specific example where it is carefully and intricately exhibited is in serve Monk Kidds novel, The Secret Life of Bees, in which a young womans await for acceptance and the truth be come outs a heart-warming tale. Through the obstacles and hoi polloi she meets, Lily is suitable to experience the trials and self-fulfilling incidents that are required in the heros pilgrimage she ingredientakes in.In the first meter of the monomyth, the call to adventure, Lily has had a life, up to this point, of nuisance and suffering for she has get downn up with the implication that she shot her make. Additionally, her father, T. radiation endlessly abused her by making her work for him while ignoring her rattling existence. Lily was exhaustively deprived of her nipperhood, as well as her innocence, for her fathers exhaust indignation towards her solely compounded the situation. She begins to realize that in order for her to bomb free of the oppressive life she has and realize her potential, she must(prenominal) supply, in search of the answer to the call forion that has always haunted her who was her mother, and what really happened to her?Lily Melissa Owens, your commove is openIn a matter of games I k impertinent exactly what to do- leave (Kidd 41). Lily k straightaways T. gibe is an abusive father, and that she allow neer be able to at a lower authoritywrite who she or her mother is without making her journey. This is rep dislikeed by the pattern of prosecution for self, ultimately Lilys main mission throughout the book, through exploration of the Jungian collective unconscious of her mother, she consequently finds the answers she is flavor for.In the minute of arc step of the monomyth, the refusal of the call, Lily is on the precipice of departure and abandonment of T. Ray, when she momentarily hesitates. This is the man who make the first 14 years of her life a hellish torture, and withal she is reluctant to separate from him. And stood a moment in the center of the room, query if Id ever exit it again. Goodbye, I said, and there was a tiny sprig of sadness pushing up from my heart (Kidd 42). Implicitly, she knows that a part of her will die when she leaves his house, for she will be hybridizing the brink between oppression and self- determination and reliance.She recognizes that her entire life is contained in that house, and when she leaves, she is abandoning not only her father, but besides the life she once had. Lily knows she probably will never imbibe her home again, and thus she is melancholy with the conflict this represents. This is ep itomized by the archetype of the innocent child. While she tries to depart and subsequently make a decision for herself, the weight of that choice becomes apparent to Lily. She is merely a child ill equipped for such conclusions and her hesitation allows us to witness the child- same(p) chastity that lies within. It is the innocence that makes her long for the mom she never had.In the third step of the monomyth, supernatural aid, Lily walks down the street away from her home with great hesitation and no prospects, for she has no idea where to go, who to go with, and how to get there. However, everything changes for Lily when she quickly devises a strategy to break Rosaleen out of jail and a plan for a destination. When her mother died, all she had left of her was a box full of memorabilia and computes, whiz of which had the name of a town written on the confirm. Taking this as supernatural sign from above, she bases an important life decision from the back of this picture. abs olutely I stood still. Tiburon, South Carolina. Of course. The town was written on the back of the portentous bloody shame Picture (Kidd 43).Henceforth, Lily had a scent out of direction in her quest to find her mother, something to put hope in, that she was ever closer to reuniting with her, in Tiburon. hope is Lilys only real reason to keep pressing forward. This part of the monomyth is represented by the archetype of the fairy idolmother or the guardian angel. bloody shame is a perpetual messenger of god, a virtuous woman who represents the very ideals of power, struggle, despair, perseverance, and fortitude. Mary is considered a religious physical body, a woman who sacrificed everything to god. Lily sees the picture of the dour Mary as a sign from heaven that she needs to go to Tiburon, where she will find what she is looking for. Lily puts her trust in god, as the complete(a) Mary aids her on her quest of self-fulfillment The Mary picture flips her the courage to go to Tiburon in search of her mothers past.Lily and Rosaleens heroic journey takes its first major leap when they escape their old life of misery and pain, by hitching a ride to Tiburon. This escape represents the crossing of the first wand that every hero must experience in order to blend toward their final goal. In this case, Lilys ultimate objective is to understand and come to terms with her lost mother. Lily and Rosaleen get help crossing the first inletstep from an old husbandman. It pointed left, toward a road curving away into silvery darkness. climb