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AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN’S STRUGGLES

AGAINST RACIAL DISCRIMINATION

IN SUE MONK KIDD’S THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

for the Degree Of Sarjana Sastra

in English Letters

By

WINDA ANUGRAH

Student number: 104214064

ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAM

DEPARTEMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS

FACULTY OF LETTERS

SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

YOGYAKARTA

2015

PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJIPLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI

ii

AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN’S STRUGGLES AGAINST

THE PRACTICE OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION IN SUE

MONK KIDD’S THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

for the Degree Of Sarjana Sastra

in English Letters

By

WINDA ANUGRAH

Student number: 104214064

ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAM

DEPARTEMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS

FACULTY OF LETTERS

SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

YOGYAKARTA

2015


v

LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH

UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS

Yang bertanda tangan di bawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma

Nama : Winda Anugrah

Nomor Mahasiswa : 104214064

Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan

Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul

AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN’S STRUGGLES AGAINST

RACIAL DISCRIMINATION

IN SUE MONK KIDD’S THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES

beserta perangkat yang diperlukan (bila ada). Dengan demikian saya memberikan

kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma hak untuk menyimpan,

mengalihkan dalam bentuk media lain, mengelolanya dalam bentuk pangkalan

data, mendistribusikan secara terbatas,dan mempublikasikannya di internet atau

media lain untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta ijin kepada saya

maupun memberikan royalti kepada saya selama tetap mencantumkan nama saya

sebagai penulis.

Demikian pernyataan ini saya buat dengan sebenarnya.

Dibuat di Yogyakarta

Pada tanggal 7 Agustus 2015

Yang menyatakan,

Winda Anugrah


vi

STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY

I certify that this undergraduate thesis contains no material which has been

previously submitted for the award of any other degree at any university, and that,

to the best of my knowledge, this undergraduate thesis contains no material

previously written any other person except where due reference is made in the text

of the undergraduate thesis.

Yogyakarta, 7 Agustus 2015

Winda Anugrah


vii

WHATEVER YOU DO, WORK AT IT WITH

ALL YOUR HEART, AS WORKING FOR THE

LORD, NOT FOR MEN

COLOSSIANS 3:23

REACHING A GOAL IS LIKE GROWING OUT YOUR

BANGS. IT GETS UGLY, AND SOMETIMES YOU

WANT TO GIVE IT ALL UP. BUT SOMEDAY IT

WILL ALL BE WORTH IT

(anonymous)

LIFE BEGINS AT THE END OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE

(anonymous)


viii

FOR

AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN WHO LIVED IN 1960s

IN THE HOPE OF FREEDOM


ix

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First of all, I thank my Jesus Christ for everything He had done in my life.

Without His guidance and His blessing, I would never be able to finish my thesis.

I know that I am blessed for having an opportunity to study in this university.

I would like to express my gratitude to my advisor, Dewi Widyastuti,

S.Pd., M.Hum., for her time, motivation and patience until this thesis is finished.

She always encourages me to check and recheck my thesis. I thank my co-advisor,

Maria Ananta Tri S. S.S., M.Ed. for her time to read, to criticize and give advice

in revising this thesis. I thank the lecturers of English Letters Department and all

the staff of Sanata Dharma University for their help given to me during my study

here.

I dedicated my thesis to my beloved father and mother, especially my

father who prays for me in Heaven. I know his big dream was to attend my

graduation day. I thank my mother for her support, prayer, and facilities to finish

this thesis. She is the source of my happiness and my power in this life. I also

thank Allo, Willy and Santo for their “warning” and care to finish this thesis.

I thank my family in Jogja and Toraja, Nio, mbak Vica, mbak Shinta, Ona,

Tari, Evi, Donna, Kiki, Ayi, Citra, Zhyta, Astrid, Resty, Surya, Angel, Inazt,

Agung. Last, I thank my friends in English Letters class C, especially Iche, Acil,

Tia, Gita, Ray, Dea, Dien and Meity. All of them are great family and friends. I

thank them for their laughter and support.

Winda Anugrah


x

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE .................................................................................................... ii

APPROVAL PAGE .......................................................................................... iii

ACCEPTANCE PAGE .................................................................................... iv

LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH v

STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY ................................................................ vi

MOTTO PAGE ................................................................................................. vii

DEDICATION PAGE ...................................................................................... viii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................. ix

TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................. x

ABSTRACT …………………………………………………………………... xi

ABSTRAK ……………………………………………………………………. xii

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION .................................................................... 1

A. Background of the Study ...................................................................... 1

B. Problem Formulation ............................................................................ 3

C. Objectives of the Study ......................................................................... 4

D. Definition of Terms .............................................................................. 4

CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF LITERATURE ................................................ 6

A. Review of Related Studies ............................................................................. 6

B. Review of Related Theories ........................................................................... 8

1. Theory on Character and Characterization ........................................... 8

2. Theory on Race, Racism and Racial Discrimination ............................ 10

3. The Relation between Literature and Society .......................................

4. Theory on Adaptation to Prejudice and Discrimination........................

12

13

C. Review on History of African American Women in the 1960s ..................... 14

D. Theoretical Framework ................................................................................. 16

CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY ................................................................ 17

A. Object of the Study ............................................................................... 17

B. Approach of the Study .......................................................................... 18

C. Method of the Study ............................................................................. 19

CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS (RESULT AND DISCUSSIONS) ................... 21

A. The Characteristics of African American Women ............................... 21

B. The Practices of Racial Discrimination ................................................ 34

C. The Struggle Against Racial Discrimination ........................................ 41

CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION ...................................................................... 50

BIBLIOGRAPHY ........................................................................................... 55

APPENDIX ...................................................................................................... 57


xi

ABSTRACT

ANUGRAH, WINDA. African American Women’s Struggle against Racial

Discrimination in Sue Monk Kidd’s The Secret Life of Bees. Yogyakarta:

Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University,

2015.

This thesis discusses Sue Monk Kidd’s first novel entitled The Secret Life

of Bees. This novel talks about the life of African American women who

experience racial discrimination. In this thesis, the writer focuses on African

American women’s struggle against the racial discrimination. There are five

women characters; they are Rosaleen Daise, August Boatwright, June Boatwright,

May Boatwright and April Boatwright.

In this thesis, there are three problems that are investigated. The first is to

identify the characteristics of African American women in the novel The Secret

Life of Bees. The second problem formulation is to find out the racial

discrimination experienced by African American women. The last problem is to

focus on their struggles against the racial discrimination.

The library research method is used in analyzing the work. Sociocultural-

historical approach is also applied in this thesis. Through this approach, the writer

can get an understanding about the life of African American in 1960s. Then, some

theories are also applied in order to answer three problem formulation written in

chapter one. Those theories are theory on character and characterization, theory on

race, racism, racial discrimination, the relation between literature and society and

review of the history of African American in the 1960s.

In short, a brave, not giving up easily and caring person is pictured as

Rosaleen Daise’s characteristic. August Boatwright is described as educated,

wise, kind-hearted, and hardworking person. Another character is June; she is

depicted as unfriendly person. June also loves to play cello. May Boatwright is

very sensitive, emotional and depressed but she is a friendly character. May has a

twin sister named April. A stubborn and depressed person is explained as April’s

characteristic. Prejudice, humiliation, underestimation, and rejection are

experienced by African American women in the novel. That racial discrimination

makes them to struggle. Frontal reaction, silent reaction, self- segregation are

stated as their ways to struggle against racial discrimination. They selling a black

Madonna honey, refusing to apologize, learning to write name correctly, going to

register name without telling the master, refusing to work for whites and to live at

the motel, forcing to eat cones inside market. However, some characters cannot

accept and stand to the reality of racial discrimination, then finally committed

suicide.


xii

ABSTRAK

ANUGRAH WINDA. African American Women’s Struggle against Racial

Discrimination in Sue Monk Kidd’s The Secret Life of Bees. Yogyakarta:

Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2015.

Skripsi ini mendiskusikan novel pertama dari Sue Monk Kidd yang

berjudul The Secret Life of Bees. Novel ini menceritakan kehidupan dari

perempuan Afrika Amerika yang mengalami diskriminasi ras. Dalam skripsi ini,

penulis berfokus pada perjuangan dari perempuan Afrika Amerika dalam

menghadapi diskriminasi ras.

Dalam studi ini, ada tiga rumusan masalah yang dibahas. Yang pertama

adalah mengidentifikasi watak dari perempuan Afrika Amerika pada novel The

Secret Life of Bees. Rumusan masalah yang kedua adalah mengungkap

diskriminasi ras yang dialami oleh tokoh-tokoh perempuan Afrika Amerika.

Rumusan masalah terakhir yaitu berfokus pada perjuangan mereka melawan

diskriminasi ras.

Metode penelitian kepustakaan digunakan untuk menganalisis karya ini.

Pendekatan sosiokultural-historikal diaplikasin juga pada skripsi ini. Melalui

pendekatan ini, penulis bisa mengetahui tentang sejarah kehidupan dari orang-

orang Afrika Amerika di Amerika. Lalu, beberapa teori juga diaplikasikan untuk

menjawab tiga rumusan masalah yang ditulis pada bab yang pertama. Teori- teori

itu adalah teori tokoh dan penokohan, teori ras, rasisme, diskriminasi ras,

hubungan antara sastra dan masyarakat dan gambaran singkat tentang kehidupan

orang-orang Afrika- Amerika pada tahun 1960 di Amerika.

Singkatnya, seseorang yang berani, tidak mudah menyerah and peduli

digambarkan sebagai watak dari Rosaleen Daise. August Boatwright digambarkan

sebagai perempuan yang berpendidikan, bijaksana, baik hati dan pekerja keras.

Tokoh perempuan yang lainnya bernama June, dia digambarkan sebagai

seseorang yang tidak ramah. Dia juga senang memainkan alat musik selo. May

Boatwright adalah seseorang sensitif, emosional dan gundah tetapi dia adalah

tokoh yang ramah. May mempuyai saudara kembar yang bernama April. Keras

kepala dan gundah dijelaskan sebagai karakter dari April. Prasangka, penghinaan,

diremehkan dan penolakan adalah diskriminasi ras yang dialami oleh perempuan

Afrika Amerika di dalam novel. Macam-macam diskriminasi ras itu mambuat

mereka berjuang. Reaksi yang frontal atau secara langsung, reaksi yang diam dan

pemisahan diri dijelaskan sebagai cara mereka berjuang melawan diskriminasi ras.

