The Secret Life of Bees

Lily recounts the first week at the Boatwright sisters’ as one of pure relief. August has come to an agreement with Lily and Rosaleen that they will work off their room and board and other necessities that August provides for them. No one questions Lily’s story about her parents or their situation. Rosaleen becomes close to May, the youngest of the Boatwright sisters, whom Lily identifies as being “childlike” in her adult body. May has a number of odd habits that neither Rosaleen nor Lily can initially make sense of. Rosaleen notices that her impulse to break out into song, specifically “Oh! Susanna,” takes place when something bad is being brought to her attention. Rosaleen explains to Lily that May does fine as long as things are light and happy, but once she sees or learns about something bad, she is sent into a crying fit. “Oh! Susanna” is May’s way of warding off her sadness.

Lily overhears a conversation between August and June one night in which she learns that June’s uneasiness and possible disdain for their new guests stems from Lily’s being white. This is a revelation to Lily as she has never experienced or heard of people being rejected because they are white.