out of the truck, Rosaleen asked if we could agree one of his cantaloupes for supper. Take yourself ii, he said (Kidd 50). The magnanimous farmer represents the universal archetype of helping animals. Although he does not genuinely help any animals, he is arguably, a farmer, and he does help and persist Lily and Rosaleen, who are symbolic for animals. Hitching a ride with a simple farmer only signaled the mere beginning of Lilys heroic journey, with much much to come.The belly of the whale is when Lily realizes that she is mentally prepared to start her journey. A traffic circle of folks wont buy it cause its got the saturated Mary pictured as a colored women, but see, thats cause the women who makes the honey is colored herself (Kidd 64). Lily sees the picture of a colored new Mary as her mother had and intuitively knows that her mother had once been there. on that point is no turning back after this, no room for cowardice, only courage, because now she has to fulfill her goal and know her history as it converges with her mothers.The picture of the Virgin Mary exemplifies the Fairy Godmother archetype because it appeared when Lily mandatory two a sign and direction. This is a great example of how the Virgin Mary helps out Lily, and there are umpteen a(prenominal) times later that her assistance helps Lily endure with grace. With the help of the virgin Mary Lily is ready to take this jour ney, she feels god is on her side, and that the Mary picture is ultimately a sign that causes Lily to go to heroic, where the fruition of Lilys journey comes to pass. afterwards Lily has started her journey and been in the belly of the whale, a series of tests and trials engage her. Lilys first test was to a greater extent of a mental trial in nature, for it was when she had to first confront the house that potentially contained the knowledge she wanted somewhat her mother. Rosaleen, who represents her mentor and guide, accompanied Lily, just like Athena helps and prays for Odysseus in the Odyssey. When they first arrive on the doorstep, Rosaleen prays for both of them, I knocked on the door while she muttered a slew of words under her breath Give me strength Baby Jesus Lost our watery minds (Kidd 68). Lily and Rosaleen must endure this trial in order to discover the answers to the many a(prenominal) questions. The simple fact is that they had no ides what was behind that d oor, and were willing to put covert fate into the travel bys of strangers. This is a trial of Lilys will and trust in other people.Lilys second trial emerges when she initially understands whitethorns reaction to emotional pain. The sisters are sharing a little about themselves with Lily and Rosaleen when the topic of their sister who died comes up. She cried like Aprils death had happened only this second (Kidd 73). Lily finally realizes through this trial that others experience hardships just like she has. May, in this situation, represents the innocent child. She cries like she is just a little girl. When Lily perceives this, it changes the way she looks at things, especially her own problems and even her ultimate goal, knowledge of her mother. We can see this as a deciding factor for Lily in determining her place in the farm. Up until that point Lily did not understand May, but now Lily knows where she comes from, Lily knows and begins to understand Mays pain. And by focusing outward Lily is able to understand and grow inwardly.Lilys last trial in her ragged life is psychological beings it happens during one of Lilys first major confrontations with horrible. In Augusts story of Beatrix, the nun, August uses this symbol to relate to Lilys life and give her guidance, After a while she wished she could recidivate to the convent, but she knew theyd never take her back (Kidd 91). This is explaining the story of the brave female nun who followed the rails of god and saved other along the way. Beatrix is a female extravagance to August as a model for courage and perseverance.August, who is speaking in this quote, embodies Lilys mothers archetype, because she provides direction when her daughter, symbolized by Lily, is confused or in trouble. Lily realizes the basis of Augusts beliefs, and the power of women in religion. She realizes that women are strong, and that as a woman she must strive to fulfill the role of strong leader. This trial is a admitted ly factor in deciding how Lily will perform her life, and how she will continue on from there.The temptation away from the true highway in this book can quite translucently be recognized as Zach, for he encourages Lily to think things she has never thought before. Unintentionally, their relationship diverts her help from learning about what has happened to her mother, to trying to figure out what is going to happen between her and Zach. When Lily is driving with Zach and has a daydream that completely distracts her, I imagined us building a snow cave, sleeping with our bodies twined together to get warm, our harness and legs like black-and-white braids. This last thought shocked my system so bad I shivered (Kidd 