Menjual madu yang berlabelkan Maria berkulit hitam,belajar menulis nama yang

benar, menolak untuk meminta maaf, pergi mendaftarkan nama tanpa

memberitahu tuannya, menolak bekerja untuk orang berkulit putih and menolak

untuk tinggal di digambarkan dan memaksa untuk makan es kirm di dalam toko

bersama anak-anak berkulit putih. Namun, beberapa tokoh tidak bisa menerima

dan bertahan dari diskriminasi ras dan akhirnya bunuh diri.


1

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

It took so long for African American people in the United States to get

their freedom from the racial discrimination. The problem was whites against

blacks. The whites felt superior to the blacks, who made them have the right to

dominate the blacks. For blacks, their struggles to get the freedom were not just a

simple thing but it manifests in many difficult processes. As Darlin Clark Hine

Hine and Kathleen Thompson discuss in their books A Shining Thread of Hope:

For black Americans, freedom was glory. It was the long awaited, the

fervently desired, the fulfillment of dreams. But it turned out that

emancipation was only the first step on the road to freedom, not the last,

and the obstacles along the way would be formidable (1998: 148).

In other words, the way to get freedom is not a simple task. The African American

people had to struggle to get their rights. By years, the situation has changed.

Nowadays, the practice of racial discrimination is not as intensive as what

happened in the past.

Looking back in the history about the struggles of African American

people, African American women in that time also played an important role that

inspires Civil Right movement.

A new look at the Civil Rights movement and an examination of the

triumphs of recent show what black women have to teach all Americans

about survival. The history of black women in America is remarkable

story; covering almost four centuries...black women became the

foundation of the Civil Rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s. For the

first time in history, a political movement relied on the organizing skills of

women (Hine and Thompson, 1998: 4-5).


2

In other words, racial discrimination has made African American women got

stronger. They could survive in the difficult situation and had the courage to show

their struggle. As Hine and Thompson said that it was only a matter of time. Black

women were bound to come into their own in American society. They had the

strength, the courage, the creativity (Hine and Thompson, 1998: 296).

From the explanation above, the writer thinks that it is important to discuss

thoroughly the struggle of African American women towards racial discrimination

in order to convince to other women that they also could find their freedom and

get their goals if they want to struggle. Hine and Thompson, in the last chapter of

their book, state that:

At the time when the problems of our society often seem insoluble and the

obstacles to peace and freedom seem insurmountable, all Americans have

a great deal to learn from black women (1998: 314).

The above quotation means that the suffering endured by African

American women in their struggle is an important example for people about

perseverance.

The socio-cultural historical approach is applied to this study. The purpose

is to understand the context of the struggle of African American women at that

time. We can learn about the struggle of African American women in the past

from literary works such as novels that were written by Maya Angelou, Kathryn

Stockett and many more. By learning the characters in novel, we can find their

courage and strength to face their problems in life.

In this analysis, the writer uses a novel entitled The Secret Life of Bees

that was written by Sue Monk Kidd. Racial discrimination is one of the main


3

issues in the novel. There are 5 characters that the writer uses to explore more

about the struggles of African American women toward racial discrimination.

Those five characters have different ways to struggle against racial discrimination.

An interesting character from The Secret Life of Bees is one of African

American women named August Boatwright. She was a bee keeper. She made a

black Madonna label on the honey she produces with a hope that colored women

and also men could think that Mary comes for all people, for the white and the

black.

The writer decides to choose that novel to study more about African

American women’s struggles against racial discrimination due to the presence of

different characteristics of African American women. However, there is also a

male character in the novel who face racial discriminaton, but the writer wants to

focus on female characters. Each of female characters has unique way and

reaction toward racial discrimination. By understanding each character, we could

understand their perspective and stand up toward racial discrimination. Hopefully,

the struggle of women always lives and never dies. The writer hopes this study

can be as a tool to study more about the struggle of women especially black

women.

B. Problem Formulation

There are three problems which have been formulated in this study. These

three problems are:

1. How are African American women characters in the novel described?


4

2. What are the practices of racial discrimination experienced by African

American women characters in the novel?

3. How is the African American women’s struggle against the practices of racial

discrimination in the novel described?

C. Objectives of the Study

This study focuses on black women characters who struggle against the

practices of racial discrimination. The first objective of the study is to answer

three questions in problem formulation. According to the problems above, the first

objective study is to describe the characteristics of African American women in

Sue Monk Kidd’s The Secret Life of Bees. The second objective of the study is to

analyze racial discrimination experienced by each character. The third objective of

this study is to understand how the African American women struggle against

racial discrimination in novel.

D. Definition of Terms

To guide the progress of this study, the major terms are used in this study

in order to make it clear and there is no misunderstanding later. The terms are

racial discrimination and struggle.

Pager and Sheperd as their quotation from Reskin and National Research

Council in their Journal The Sociology of Discrimination, Racial Discrimination

in Employments, Housing, Credit, and Consumer Market state Racial

discrimination refers to unequal treatment of persons or groups on the basis of

their race or ethnicity (2008: 182). In short, racial discrimination is unfair

treatment that people get because of their race in society. This treatment happens


5

to minority group when majority group wants to dominate them culturally,

intellectually or even physically.

According to Mifflin (1996: 1782) in The Americana Heritage Dictionary

of the English Language struggle means to be strenuously engaged with a

problem, a task, or an undertaking. In other words, struggle is a comprehensive

process of surviving difficult situation or achieving certain goals. This might take

a long time and tiring process that could require serious thinking and action.


6

CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

A. Review of Related Studies

This part consists of related studies that support this analysis. The first

study is from Anita Auliya Nuraini’s undergraduate thesis entitled Marguerites’s

Struggles against the Practices of Racial Discrimination as Seen in Maya

Angelou’s Gather Together in My Name. Nuraini finds that

Rita as the main character is strong, rebellious, optimistic, smart and

independent woman. She also experiences the practices of racial

discrimination in some form such as humiliation, prejudice,

underestimation, and rejection. The situation makes her do some struggles

in many ways in order to get her right as a human being (2008: X).

Both Nuraini’s study and the writer’s study are discuss about African American

women struggles against racial discrimination. The difference is that Nuraini’s

analysis was focused on one black woman character from Maya Angelou’s novel.

However, the writer’s analysis is focus on five characters of African American

women from Sue Monk Kidd’s, The Secret Life of Bees.

The second related study is from Benedicta Novena Sheilla Putri’s

undergraduate thesis entitled The Influence of Minor Characters on Lily’s

Personality Development The Secret life of Bees. Putri finds that:

Finally it can be seen that Lili’s personality develops as the result of minor

character’ influence. The minor characters influence Lily’s personality to

develop from an introverted person into extroverted person. Lily also

changes from lack of confident person into a confident person and calm to

face her problems (2010: vii).


7

Both the writer and Putri use the same novel from Sue Monk kidd’s The Secret

Life of bees. The difference is that the writer’s study is to focus on African

American women’s struggles toward racial discrimination. African American

women in that novel is the minor character. One the contrary, Putri’s study was to

focus on Lily’s personality development that influenced by African American

women. Lily is the major character in the novel who finds the love of mother from

African American women.

The third related study is from Rintan Kusumaningtyas’s undergraduate

thesis entitled The Reaction of African American’s People toward Racial

Discrimination in the 1960s Reflected in Kathryn Stockett’s The Help.

Kusumaningtyas finds that:

the white still treats the blacks inferiorly as we know, the white belief that

they are superior both intellectually and physically. The main characters,

Aibileen and Minny that experience the treatments of racial

discrimination. By analyzing the blacks’ characteristics, the writer is able

to find out the different reaction of them. The writer understands that

Aibileen Clarck depicts the blacks who react in a passive way. On the

other hand, Minny Jackson reflects the blacks who respon bravely in the

1960s. Later, the forms of reactions that can be seen are acceptance and

resistance (2012: X).

Kusumaningtyas’ thesis also develops the writer’s study because the writer can

understand the reaction of black women toward racial discrimination from

Kusumaningtyas’s analysis. Both the writer and Kusumaningtyas’s study is focus

on African American’s people lives toward racial discrimination in the 1960s.

The fourth related study is from Laura Miller’s article entitled The Help

and The secret Life of Bees presentation. She says

All of the African-American individuals in these novels are struggling to

face racial discrimination because of the inequalities they are forced to


8

deal with the condition and become accustomed to what they got from

superior. These individuals are looked upon as scum, who are uneducated

and untrustworthy (2012: 1).

From her analysis, the writer finds that the African American women characters in

The Secret Life of Bees are the struggle. Racial discrimination does not make them

get down but they keep finding their rights that are taken by White people.

Those related studies above have a connection to the writer’s analysis.

Those four related study also discovers the writer’s study to understand about

African American women’s struggle against racial discrimination. Although,

those related studies above are different from the writer’s study because the

writer focuses on the struggle of 5 minor characters of African American women

against the practice of racial discrimination in the novel The Secret Life of Bees by

Sue Monk Kidd. Each character has their own unique characteristics toward

racial discrimination.

B. Review of Related Theories

To support the analysis, the writer uses some theories to answer the

problems mentioned in the problem formulation. The writer reviews some

theories in order to find out which theories that might be able to be used to answer

those problems. The theories are character and characterization, race, racism and

racial discrimination.

1. Theory on Character and Characterization

M.H. Abrams and Geoffrey Harpham, in their book A Glossary of Literary Terms,

said that:

The persons represented in a dramatic or narrative work, who are

interpreted by the reader as possessing particular moral, intellectual, and


9

emotional qualities by inferences from what the persons say and their

distinctive ways of saying it- the dialogue-and from what they do-the

action. The grounds in the character’s temperament, desires, and moral

nature for their speech and actions are called their motivation (Abrams and

Harpham, 2012: 46).

From this theory, the writer finds that the character is the object in the novel.

Character is the maker the story and also character can analyzed from what

saying, dialogue and action.

M.J. Murphy (1970: 161-173) states in his book Understanding Unseen:

An Introduction to English Poetry and Novels for Overseas Students describes

nine ways to make characters in novel understandable. However, the writer picks

only seven ways that related to the analysis of this study.

