MovieChat Forums > The Secret Life of Bees (2008) Discussion > I didn't learn enough about bees

I didn't learn enough about bees


I'm not being flippant here, I really think if you're going to title a movie 'The Secret Life of Bees', the audience should come away with some interesting knowledge about bees. Add to that some interesting parallels between bee and human behavior. Instead, the bees felt like an afterthought.

If anyone's read the book, can you tell me whether Hollywood simply dropped the ball again, or if the book is lacking in the same way?





That's the most you'll ever get out of me Wordman. Ever. -Eddie Wilson

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I agree. I thought there were going to be more parallels drawn between human behavior and bee behavior. Maybe more about Lily falling in love with the bees and some shots of her connecting with the bees by herself outside of just the initial lesson with August. Instead it just becomes like a side job after she learns how to harvest the honey...and then she quite frankly disrespects the whole operation by chucking some jars across the room. At least throw in some sort of acknowledgment by her that she just ruined a lot of hard work by the bees and some sort of regret.

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Well said.




Is this to be an empathy test?

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I did not read the book, however, I saw this post that I thought you might find interesting:

Although it would be far too complicated to explain every reason that Sue Monk Kidd named her book The Secret Life of Bees, these general observations will clear up a lot of confusion for those who have not read the book. At the start of each chapter, there is a quote from other books about bees which Kidd chose to personify throughout that chapter. At the start of Chapter One, there is a quote which states that if a queen is taken from her hive, there are almost immediate signs of queenlessness. This first chapter is about Lily growing up without a mother, and she certainly shows unmistakable signs of motherlessness. In Chapter Eight, the quote states that if you take a bee away from its sisters, it will not be long until it dies. This chapter discusses May (August and June's sister) and her unusual sense of other's pain. She lost her twin sister, April, and ever since, when she sees any sign of death or anger, she has wanted to curl up and die.
Besides personification, the title of this book actually represents Lily, the main character. She, like the little bees, lives a secret life that others cannot understand. Her soul and spirit are her hive, and most others have no idea how intricate she is. There is no one just like her. We are all unique and we all have our own story and ways of reacting to it. Each season of life has a climax, whether we see it or not. Lily Owens is no typical one-parent child. She is irreplaceable, even if she does not understand herself.

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I recommend watching the prequel, Bee Movie. It was much more informative.

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