124). In this sense, Zach is a male version of the prototypical temptress. However, as in both Star Wars and The Matrix, Lily is not completely deflect from her main objective for she still is able to discover Deborahs history. Exhibiting the finis to which she was t empted by the thought of being with Zach, Lily became afraid of the extent of her mania for him.In the heros journey the meeting of the goddess is portrayed in this book with the surrogate mother archetype, August Boatwright. The goddess of the heros journey is almost always a woman with great abilities who helps the hero along on his or her journey. This is evident in August, who personifies the surrogate mother archetype exceptionally well, helping Lily in every way that a mother unremarkably would. For instance, when August and Lily were talking about what they love, Lily thinks, I wanted to add, And you, I love you, but I felt too awkward (Kidd 140). This illustrates that after only a few weeks she feels love for this surrogate mother she has acquired through August Boatwright. Lily realizes that August is her mother. That by showing compassion for Deborah she is connecting with her old mother Deborah. Lily has embraced August as her new guiding figure in her life.The ultimate close in Lilys journey is when she sees the sign of her mother, in her dream, that lets Lily know that Deborah genuinely loved her, and didnt want just to abandon her . I figured that May mustve made it to heaven and explained to my mother about the sign I wanted (Kidd 276). August gives Lily a picture that showed exactly what she wanted all along. This picture was an exact representation her birth mother in the true idea of her being a mother figure. After being disappoint knowing that her mother left her, Lily now feels loved by her mother, even though she may subscribe not been there for her. This is her ultimate boon and even more than importantly, the climax of the novel. Seeing this picture gives Lily the strength and courage to move on with her life. Lily discharges her mother for her one big mistake, because she has learned many things about her that mean so much more.Representing the heros journey blueprint of the atonement with the father, T. Ray finally finds and reconciles with Lily. This is a very obvious theme for it happens both psychologically and uselly. Despite that T. Ray had come to displume Lily to return home with him, she was able to apologize for loss him and, less obviously, he apologized too. He is caught up in an angry rage as he thinks his daughter is really his dead wife who he loved very much even though she ran away from himThis was most apparent when Lily says, DaddyIm-Im sorry I left like I did (Kidd 295). Clearly, she was able to absolve T. Ray for all he had done to her, and in return he was able to leave without her and still be okay. The stable and tolerable take aim that Lily establishes with her father represents a height of acceptance that relieves her from the constant weight of his unhappiness. No longer must she be the feeble scapegoat of his anger and resent he feels to Deborah Owens, Lilys mother.When Lily refuses to return, she finally stands up to her father for what she desires. Responding to T. Ray savage statement requesting Lilys return she says, noIm staying here, I said. Im not leaving (Kidd 296). earlier than his needs, Lily finally addresses what she desires. While upsetting T. Ray, it is the best for both of them. She never had a normal or loving life and now she has both with her new family. T. Ray does not want to be reminded of his wife, and without Lily, he is much more able to move on.This clearly exhibits her refusal of the return and T. Ray as the scoundrel archetype. T. Ray never came close to being a father to Lily he has always been the villain to her. Henceforth, with the knowledge that she has received about her father, she is able to see him in a new light. Lily now identifies that he must hold loved her mother so intensely that when she left him, he was distraught and has never really forgiven her. Transferring his angry feelings about his wife to his treatment of his daughter, T. Ray tries to manage his hurt and rage. With this awareness, Li ly is able to move on, let go of her resentment, forgive him and carry on with her own life.The rescue from without in Lilys journey also occurred when the many different types of women in her life stood up for her. The front door opened, and Queenie, Violet, Lunelle, and Mabelee stumbled into the house, all wound up and looking like they had their clothes on backward (Kidd 297). Lily received their help when they created a physical presence of protection, for she could not control her father before they got there. All four different types women were they for Lily when she needed them, without asking questions or concern about danger.They cared so deeply for her that they dropped everything to get a line she was safe with her father. While these significant women may not actually have been her mother, they collectively represent the mother figure archetype, through providing