First is personal description. Personal description is the way the author

describes a person’s appearance and clothes. It means the author gives the clue

about how the character in the story looks like from their appearance and from

what the character wears. Second is character as seen by another. Character as

seen by another is a way the author describes a character through the eyes and

opinions of another. In other words, it is about people point of view about the

character. Third is speech. Speech is the way the author gives an understanding

about the characteristic of character through what he or she says. It is about what

the character is talking about something in the novel. It can be comment, give

opinion or clue. Fourth is past life. Through the person’s past life, the author

gives the information about the characteristics of the person, it can be through the

direct comment, person’s thoughts, the conversation of another characters as the

medium.


10

Fifth is conversation of other. Conversations with other are employed

when a person’s character can be seen through the conversation to other character.

When the character is speaking with another character, there may be implied

meaning that shows the characteristic of the character. Sixth is reaction. Reaction

is the author uses to give the reader clue to know how that person reacts to various

situations and events. It is about what the character does to face something that

happen in the story or face the conflict. Then, seventh is a mannerism.

Mannerism in this case is about the person’s habits. In other words, the activity or

the thing that the person always does in various situations.

In general, the theories on character and characterization useto help the

writer to analyze about the African American women characteristics in the novel.

2. Theories on Race, Racism and Racial Discrimination

Race can be divided into different meaning. Allan G. Johnson (1986: 353)

in his book Human Arrangements: An Introduction to Sociology, defines race into

two meanings.

First is as the biological concept, race refers to people who share a genetic

heritage that result in distinct physical features, such as the color of skin,

eyes, and hair, or the shape of the nose or eyes. Second is as an ascribed

social status to which they attach values, attitudes, and norms that produce

important consequences for the occupants of different racial status.

Race becomes the differentiation in society especially about the differentiation of

physical characteristics that lead some people to make the term race as social

status from racial status. In other words, every race has different social status.

Therefore, the term of racism appears because of the differentiations

among the races in society. Particularly, racism is the belief of some people that


11

they are superior and have a right to dominate inferior group or individual. Lois

Tyson (2011: 211) in his book Using Critical Theory states

Racism is the oppression of individuals or groups based on the race.

Racism can be happen in many aspects include economic, political, social,

or psychological. Racism is the myth or the belief that oppressed race is

inferior to the “ dominant” race.

From the explanation above about racism, racism means the treatment where

individual treats another individual based on his or her race. Racism limits

people’s perception about the difference in life. Ellis Cashmore in Encyclopedia

of Race and Ethnic studies says

Racial discrimination is behavioral expression of racism and is aimed at

denying members of certain groups equal access to scarce and valued

resource. It holding the negative beliefs of them and makes them into

action (2004: 345).

In other words, racial discrimination is the expression that treats people unfairly.

The people who get discrimination have limitation to live, to access things, and to

get their rights as human being.

When people have the belief of racism among certain group, the term

prejudice emerges. Aguirre and Turner define prejudice, they state that prejudice

refers to negative belief, concepts and stereotypes about people (2011: 29).

Another theory comes from E. Franklin Frazier in his book Race and Culture

Contacts in The Modern World , he states

Race prejudice is a social attitude with an emotional bias. The object of

race prejudice is not only for individual with certain observable

characteristics but an individual who is identified as a member of racial

group. It has often been said that race prejudice has resulted from some

unpleasant experience with an individual of a different race (1957: 275).


12

From those explanations above, prejudice means having bad opinion about

some groups. It can be the negative opinion of their attitude, physical, intelligent

etc. Such negative belief not only for one person but also for all members. In this

case, the member of African American women.

Racism can develop segregation. Segregation is a process of spatially

isolating members of an ethnic subpopulation in areas where they cannot have the

same access to valued resources as do people who are not isolated (Jr. Adalberto

Aguirre and Jonathan H. Turner, 2011: 7-8). In other words, segregation means

the difference space between minority and dominant groups. The difference space

can be happen in occupation, education, and housing, health etc. Frazier also

shows

the patterns of racial segregation to be in residential area, in educational,

recreational, and other public institutions, in quasi-public institutions or

privately operated institutions under public control, such as railroads,

steamship lines, streetcar and bus system, and hospitals, in private

business establishments such as hotels and restaurants under customary or

legal mandate to prevent racial contact on a level implying social equality

or permitting social intimacy, in other private commercial and professional

services, such as department stores, undertaking establishments and

doctor’s offices even in church (1957: 281- 283).

From the theory above, we can see that segregation makes limit in daily life of

African American women to discover their lives because it happens in every

aspect.

3. The Relation between Literature and Society

Literature is work of art, such as novel, poetry and prose etc. Literary

works is one media to express and to discuss about many things such as the

cultural or the historical in society. Society makes the story alive. Therefore,


13

literature is closely related to society. Rene Wellek and Austin Warren in their

book Theory of Literature state that

Literature has usually arisen in social institutions and has a social function

that cannot be purely individual. But literature is not a reflection of the

social process, but the essence, the abridgment and summary of all history.

Much the most common approach to the relation of literature and society

is the study of works of literature as social documents, as assumed pictures

of social reality. Used as a social document, literature can be made to yield

the outlines of social history. For example is social picture of American

life

(1956: 94-103).

From the explanation above, the writer sees what happened in society in 1960 can

be revealed from literary work, such as novel. Although, the society in the novel

is not always same as the society in real life. It means that the author is not make

the content and the detail of the novel same with the real life.

4. Theory on Adaptation to Prejudice and Discrimination

When people face difficulty in life especially discrimination in this case,

they try to seek the best way to respond in order to suvive. According to Aguirre

and Turner in their book, American Ethnicy, state that

Prejudice and discrimination force their targets to respond and adapt.

Assimilation, or the elimination of ethnically distinct characteristics and

adoption of those of the superordinate ethnic population, is one method of

adaption. At the other extreme are rebellion and revolt against

superordinate ethnic groups, with the goal being redistribution of power

and, hence changes in the patterns of discrimination. Another response to

discrimination is organized protest, often arising out of or even prompting

acts of rebellion, in which ethnic groups and their allies organize to change

patterns of discrimination. Yet another response is withdrawal and self-

segregation of the subordinate ethnic group in order to isolate itself from

the discriminatory acts of others. Members of an ethnic group may choose

to accept their position passively, or they may participate marginally,

finding narrow niches in which they can secure resources (2011: 30).


14

Aguirre and Turner want to say that every one has its own ways to face

difficulty in life especially the member who receive unfairly treatment of racial

discrimination. Those ways brings them to still make the best in various situation.

C. Review of the History of African American in the 1960s

The story of African American was unforgettable one. In beginning,

African Americans were brought to United States as slaves. As Black women, the

beginning history was very difficult. Angela Y. Davis in her book Women, Race

and Class states:

Black women were women indeed, but their experiences during slavery-

hard work with their men, equality within the family, resistance, floggings

and rape- had encouraged them to develop certain personality traits which

set them apart from most white women (1983: 27).

From the quotation above it is known that the position of black women and black

men were same in during the slavery. As time passed, women also did resistances

to get their rigths. Interestingly, the position of women to struggle for black rights

was strong because the Black woman’s sense of community was a powerful force

in this time of crisis (Hine and Thompson, 1998: 268). There were more women

in the movement than men in the years before 1964. Some of women were

inspired to join the community because of their friend or family around them. In

other words, community holds an important role to their resistance toward racial

discrimination at that time. Such difficult and worse thing brought them to make

black community. This community makes them together to face all crucial things

to get their rights.

Black women in the 1930s and 1960s knew how to organize, were

accustomed to working together, and felt a strong kinship with members of

the community beyond their immediate families, the church and


15

community in which they had been involved for two centuries and

especially in the sixty years before the Civil Rights Movement- made them

ideal political activists (Hine and Thompson, 1998: 267).

This period also become the first step for them to get freedom. Cashmore

states:

On December, 1955, Rosa Parks, a black seamstress, refused to give up

her seat to white man on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama. Her action was

to prompt changes of monumental proportions in the condition of blacks in

the Use. It provided the impetus for the most influential social movement

in the history of North American race and ethnic relations. That was the

beginning of Civil Rights Movement in United States. Her attitude brought

protest from black community in that time. Almost people in the world

who concern to racial discrimination that Black people faced in the past

know Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr. He became leader of black community

and could mobilize grassroots black protest and was made to mount a

sustained campaign of black protest (2004: 81).

As time passed, some black women were found their way to get freedom. One by

one began to appear and to show their skill and power. There were some who

successes in business, politics, the arts etc.

History written some Black women who had been fighting for so long to

change the racism face of America. Women were also leaders, playing key

roles in initiating protests, mapping out strategies, and mobilizing

necessary resources. They were Ella Baker, Rosa Parks, Daisy Bates and

Diane Nash Bevel. These women and others had kept the issue at the

forefront of the American consciousness and conscience. Finally, their

effort was success. The federal government started to catch up, passing the

Civil rights act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (Hine and

Thompson, 1998: 283).

From the history above, it can be known that it was only a matter of time

until African America was accepted by Americans. Black women showed their

ability even though was not direct. Those black women like Ella Baker and Rosa

were just some names from million names of African American women who had

been struggle. Their successes in some aspect like business, politics, professions

and arts leads Americans to realize that they also have a power.


16

D. Theoretical Framework

This study is focus on the struggle of African American women against the

racial discrimination. A novel entitled The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

is the literary work that the writer uses to see and to find out the issue of racial

discrimination. To solve the 3 major problems, some theories were chosen.

Theory of character is applied to analyze the five characters of African

American Women in novel. Then, theory of characterization is to understand and

to describe the characteristics from 5 characters African American woman in

novel.

Theory of race is to know the meaning of race and this theory is also leads

the writer to know deeply about racism. The theory of racial discrimination is

used to know the meaning of racial discrimination because these theories show,

explain and give understanding about the practice of racial discrimination that

African American experienced in the past.

The theory of the relation between literature and society is to help the

writer to make a connection between the society in the novel of The Secret Life of

Bees with the society of African American women in the real life in 1960. In

connection with the struggle, theory on adaptation to prejudice and discrimination

are implemented. The review of the history of African American women is used

to help the writer to know more about racial discrimination that happened toward

them. This theory is also to help the writer to see how they keep struggling toward

racial discrimination. The writer sees that every character has their own way to

struggle.


17

CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

A. Object of the Study

A novel entitled The Secret Life of Bees that written by Sue Monk Kidd is

the object of the study that the writer uses to analyze the struggle of African

American women against racial discrimination in United States. This is Sue Monk

Kidd’s first novel. The Secret Life of Bees is a work of fiction and first published

by Penguin group in 2002. Since then, the novel has been published in 35

countries.