comfort, direction, and guidance whenever it is needed. She has never had women like them in her life, and n ow without them, she would not be able to live.After successfully completing the rescue from without, Lily must achieve the overwhelming crossing of the return threshold. This essential step has a greater influence than pass judgment on Lily herself. By passing over to her intangible victory, Lily Owens learns more of the people she will learn to call family. When T. Ray attempts to bring his daughter back to Sylvan, August stands her ground in a valiant support of Lilys decision to remain at the calendar sisters house and terminate her forward living situation. In a cunning and manipulative persuasion, August reassures Terrence Ray saying, Mr. Owens, you would be doing Lily and the rest of us a favor by leaving her hereWe love Lily, and well take care of her. I promise you that (Kidd 298).This underwrite by August was the guiding path for Lily to actually cross the return threshold described in the heros journey. She, Lily, is victorious in doing so because she no longer has to live with her father, or the villain archetype of the novel. Ironically, by crossing the return threshold Lily physically goes nowhere. It is more of a life decision that an actual change of surroundings. By choosing not to go back to her hometown with T. Ray, Lily is able to complete this step within her heroic voyage and continue onto becoming the tame of two worlds.The interpretation of the master of the two worlds can be comprehended in multiple ways. In this case, Lily becomes the master of both the living and the dead. She does this through the connection she creates with Becca, Claytons daughter, and her deceased mother. Referring to her moms special remembrances, Lily confirms that, One day I will let her pick them upThe feeling that they are holy objects is already starting line to wear (Kidd 301). When Lily includes Becca to share her mothers personal belongings displays that Lily has created a place where the old or dead aspect of her can act with the new or living part of her internal spirit through the experiences Lily has. This can be represented by the double archetype. Lily is balancing her physical and mental lives. She constantly thinks of Deborah, and wants to make emends with her, but on the other hand she is also searching for her mother in a physical manifestation. She is looking to August to be her new mother, but still never will the mother had. In this since she is the master of two worlds, and two mothers.In the finale of the heros journey, Lily must learn to live with absolute freedom. In order to do this she must obtain a certain wag because her freedom relies solely on her positive lookout station and the release of the burdens that have limited her for so long. The stable and tolerable level that Lily establishes with her father represents a height of acceptance that relieves her from the constant weight of his unhappiness. No longer must she be the feeble scapegoat of his anger and resent he feels to Deborah Owens, Lil ys mother. For the entirety of her adolescence Lily has been unconsciously and consciously foraging for a mother figure to fulfill the ache she carries deep inside her heart, and to complete her long and harden journey. For a child to comprehend that the responsibility of their parental figures death is their own burden, is awfully determining to the character herself.In this perplex Lily cannot fathom that her main cause of suffering, the lack of a mother, is her accountability. However, the rock of burdens is raise with her sign that she receives from her mother. In reference to the Daughters, Lily thinks to herself, All these mothers. I have more mothers than any eight girls off the street. They are the moons shinning over me (Kidd 302). More than capable to give her all the love and care, the Daughters complete the freed sense to live for Lily. By obtaining the picture of the angelic mother and smiling child, her mother and her, Lily is able to sense that she is liberate d from the sentence she has been serving for over fourteen years. Desperate for the guidance and support of a mother, Lily turns to the Daughters of Mary to fill the absent persona.Exemplified in this chronicle quest the Heros Journey is evident in Sue Monk Kidds novel, The Secret Life of Bees. Lily, the adolescent protagonist of this novel, travels in search of self-fulfillment and accomplishes the requirements if the heros journey, The heros journey helped Lily to grow not only in expierences but also mentally. Kidd specifically developed Lily as a persona and the novel to parallel the psychological expedition of the standard hero, This angle and outlook of the journey allows the reader to connect and relate to the character, because we see so many examples of heros in our everyday society. The Secret Life of Bees is highly unusual because the majority of heros stories have extreme condition with are unfathomable to the average person. workings CitedKidd, Sue Monk. The Secret Life of Bees. Boston Penguin (Non-Classics), 2003.