This novel spent more than one hundred weeks on the New York Times

Bestseller list and sold more than four million copies. This novel was also chosen

as the 2004 Book Sense Paperback Book of the Year and was the recipient of the

inaugural Literature of Life Award presented by The American Place Theatre. The

Secret Life of Bees has been made into a box- office movie in America.

Generally, The Secret Life of Bees tells about the life of Lily Melissa

Owens in South Carolina in 1964. Lily was fourteen years old and she was white.

Lily also lived with Rosaleen their housekeeper, an African American woman.

When Rosallen attempts to register her name so she can vote, three white men

mocked her and made her lifted her snuffjug to the tops of white men shoes. Three

white men got angry and yelled at her to apologize but Rosaleen did not want to.

At last, she was thrown into jail. Lily helps Rosaleen to escape from jail. Since

then, their new life in Tiburon, South Carolina began. In there, they met three

17


18

African American women there who also experienced racial discrimination. One

of them was August that showed her struggle of racial discrimination wisely

through making a black madonna label on her honey in order for colored men and

also women could think that Mary could also in the form of dark skin.

B. Approach of the Study

This part is about the approach of this study. This study uses socio-cultural

historical approach that covering theories that were chosen. Mary Rohrberger and

Samuel H. Woods in Reading and Writing about Literature state that the

sociocultural-historical approach is the only way to locate the real work is in

reference to the civilization that produce it. Civilization itself as the attitudes and

actions as its subject matter. They also add that this approach leads us to ethnical

judgment concerning the truth ot the author’s statement (1971: 9-10).

In brief, by learning history background of the novel, the reader can relate

it to the situation that happened in history depends on the time that the author uses

in novel. It can be said that society and culture in story also reflect to the society

and culture in history.

The application of this approach is to discuss the novel in the social

condition, culture and historical context. The purpose of applying this approach is

to know about the social condition, culture and historical context in novel,

especially about African American women struggle against racial discrimination

in United States. Racial discrimination that Black people got is closely relate to

the social and the culture that practiced in the society in the novel.


19

C. Method of the Study

This part is about the procedures that were taken in analyzing the work.

First is this study uses library research because most of data include theories and

information that the writer use to support the analysis was taken from library.

Second is about the primary and the secondary sources.

The primary source was from the novel written by Sue Monk Kidd’s The

Secret Life of Bees. Then, the secondary sources were from some books. They

were A Glossary of Literary Terms by Abram, Understanding Unseen by M.J.

Murphy, A Shining Thread of Hope: A History of Black women in America by

Hine and Thompson, American Ethnicity: The Dynamics and Consequences of

Discrimination by Aguirre and Turner, Race and Culture Contacs in the Modern

World by Frazier, Race and Culture by Thomas Sowell, Reading and Writing

about Literature by Rohrberger and Woods, Theory of Literature by Wellek And

Warren.

Third is about the steps which were taken in the analysis. First was by

reading over and over again the novel in order to understand more about the story

of the novel. After the writer understood the novel, the writer chose the most

interesting part of the novel that the writer was curious about and chose the topic.

After choosing the topic, the writer started to find the background of the study and

also the problems that related to the topic. To discover the topic the writer started

to find related studies and related theories that could support the analysis.

Approach that is used in this study is socio-cultural historical approach.


20

The last was the writer answered the problem formulation one through

comparing theories that were chosen with content of the novel. This step was also

used to analyze problem formulation two and three. However, the writer covered

all the answer using the approach that was taken before. Finally, the writer made

the conclusion.


21

CHAPTER IV

ANALYSIS

The Secret Life of Bees tells about the life of African American women

against racial discrimination in South Carolina. This chapter is divided into three

parts which are the answers of the problem formulations questioned in chapter

one. The first part analyzes about the characteristics of the Black women

characters in novel, Rosaleen Daisy, August Boatwright, June Boatwright, May

Boatwright and April Boatwright. The second part discusses the practices of racial

discrimination in 1960 as described in novel. The last part discusses the African

American women‟s struggle against racial discrimination through the characters

in The Secret Life of Bees.

A. The Characteristics of the African American Women

In this part the writer‟s analysis is about the African American Women

characteristics in the novel entitled The Secret Life of Bees is written by Sue Monk

Kidd. As explained in Chapter II, character is the important element that makes

the story alive. Character is also the object in the novel and without it, the story

cannot be made. Abrams and Harpham in their book, A Glossary of Literary

Terms-tenth Edition, state that the characters are:

The persons represented in a dramatic or narrative work, who are

interpreted by the reader as possessing particular moral, intellectual, and

emotional qualities by inferences from what the persons say and their

distinctive ways of saying it- the dialogue-and from what they do-the

action. The grounds in the characters‟ temperament, desires, and moral

nature for their speech and actions are called their motivation (Abrams and

Harpham, 2012: 46).


22

From the quotation above, it is clear that character is the maker of the story and

gives the reader information about people in the story from dialogue, action and

motivation. It is also the way someone speaks and behaves reflects their character

background.

There are five characters of Black women in the novel. First is Rosaleen

Daise. She is a housekeeper of white people. Another is the family of Boatwright

that consist of August, June, May and April. They live in Tiburon and sell Black

Madonna honey. The writer tries to examine the personal appearance and the

personality of each character. To examine their characteristics, the theory of

characterization taken from Murphy‟s book is applied. There are nine ways to

study about their characteristics. However, the writer only uses seven ways. Those

ways are personal description, character as seen by another, speech, past life,

conversation with other, reaction, and mannerisms.

1. Rosaleen Daise

Rosaleen Daise is a big black woman. “She had a big round face and a

body that sloped out from her neck like a pup tent, and she was so black that night

seemed to seep from her skin” (Kidd, 2002: 2-3). The quotation above indicates

that Rosaleen is a black woman who has a big body. Her body is so big in an

unproportional way to her head. Her skin is extremely black; none might realize

her presence in the night with the absence of light.

In the novel, Rosaleen is brave. She gets her bravery when she decides to

go to register her name to vote. “This is my practice sheet,” she said. “For the

Fourth of July they‟re holding voters „rally at the coloured church. I‟m registering


23

myself to vote” (Kidd, 2002: 44). She is black woman with very low literacy rate

and she musters her courage to practice writing her name in the practice sheet in

order to be eligible to vote. She is not afraid of anything that will come to her later

if she becomes a voter. At that time, the chance to vote for coloured people is

condemned by White people. White people think that Blacks deserve nothing for

freedom in the United States. Then, as explained in the next paragraph she meets

three white men and with full of confidence she says that she wants to register her

name as a voter of coloured people.

After a few blocks we approached the Esso station on the corner of West

Market and Park Street, generally recognized as a catchall place for men

with too much time on their hands.

I noticed that not a single car was getting gas. Three men sat in dinette

chairs beside the garage with a piece of plywood balanced on their knees.

They were playing cards.

“Hit me,” one of them said, and the dealer, who wore a Seed and Feed cap,

slapped a card down in front of him. He looked up and saw us, Rosaleen

fanning and shuffling, swaying side to side. “Well, look what we got

coming here,” he called out. “Where‟re you going, nigger?”

Firecrackers made a spattering sound in the distance. “Keep walking,” I

whispered. “Don‟t pay any attention.”

But Rosaleen, who had less sense that I‟d dreamed said in this tone like

she was explaining something real hard to a kindergarten student, “I‟m

going to register my name so I can vote, that‟s what” (Kidd, 2002: 51).

The writer sees the way Rosaleen tells the White men that she wants to

register her name as the voter of coloured people is the proof that she is a brave

woman. The way one of the men called her as a nigger clearly shows that the man

disrespected her. Even though Lily advised her to ignore him, Rosaleen explained

to them that she was going to register her name. For a black woman to stand up to

a white man like Rosaleen does take a huge courage and bravery.


24

Reaction is also one way to know the characteristics of a person.

Rosaleen‟s words that she is going to register her name as voter of coloured

people intrigued three white men to mock her. In spite of that, Rosaleen is not

afraid to these men and reacts to them in a brave manner.

Coming alongside the men, Rosaleen lifted her snuff jug, which was filled

with black spit, and calmly pured it across the tops of the men‟s shoes,

moving her hand in little loops like she was writing her name-Rosaleen

Daise-just the way she‟d practiced (Kidd, 2002: 53).

What Rosaleen did drive three white men angry and they yelled to her to ask to

apologize. In short, even Rosaleen is under arrest and those white men hit her, she

never apologize “....He hit me till the policeman said that was enough. They didn‟t

get no apology, though” (Kidd, 2002: 76). The last chapter of the novel, it is

written that Rosaleen is still going to register her name as a voter. She does not

worry about what happened the last time she tried to register her name but does

not give up easily until she gets what she want. She perseveres and endures the

beating from the white men in order to achieve her goal.

From the quotation above, the writer concludes that Rosaleen is a brave

woman. While some people at that time are afraid to register their name to vote

for the freedom of coloured people, Rosaleen is brave to register her name to vote

for freedom of coloured people. Then, she is also brave to lift her snuff jug to

white men‟s shoes and even she is hit by them to force her apology, she does not

want to apologize. She is a woman with a strong determination to fight for what

she believes is right. Through Murphy‟s theory on speech and reaction

characterization method, the writer can prove that Rosaleen is brave from what

she says and what she does.


25

The writer also sees that Rosaleen is caring person. Rosaleen works for T-

ray, a white man. T-ray has a daughter named Lily, she is fourteen years old.

Since Lily was a child, Rosaleen has worked for the family even she took care of

Lily because Lily‟s mother has passed away. Her caring personality is exhibited

through the conversation between Lily and her.

“She Jerked the broom as she swept, raising a wind. “What happened?”she

said.

“I went out to the orchard last night. T-ray thinks I met some boy.”

“Did you?.”

I rolled my eyes at her. “No.”

“How long did he keep you on these grits?‟

I shrugged. “Maybe an hour.”

She looked down at my knees and stopped sweeping. They were swollen

with hundreds of red welts, pinprick bruises that would grow into a blue

stubble across my skin. “Look at you, child. Look what he‟s done to you,”

she said” (Kidd, 2002: 40-41).

From the conversation between Lily and Rosaleen above, the writer knows

that Rosaleen cares for Lily by the way she looks at the bruises in Lily‟s knees. It

also shows that she is worried about Lily. Her loving for Lily is also expressed by

her way of calling Lily “child”.

The other proof that Rosaleen is a caring woman is from Lily‟s words,

“...She made me go to school wearing long britches under my Pentecostal

dresses...She bought me an Easter dyed biddy from the mercantile...” (Kidd, 2002:

14-17). The sentences above describe that Rosaleen is a caring woman. She does

many things for Lily as a mother for daughter such as buying dyed biddy in order

to get easter eggs for Lily. From what she has done, the writer sees that Rosaleen

treats Lily like her own daughter eventhough she is just a houskeeper in Lily‟s

house.


26

From explanation above, it is known that Rosaleen is a brave person, does

not give up easily and is also a caring person. Her characteristics will lead the

writer to examine the way she struggles against racial discrimination that she

faces.

2. August Boatwright

August Boatwright is a bee-keeper who lives in Tiburon with her sisters,

June Boatwright, May Boatwright and April Boatwright. Through the

conversation between Lily and a man in the store, the writer knows about the

physical appearance of August as an old black woman.

„” I know what you mean. A lot of folks won‟t buy it cause it‟s got the

Virgin Mary pictured as a colored woman, but see, that‟s because the

woman who makes the honey is colored herself.”

“What‟s her name?”

“August Boatwright,” he said. She keeps bees all over the country”‟ (Kidd,

2002: 105).

From the conversation between Lily and a man above, it is clear that

August Boatwright; the producer of the black Madonna honey is a black woman.

Many people do not buy the honey since she is black. Then, the proof that August

is an old woman is through using Lily‟s words.

“She was almond-buttery with sweatand sun, her face corrugated with a

thousand caramel wrinkles and her hair looking flour dusted, but the rest

of her seemed decades younger” (Kidd, 2002: 117).

The writer sees that Lily describes August as a woman with wrinkles in her face

and with grey hair. These indicate that August is an old woman. Nevertheless,

Lily also points out that August appears much younger than her age.

August is an educated black woman. Before she chose to be a beekeeper,

she was a teacher like her sister June. However, at that time the place for black


27

women to teach were rare. It made her change her job as housekeeper. From

August‟s speech the writer sees that she is an educated black woman.

“I studied at a Negro teacher‟s college in Maryland. June did, too, but it

was hard to get a job, since there weren‟t that many places for Negroes to

teach. I ended up working nine years as a housekeeper. Eventually I got a

job teaching history. It lasted six years, till we moved down here” (Kidd,

2002: 240).

From August‟ speech above, the writer sees that August is not only an

educated black woman but also a hardworking woman. Although it was hard to

get a job at that time, she still tried to get another job, which was different from

her previous working experienced as a teacher.

In the story, August is wiser than the others. It is proved by the way she

reacts, says and thinks about something. She realizes that as a black woman, she

has limited part to do something because of the treatment and the rule from white

people. Therefore, she continues to make a black Madonna honey to show black

people that Mary is not only come for Whites but also for Blacks. The writer sees

that from her black Madonna honey, she conveys a message about hope to Black

people who buy her honey. A hope that God is with them even they are in

discrimination. Her conversation with Lily below shows that she is wise.

„“How come you put the Black Madonna on your honey?” I asked.....

.”I wish you could‟ve seen the Daughters of Mary the first time they laid

eyes on this label. You know why? Because when they looked at her, it

occurred to them for the first time in their lives that what is divine can

come in dark skin. You see, everybody needs a God who looks like them,

Lily”‟ (Kidd, 2002: 232).

She is also kind hearted through the way she accepts Lily to stay at their

home although Lily is white and has lied about many things since she came to

their home. She knows that Lily needs help. Through the conversation between


28

August and June, the writer sees that August is a kind person to accept people

whoever they are.

“You know she‟s lying,” said June.

“I know, “August told her. But they‟re in some kind of trouble and need a

place to stay. Who‟s gonna take them in if we don‟t-a white girl and a

Negro woman? Nobody around here.”. . .

A pause followed. I crept closer to the edge of the porch. “ I just have a

feeling about this, June. Something tells me not to send her back to some

place she doesn‟t want to be. Not yet, at least. She has some reason for

leaving. Maybe he mistreated her. I believe we can help her” (Kidd, 2002:

142- 143).

From her speech, the writer sees that August is a kind person. “Well, you

can stay here till you figure out what to do. We can‟t have you living on the side

of the road,” said August” (Kidd, 2002: 188-119). August kindly gives enough

time for Lily and Rosaleen to stay in her house. She does not have the heart to let

them to be homeless. The way she gives many things to Lily and Rosaleen like

giving a place to live, foods, and jobs is the proof that she is kind hearted through

give what Rosaleen and Lily need that she has.

“All right, then. Rosaleen can help May in the house, and you can help me

and Zach with the bees. Zach is my main helper, so I cant‟s pay you

anything, but at least you‟ll have a room and some food till we call your

aunt and see about her sending some bus money.”

“ I don‟t exactly know her whole name,” I said. “My father just called her

Aunt Bernie; I never met her.”

“Well, what were you planning to do, child, go door to door in Virginia?”

“No, ma‟am, just Richmond.”

“I see,” said August. And the thing was, she did. She was right through it”

(Kidd, 2002: 122).

August is not only a kind hearted woman. She is also very considerate and

thoughtful. She knows about the needs of Rosaleen and buys her the things that

Rosaleen needs.


29

“August got into her truck and went straight to the Amen Dollar Store,

where she bought Rosaleen four pairs of panties, a pale blue cotton

nightgown, three waistless, Hawaiian-looking dresses, and a bra that could

have slung boulders” (Kidd, 2002: 135).

All of the quotations above explain that August is a kind hearted person.

She is willing to sacrifice her money and time to help Rosaleen and Lily without

asking in return, except for Rosaleen and Lily to lend a help in the house.

3. June Boatwright

June is the second child in that family. From her physical appearance, she

has short gray hair. The writer finds it by using a perspective of Lily.

“When the door opened, it was not the woman in white but another one

wearing red, her hair so short it resembled a little gray, curlicue swim cap

pulled tight over the scalp. Her face stared at us, suspicious and stern. I

noticed she carried a musical bow tucked under her arm like a riding. It

crossed my mind she might use it on us” (Kidd, 2002: 112).

Therefore from the explanation above, it is clear that June has short gray

hair. At the first time Lily and Rosaleen came to their home, June showed that she

did not like Lily very much and showed cold reception. June is an unfriendly

person especially to Lily who is white. The conversation between June and

August will prove that June is an unfriendly person.

“Why don‟t you just ask her point-blank what kind of trouble she‟s

in?”“Everything in time,” August said. “The last thing I want to scare her

off with a lot of questions. She‟ll tell us when she‟s ready. Let‟s be

patient.”“But she‟s white, August” (Kidd, 2002: 143).

June does not permit Lily to stay at their home because Lily is white. June

also refuses to work for white people. The writer thinks that June might have too

high esteem to work for White people. From August‟s speech below, the writer

sees that June is unfriendly to white people.


30

“What about June?”

She laughed. “June- you wouldn‟t catch her keeping house for white

people. She went to work at a colored funeral home, dressing the bodies

and doing their hair” (Kidd: 2002: 240).

The quotation above shows that June even prefers to dress up deceased black

people rather than working for living white people.

June loves to play music. From August words below, the writer sees that

June loves to play music especially playing cello.

The one it was hard to get a fix on was June. She taught history and

English as the colored high school, but what she really loved was music. If

I got finished early in the honey house, I went to the kitchen and watched

May and Rosaleen cook, but really I was there to listen to June play the

cello. She played music for dying people, going to their homes and even to

the hospital to serenade them into the next life (Kidd, 2002: 141).

From the quotation above, the writer sees that June loves to play music. She plays

cello not only because she likes it but also to lighten the sadness of the dying

people.

4. May Boatwright

May has a twin sister named April. May‟s physical appearance is not

really clear in the novel. In spite of that, May is the most unique character in novel

because the way she treats people or something around her is different from other

characters. Since her twin sister dies, her response to something sad or bad are

realized through different ways. She becomes very sensitive and emotional when

she hears or sees something painful. She will sing the song “Oh Susanna” and

goes to her wall of lamentation everytime she feel sad. There, she writes about

what makes her sad at that time and then puts the paper on those stones. The


31

conversation between Lily and August below will show that May is very sensitive

and emotional person, especially since her twin died.

“Was she born like that?” I asked.

“No, she was happy child at first.”

“Then what happened to her?”

August focused her eyes on the stone wall. “May had a twin. Our sister

April. the two of them were like one soul sharing two bodies. I never saw

anything like it. If April got a toothache, May‟s gum would plump up red

and swollen just like April‟s. Only one time did our father use a belt strap

on April, and I swear to you, the welts rose on May‟s legs too. Those two

had no separation between them.”

“The first day we were here May told us that April died.

“And that‟d when it all started with May,‟ she said, then looked at me like

she was trying to decide whether to go on. “It‟s not a pretty story” (Kidd,

2002: 158).

The other proof that May is very sensitive and emotional is through her

mannerism. When May hears something painful, she will react as if she

experiences the pain.

It was Rosaleen who figured out the mystery of “Oh! Susanna.” She said if

you kept things on a happy note, May did fine, but bring up an unpleasant

subject-like Rosaleen‟s head full of stitches or the tomatoes having rot-

bottom and May would start humming “Oh! Susanna.” It seemed to be her

personal way of warding off crying. It worked for things like tomato rot,

but not for much else.

A few times, she cried so bad, ranting and tearing her hair that Rosaleen

had to come to get August from the honey house. August would calmly

send May out back to the stone wall. Going out there was about the only

thing that could bring her around

May had to have a banana every morning, and this banana absolutely

could not have a bruise on it. One morning I watched her peel seven

bananas in a row before she found one without a bad place. (Kidd, 2002:

139-140)

From the quotation above, the writer sees that May cannot see or hear

about unpleasant thing around her although that bad thing or sad thing is not

happen to her even a bruise on a banana could ruin her day. One thing that can

make her calm is to go to her wall of lamentation.


32

May‟s habit happened for years and it is the only way for her to struggle in

life. The most difficult thing in her life is the time when she hears that one of

black people named Zach who works for them in the honey house was put in the

jail because he had a fight with white men. It makes May prones to depression and

even going to the wall of lamentation cannot make her calm. She becomes

desperate and cannot control her sadness. Finally, she commits suicide by sank

her body in the river.

Although May is very sensitive and emotional, she is a friendly person.

The first time Lily and Rosaleen come to their house, May is the most friendliest

to welcome them and without a doubt introduce herself to them. From her speech,

the writer sees that May is warm person. “I‟m May Boatwright,” she said. “I‟m

August‟s sister, too.” She smiled at us, one of those odd grins that let you know

she was not an altogether normal person” (Kidd, 2002: 113).

Another proof that May is a friendly person is when she becomes close to

Rosaleen without difficulty. This is because May is like an innocent child with

open mind. The writer finds it from Lily words.

May and Rosaleen hit it off right away. May was simpleminded. I don‟t

mean retarded, because she was smart in some ways and read cookbook

nonstop. I mean she was naive and unassuming, a grown-up and a child at

the same time, she was a touch crazy (Kidd, 2002: 114).

From the sentences above, it is clear that May is a friendly person. She

accepts everyone whoever they are and without making a boundary. She accepts

Lily to live at their house although Lily is white. The writer also finds that May

treats everything with heart and she does not want to hurt others.


33

5. April Boatwright

In the novel, The Secret Life of Bees written by Sue Monk Kidd, April‟s

characteristic is not deeply discussed. The writer concludes this from August

speech “May had a twin. Our sister April. The two of them were like one soul

sharing two bodies “(Kidd, 2002: 157). Her physical appearance is not really

clear.

Different from May, April is a stubborn person. Murphy‟s theory about

characterization is one of the ways to know person‟s characteristics is by seeing

her or his past life. By using the medium of another character that is August as her

sister, the writer can see that April is a stubborn person and does not like to be

discriminated against white kids. She also finds it hard to accept the disc

rimination.

“Well, when April and May were eleven, they walked to the market with a

nickel each to buy an ice cream. They‟d seen the white children in there

licking their cones and looking at cartoon books. The man who owned the

market gave them the cones but said they had to go outside to eat them.

April was headstrong and told him she wanted to look at the cartoon

books. She argued with the man for her own way, like she used to do with

Father, and finally the man took her arm and pulled her to the door, and

her ice cream dropped to the floor. She came home screaming that it

wasn‟t fair. Our father was the only colored dentist in Richmond, and he‟d

seen more than his share of unfairness. He told April, „Nothing‟s fair in

this world. You might as well get that straight right now” (Kidd, 2002:

158- 159).

April‟s past life that is told by August is the proof that she is a stubborn

person. What April has done is normal because she was a child at that time and

she did not understand about the difference and the problem between white people

and black people in society. Although it puts her into the trouble that she cannot

accept that way.


34

“She got deflated about life, I suppose you‟d say. It opened her eyes to

things she might not have noticed, being so young. She started having

stretches when she didn‟t want to go to school or do anything. By the time

she was thirteen, she was having terrible depressions, and of course the

whole time, whatever she was feeling, May was feeling. And then, when

April was fifteen, she took our father‟s shotgun and killed herself” (Kidd,

2002: 159).

From the quotation above, the way she cannot accept the thing like racial

discrimination drives her to be a desperate person. It makes her does not want to

go to school and then kill herself because her terrible depressions. Her desperation

happened for years because she cannot accept the condition about the racial

discrimination around her. She struggle to face this desperation but she finally

give up.

B. The Practices of Racial Discrimination

The novel The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd tells about racial

discrimination against African American women. Lois Tyson (2011: 211) in his

book Using Critical Theory states that

Racism is the oppression of individuals or groups based on the race.

Racism can be happen in many aspects including economic, political,

social, or psychological. Racism is the myth or the belief that oppressed

race is inferior to the “ dominant” race.

Lois Tyson wants to say that racism happens in various aspect of minority‟s life.

Racism results in different treatments to different people. Racism makes the

oppressed race have limitation to live as normal as the dominant race.

The first practice of racial discrimination in the novel The Secret Life of

Bees is negative stereotyping about African American people. In the story, Lily is

fourteen years old but has prejudice to African American women, that they are not

as knowledgable as the white women. She realizes that she has this prejudice


35

within herself when she meets an educated, smart, and well-behaved black

woman.

T. Ray did not think colored women were smart. Since I want to tell the

whole truth, which means the worst parts, I thought they could smart, but

not as smart as me, me being white. Lying on the cot in the honey house,

though, all I could think was August is so intelligent, so cultured, and I

was surprised by this. That‟s what let me know I had some prejudice

buried inside me (Kidd, 2002: 129).

It can be said even Lily just turns into fourteen years old but she has

prejudice to African American women. Her father tells her that colored women

are not smart like white people. It makes her also think that all African American

women are not smart too. Therefore, prejudice happens hereditary in white‟s

society and makes the problem of racial discrimination between white and black

people is difficult to end.

Aguirre and Turner said that prejudice refers to negative belief, concepts

and stereotypes about people (2011: 29). Frazier also says the object of racial

prejudice is not only for individual with certain observable characteristics but an

individual who is identified as a member of racial group (1957: 275). As written,

Lily has had a bad judgment about colored women from beginning that they are

not as smart as herself who is white. She thinks that just because she is white she

is smarter than colored women. Without realizing it, she discriminates August

based on her skin color. In other words, she has racial prejudice toward August

and other African American women.

August moves to Tiburon after she taught history for six years. In Tiburon

she works as a beekeeper. As written in the novel, August puts the black Madonna

(Virgin Mary) label on honey jars but some people do not want to buy the honey


36

because of the label. In the society, most people believe that the Virgin Mary

comes from whites. Therefore, whites are condemned if there is another Virgin

Mary that is black.

I pointed to the honey jars. “Where did you get those?”

He thought the tone of shock in my voice was really consternation. “I

know what you mean. A lot of folks won‟t buy it‟ cause it‟s got the Virgin

Mary pictured as a colored woman, but see, that‟s because the woman who

makes the honey is colored herself (Kidd, 2002: 105).

From the quotation above, it is known that even just a honey jar that is

labelled black Madonna can make some people lose interest to buy it. This result

in a condition where the profit that August and her sisters make is not worth with

the effort that they make to produce the honey. White people think the word

“Black” relates with the idea of bad and dirty. The meaning of this idea is that

African American people must be bad in terms of their physicall appearance and

their attitude.

The second practice of racial discrimination can be seen when the whites

have the term to call one of African American women character in novel that is

Rosaleen. The word Nigger is the impolite word not only for African American

women but also for African American men. “Well, look what we got coming

here,” he called out. “Where‟re you going, nigger?” (Kidd, 2002: 51).

The third practice of racial discrimination as written in the novel The

Secret Life of Bess is in public places. Segregation according to Aguirre and

Turner is a process of spatially isolating members of an ethnic subpopulation in

areas where they cannot have the same access to valued resources as do people

who are not isolated (2011: 7- 8). When Rosaleen was tortured by three white


37

men, she was brought to a hospital. As written in the novel, the place and the

facility for White people are different from those for African American people.

Sylvan Memorial Hospital was a low brick building with one wing for

whites and one for blacks. I stepped into a deserted corridor clogged with

too many smells. Carnations, old people, rubbing alcohol, bathroom

deodorizer, red Jell-O. Air conditioners poked out from the windows in the

white section, but back here there was nothing but electric fans moving the

hot air from one place to another (Kidd, 2002: 74- 75).

From the quotation above, an example of the different treatment for White

and the African American people is that the air conditioner is provided for White

people and electric fans are provided for African American people. This unfair

treatment that African American people get is injustice because they cannot get as

comfortable as the White people at the hospital.

The other public places where discrimination towards African American

women takes place is at the motel and white‟s house. As written in the novel The

Secret Life of Bees, there is no motel that will serve any African American woman

even though they can pay it. It is also emphasized by Rosaleen that no White

people will take any black woman into their house.

“If we can find some place open when we get to town, I‟ll go in and get us

some food, “I told her.

“And what‟re we gonna do for beds?” she said.

“If they don‟t have a motel, we‟ll have to rent a room.”

She smiled at me then. “Lily, child, there ain‟t gonna be any place that will

take a colored woman. I don‟t care if she‟s the Virgin Mary; nobody‟s

letting her stay if she‟s colored” (Kidd, 2002: 98-99).

Another public place that African American women find it difficult to

access and to get their needs is the market. It happens to May and April.

“Well, when April and May were eleven, they walked to the market with a

nickel each to buy an ice cream. They‟d seen the white children in there

licking their cones and looking at cartoon books. The man who owned that


38

market gave them the cones but said they had to go outside to eat them.

April was headstrong and told him she wanted to look at the cartoon

books. She argued with the man for her own way, like she used to do with

father, and finally the man took her arm and pulled her to the door, and her

ice creaming dropped to the floor. She came home screaming that it wasn‟t

fair “(Kidd, 2002: 158).

The way the man lets them eat the cones outside the market is one proof that even

children suffer the impact of segregation. They are just eleven years old but they

can see how unfair the treatment of segregation toward them, even they just want

to look at the cartoon books at the market with the white children. In addition, the

white children inside the market can see the treatment that an adult does to

African American children. Then, they could do the same thing to African

American people around them.

The fourth practice of racial discrimination found in the novel The Secret

Life of Bess is in economic life especially in finding a job. It happens to June and

August. Although they have proper educational background, they find it difficult

to get a job at that time.

“I studied at a Negro teacher‟s college in Maryland. June did, too, but it

was hard to get a job, since there were‟t that many places for Negroes to

teach. I ended up working nine years as housekeeper. Eventually I got a

job teaching history. It lasted six years, till we moved down here” (Kidd,

2002: 240).

From the quotation above the writer sees that even they have ability to teach like

the white, the chance to teach is rare because African American women are not

given enough opportunity to teach like White people are.

That August ended up working nine years as housekeeper is the proof that

many African American women work low level job, such as housekeeper of the

White people. As written, the African Americans had been the slaves and the


39

servants of White people since a long time ago. This treatment also gives impact

to their economic life. To be a housekeeper means that they get low salary that

puts them in vicious circle of poverty and find it difficult to get out of it.

The fifth practice of racial discrimination as written in novel, The Secret

Life of Bees is law that is unfair. Law that is unfair does not only happen to

African American men but also happen to African American women. They are the

victim of the unfair law. They cannot do something although the ones guilty are

White people. All happens because the police and the jury are all white. At least,

the one who get punishment is always African American people.

By then Rosaleen lay sprawled on the ground, pinned, twisting her fingers

around clumps of grass. Blood ran from a cut beneath her eye. It curved

under her chin the ways tears do.

When policeman got there, he said we had to get into the back of his car.

“You‟re under arrest,” he told Rosaleen, “Assault, theft, and disturbing the

peace” ( Kidd, 2002: 53- 54).

The men get angry and hit Rosaleen violently because Rosaleen lifts her

snuffjug and pour it across the tops of the men‟s shoes. Rosaleen did it because

three white men mock her and call her Nigger. Rosaleen with her bravery tells

them that she wants to register her name as a voter. Then, three white men start to

make the situation worse. From the quotation above, the one who get the

punishment is Rosaleen since she lifts her snuff jug to three white men‟s shoes.

Meanwhile, the three white men who hit her violently do not get any punishment.

Logically, the three white men must also get punishment because they hit women.

In fact, at that time law only applies for African American people. The other proof

can be seen in the quotation below:


40

“After you left, that policeman called Shoe let those men come in for their

apology.”

“They hit you again?”

“Two of them held me by the arms while the other one hit me- the one

with the flashlight. He said, „Nigger, you say you‟re sorry.‟ When I didn‟t,

he came at me. He hit me till the policemen said that was enough. They

didn‟t get no apology, though” (Kidd, 2002: 76).

The way the policeman lets the three white men come to Rosaleen and hit

her again is the proof of how worse the treatment to African American people at

that time. Even law enforcement officer allows and endorses unfair treatment

toward African American woman.

Those quotations above proof that African American people experience

unfair treatment towards their rights. As citizens, they have the right to register

and to go voting. In fact, White people forbid African American people to have

their rights like the way the three white men mock Rosaleen because Rosaleen

tells them that she wants to register her name to do voting. Another proof is on

below.

An uneasy feeling settled in my stomach, Last night the television had said

a man in Mississippi was killed for registering to vote, and I myself had

overheard Mr. Bussey, one of the deacons, say to T.Ray,” Don‟t you

worry, they‟re gonna make „em write their names in perfect cursive and

refuse them a card if they forget so much as to dot i or make a loop in their

y.”

I studied the curves of Rosaleen‟s R. “Does T.Ray know what you‟re

doing?” “T. Ray,” she said. “T. Ray don‟t know nothing” (Kidd, 2002:

44).

Most African American women at that time work as a servant or

housekeeper. It means they must obey the rule and the command of White people

as their master or landowner. Once their master knows that they will go to register

their name as the voters, they will be kicked out from their job. It means that their


41

lives depend on White people and there is nothing they could do. Therefore, it is

impossible for Rosaleen to get permission from T. Ray to go to register her name.

White people at that time have many ways to block the freedom of African

American people when they want to register her name as a voter. White people

even kill African American who wants to vote.

C. The Struggle Against Racial Discrimination

Racial discrimination experienced by African American Women is a long

and exhaustive struggle because their rights as a human being has been taken from

them and they could not live normally like other people. Sue Monk Kidd as the

author of the novel The Secret Life of Bees tries to draw, explain and represent the

society in the novel with the society in the real life at that time. Those situations

are the reflection of society in the United States at that time.

The strong racial discrimination at that time led African American women

to fight against the discrimination. The position of women to struggle for black

rights were strong because the Black woman‟s sense of community was a

powerful force in this time of crisis (Hine and Thompson, 1998: 268). Their

struggles come from their community because their togetherness in community is

to support each other and to make them strongest.

As written in the novel The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd,

every African American woman character in the novel has different struggles

against the practice of racial discrimination around them. Rosaleen Daise, August

Boatwright, June Boatwright, May Boatwright, and April Boatwright have

different characteristics, experiences and responses toward racial discrimination.


42

Therefore, each character has their own way to show their struggle against racial

discrimination. Their struggles are also the reflection of the struggle of African

women in society at that time in the United States. As Aguirre and Turner state

that passive acceptance, marginal participation, assimilation, self- segregation,

rebellion and revolt, organized protest and ethnogenesis are the way of minority

group member to cope difficult situation (2011: 30).

As stated before, White people have poor judgment toward African

American people. For instance, Lily thinks that African American women are not

smart. Meanwhile, as a matter of fact, some of them are educated.

August is an educated black woman in the story. She previously worked as

teacher but because the chance to teach for Black woman is extremely rare, she

becomes a housekeeper for nine years. Therefore, August does not use all her

potential as a woman with high education due to the discrimination. She later

becomes a beekeeper and the honey she produces is labelled black Madonna.

“How come you put the Black Madonna on your honey?” I asked. I”d

been curious about this from day one. Usually people got in a rut putting

honey bears on them.

August grew still, holding a jar in her hand and looking into the distance

like she‟s gone in search of the answer and that finding it had been the

bonus of the day. “I wish you could‟ve seen the Daughters of Mary the

first time they laid eyes on this label. You know why? Because when they

looked at her, it occurred to them for the first time in their lives that what‟s

divine can come in dark skin. You see, everybody needs a God who looks

like them, Lily” (Kidd, 2002: 232-233).

As an educated woman, she prefers a smarter way to face racial

discrimination wisely but frontal. While some African American people make a

riot against racial discrimination, she refuses destructive ways but still frontal to

show that she condemn racial discrimination toward them. She makes and sells


43

madonna honey with a hope that African American women in other places who

bought the honey could feel the spirit of Mary and realize that Mary could come

for any people, despite of the color of the skin. August has anticipated that some

people will not be interested to buy the honey, especially White people.

Nevertheless, due to her characteristic as a hardworking and determined person,

she does not give up easily to sell the honey. She continues selling the honey

whatever happens.

Her wise characteristic brings her to accept Lily to live in their house

although Lily is white. She does not make any difference to treat Lily as white and

Rosaleen as Black as she believes that Mary comes not only for the White but also

for the Black. She does not only give them place to live but also gives food and

job. From her reactions, which are the reflection of Black Madonna label on the

honey jar and also her kindness to help Lily and Rosaleen, August breaks the

negative stereotyping toward African American that they are unkind and stupid.

Law that is unfair is one of the practices of racial discrimination that

African American people experience at that time. African American people

always be blamed for anything wrong although the wrong ones are White people.

“After you left, that policeman called Shoe let those men come in for their

apology.”

“They hit you again?”

“Two of them held me by the arms while the other one hit me- the one

with the flashlight. He said, „Nigger, you say you‟re sorry.‟ When I didn‟t,

he came at me. He hit me till the policemen said that was enough. They

didn‟t get no apology, though” (Kidd, 2002: 76).

From the quotation above, Rosaleen does not give up easily to say sorry

to three white men. Even she gets hit repeatedly; Rosaleen has a commitment to


44

herself that she does not need to say sorry to the men who insulted her. Her

response is to be silent that make three white men get mad. On the other side, she

is actually wrong because she lifts her snuff jug to three white men‟s shoes.

However, she did it because three white men insulted her. The way policeman lets

three white men to hit Rosaleen is unfair. Rosaleen‟s reaction shows that her

bravery makes her survive in various situations. Her struggle against racial

discrimination is very brave in a frontal way.

At that time, many African American people are killed because they force

to register her name as the voter. White people also make a rule that African

American people who want to register their names as voters must be able write

their names correctly. Her name, Rosaleen Daise, was written twenty- five times

at least down the page in large, careful cursive, like the first paper you turn in

when school starts (Kidd, 2002: 44). That Rosaleen learns how to write her name

correctly in a paper secretly proves that African American people at that time do

many ways to get their rights. White people might underestimate them but they

learn it and try their best.

I studied the curves of Rosaleen‟s R. “Does T.Ray know what you‟re

doing?” “T.Ray,” she said. “T. Ray don‟t know nothing” (Kidd, 2002: 44). Being

a housekeeper in White‟s house means that Rosaleen has to obey all the rules

from her master. One of them is White people forbid them to register her name.

Rosaleen knows that T.Ray will not permit her as a voter. Therefore, she does not

tell T.Ray and goes to city to register her name secretly. In the end of the novel,

she still is going to register her name as a voter.


45

Another frontal way to show the struggle is doing by May.

The man who owned that market gave them the cones but said they had to

go outside to eat them. April was headstrong and told him she wanted to

look at the cartoon books. She argued with the man for her own way, like

she used to do with father, and finally the man took her arm and pulled her

to the door, and her ice creaming dropped to the floor. She came home

screaming that it was not fair. (Kidd, 2002: 158- 159).

The above quotation tells us about April‟s strong reaction toward unfair treatment

she receives. Even when she was just eleven years old at that time, she knew that

the man is unfair to her and her sister. However, she could not accept that unfair

treatment and show hysterical reaction that later drives her to have a depressed

life.

“She got deflated about life, I suppose you‟d say. It opened her eyes to

things she might not have noticed, being so young. She started having

stretches when she did not want to go to school or do anything. By the

time she was thirteen, she was having terrible depressions, and of course,

the whole time, whatever she was feeling, May was feeling. And then,

when April was fifteen, she took our father‟s shotgun and killed herself”

(Kidd, 2002: 159).

From the quotation above, it is indicate that her stubborn characteristic led

her to depression because she does not accept and understand the thing like racial

discrimination. The writer sees that she is a stubborn person who could not face

the fact and accept the reality. April beliefs that she has the same right like other

children to see cartoon book inside the market. Meanwhile, it is not the reality at

that time. Since then, April faces racial discrimination desperately. In other words,

her strong belief in similar right makes her cannot understand and accept the

problem in society around her. At the end, she committed suicide. The writer sees

that her depression for 3 years is the process of her struggle in facing the

unfavorable reality but she failed to stand.


46

Since her twin dies, May does not act normal like other people. She will

cry and scream the time when she hears or sees unpleasant subject. This is the

manifestation of her struggle toward racial discrimination. She even shows deep

pain over the suffering of other African American people.

Usually May didn‟t watch, but one night she joined us, and midway

through she started to hum “Oh! Susanna.” She was upset over a Negro

man named Mr. Raines, who was killed by a shotgun from a passing car in

Georgia. They showed a pictured of his widow, holding her children, and

suddenly May started to sob (Kidd, 2002: 146).

She has to deal with herself because she cannot control her feeling. A stone wall

becomes her place to find a comfort and peace. She writes all unpleasant subjects

that happened and put in between the stone. May deals racial discrimination

silenty but fail. The wall of lamentation is just “the thing” which can help her to

keep struggling on various situations in her life.

“...She saw doctors, but they didn‟t have any idea what to do with her

except put her away. So June and I came up with this idea of a wailing

wall.”

“what kind of wall?”

“Wailing wall,” she said again. “Like they have in Jerusalem. The Jewish

people go there to mourn. It is a way for them to deal with their suffering.

See, they write their prayers on scraps of paper and tuck them in the wall.”

“And that‟s what May does?”

August nodded. “All those bits of paper you see out there stuck between

the stones are things May has written down- all the heavy feelings she

carries around. It seems like the only thing that helps her” (Kidd, 2002:

160).

Finally, at the end of her life, May committed suicide as happened before

to her twin sister, April. She hears that Zach, who is one of the beekeeper, is put

in jail because he has the conflict with white men. As stated in the novel, she

cannot hear or see unpleasant thing around her. She goes to the stonewall (wall of

lamentation) but it does not help her to comfort and to calm her mind. At the end,


47

she lost control of her feeling and then kill herself. Both of May and April try to

survive to face racial discrimination but fail because they cannot accept the

reality.

Segregation happens in some public places. As written in the novel The

Secret Life of Bees; segregation happens at the hospital, at the motel and at the

market, schools, communities etc. The African American women are fully aware

of the segregation. Therefore, they separate themselves from White people in

many public areas.

Black women in the 1930s and 1960s knew how to organize, were

accustomed to working together, and felt a strong kinship with members of

the community beyond their immediate families, the church and

community in which they had been involved for two centuries and

especially in the sixty years before the Civil Rights Movement- made them

ideal political activists (Hine and Thompson, 1998: 267).

The discrimination also led many African American women to feel inferior in

church community. Some even organized their own community to worship God,

such as the group organized by August in the story.

On Sunday I thought they would go to church, but no, they held special

service in the pink house, and people came to them. It was a group called

the Daughters of Mary, which August had organized (Kidd, 2002: 174).

August had brought in chairs and arranged them in a semicircle facing the

wooden statue of Mary. When we were all seated, she lit the candle and

June played the cello. We said the Hail Marys together, Queenie and

Violet movings strings of wooden beads through their fingers (Kidd, 2002:

175).

From those quotations above, it is known that August is the leader on that

event. August, her sisters and the other African American women come together

to worship at the pink house. They make a community called Daughters of Mary

that hold a Sunday service in Pink house. They believe Mary comes as their


48

protector. Besides that, they have the statue of Black Mary and put it in the middle

of room during their worship. In other words, their community called Daughters

of Mary or other community at that time is the strength of their struggles. Their

togetherness to worship in this community is their first step to make a small action

to struggle against racial discrimination.

The year 1964 and 1965 are remarkable years because Civil Rights

Movement took place in those years. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was written to

guarantee that all Americans could access to public accommodations such as

restaurants and hotels (Hine and Thompson, 1998: 283). However, some White

people disobeyed to this new rule and still made segregation at the motel and at

the market. In their trip to Tiburon, Lily asks Rosaleen to take a rest in the motel,

but Rosaleen refuse it. She knows that to stay in the motel is impossible for

African American women at that time.

“And what‟re we gonna do for beds?” she said.

“If they don‟t have a motel, we‟ll have to rent a room.”

She smiled at me then. “Lily, child, there ain‟t gonna be any place that will

take a colored woman. I don‟t care is she‟s the Virgin Mary, nobody‟s

letting her stay if she‟s colored.”

“Well, what was the point of Civil Rights Act?” I said, coming to a full

stop in the middle of the road. “Doesn‟t that mean people have to let you

stay in their motels and eat in their restaurants if you want to?”

“That‟s what it means, but you gonna have to drag people kicking and

screaming to do it” (Kidd, 2002: 98-99).

The Civil Rights movement at that time is not a guarantee that African

American people can get their rights and their freedom to live normally. Rosaleen

does not accept this condition but she does not want to make her position as

minority group becomes worse. She avoids a situation in which she may faces

discrimination.


49

As the minority group, African American women at that time find it

difficult to get a better job. A chance to work is rare even if they have educational

background, as it happens to Rosaleen and June. Both of them are teachers but the

place to teach is rare. Most African American people at that time work as a

housekeeper at white‟s house and working as a peach picker at the white people‟s

land. However, June does not want to work for Whites. “What about June?”She

laughed. “June- you wouldn‟t catch her keeping house for white people. She went

to work at a colored funeral home, dressing the bodies and doing their hair”

(Kidd: 2002: 240). June has a strong resistance to White people. She always tries

to avoid White people‟s area and doing bussiness with them.

June said, “We can‟t keep a runaway girl here without letting somebody

know.”August turned toward the screen and looked out, causing me to step

deeper into the shadows and press my back against the house. “Let who

know?” she said. “The police? They would only haul her off someplace.

Maybe her father really did die. If so, who better is she gonna stay with for

the time being than us?” (Kidd, 2002: 142).

The time when Lily comes to their home, June forces August not to allow

Lily to live at their house. She avoids having direct contacts with white people in

order to reduce the risk of being target of racial discrimination. This is an example

how June dislikes White people.


50

CHAPTER V

CONCLUSION

This chapter concludes the explanations and analyses in the previous

chapters. In this thesis, the writer discusses African American Women’s struggles

against racial discrimination in the novel The Secret Life of Bees written by Sue

Monk Kidd. The story tells about five characters of African American women

who experienced racial discrimination and their struggles against it. As stated in

the first chapter, there are three problem formulation that analyzed. First is about

the characteristics of African American women in the novel. The second is about

the practices of racial discrimination toward African American women in the

novel. Then, the last is African American women’s struggles against racial

discrimination.

In analyzing the African American woman characteristics in the novel, the

writer concludes that Rosaleen’s characteristics are brave, not give up easily and

caring. She does not worry about registering her name and being known as a

voter. Even she tells to three white men that she goes to city to register her name.

She is also brave to lift her snuff jug to three white men’s shoes who insulted her

and she does not want to apologize even when she gets hit repeatedly and thrown

in jail. However, Rosaleen is also a caring woman. She works for White’s house

as housekeeper. Her master, T.Ray has a daughter named Lily. She treats Lily like

her own daughter. She takes care of Lily since Lily was a child. She makes a

birthday cake for Lily, worried about the scars on Lily’s knees, buys an Easter

dyed biddy and many things.


51

The second character analyzed is August. It can be concluded that August

is an educated, hardworking, wise and kind hearted person. She is actually a

teacher but the chance for African American people to teach is extremely rare that

makes her end up working as a housekeeper. August is also different from the

other African American women since she has a wise and smart way to face racial

discrimination. She puts Black Madonna label on her honey jar and sells it. She

hopes Black people in other places who bought her honey realize that Mary comes

not only for White people but also for Black people. She also accepts Lily to live

in her house although Lily is white.

The third character that analyzed is June. It can be concluded that June’s

characteristics are educated, unfriendly to White people and loves to play music.

Similar to August, June is also a teacher but June does not want to work for

Whites like August. She also shows that she is not comfortable with Lily staying

with them. When sorrow comes into her, she will play her cello. She also plays

her chello to lighten the sadness of the dying people.

The fourth character that analyzed is May. It can be concluded that May is

a very sensitive person who easily feel depressed seeing something upleasant. In

the rest of her life, she is depressed to know that Zach, a Black employe of her

family bussines, was put in jail. Finally, her desperation brings her committed

suicide. However, she is a friendly and warm person. She accepts Lily and

Rosaleen to live in their house and becomes close to Rosaleen without difficulty.

The last character that is analyzed is April. It can be concluded that April

is a stubborn and depressed person. She finds it difficult to face the fact that the


52

Blacks are treated unfairly. Her inability to accept this reality makes her hysterical

and even led her to commit suicide.

The second problem that analyzed is the practices of racial discrimination

experienced by five African American women in the novel. The first racial

discrimination that they experienced is the negative stereotyping from White

people around them. White people also have the term to call an African American

person that is “Nigger”. For African American people, the word Nigger is

impolite, unacceptable, and insulting.

The other discriminative treatment can be seen in public places. Those

happen at hospitals, motels, and markets. At the hospitals, the air conditioners

only provided for White people while the electric fans provided for African

American people. As Rosaleen experienced, African American people are also not

served in motels. The discriminative treatment between African American people

and White people are also experienced by Children. April and May in their eleven

were not permitted to go inside the market because they were blacks.

In economic life, especially in finding a job, August and June find it

difficult to get a job at that time although they have proper educational

background As an African American women, August only gets a job as

housekeeper. Law that is unfair is also experienced by African American women.

They are always victims of unfair law even law enforcement officer allows unfair

treatment toward African American woman. Since most of African American

people work for White, they will be kicked out from their job if they go to register

their name as voters. White people also make the rule that African American


53

people who want to register their names as voter must be able to write their name

correctly which many African American people find it difficult to fullfill.

The last part that analyzed is about the struggle of African American

women against racial discrimination. There are three types of struggle identified

in the novel, frontal reaction, silent reaction, self-separation. In work field, August

shows her struggle by keep selling Black Madonna honey although some people

are not interested to buy it. While some African American people make a riot

against racial discrimination, she refuses destructive ways but still frontal to show

that she condemn racial discrimination toward them thorugh the honey. The most

important thing for her is the message behind the label that is African American

people in other places who bought the honey can feel that Mary not only for

White people but also for Black people.

The frontal reaction is also doing by Rosaleen. She is brave to lift her

snuff jug at the top of the White’s men shoes because the white man insulted her.

She is also brave to refuse to apologize when the men hit and force her to do it.

Another frontal way to show the struggle is doing by May. May refuses

racial discrimination frontally the time when the man who owned the market is

not permit her to eat the cones inside the market,. Even she just eleven years old

but she knows it is unfair treatment. Since then, April faces racial discrimination

desperately. In other words, her strong belief in similar right makes her cannot

understand and accept the problem in society around her. At the end, she

committed suicide. The writer sees that her depression for 3 years is the process of

her struggle in facing the unfavorable reality but she failed to stand.


54

The second struggle is silent reaction. Since her twin die, May will cry and

scream the time when she hears or sees unpleasant subject. This is the

manifestation of her struggle toward racial discrimination. She even shows deep

pain over the suffering of other African American people. A wall stone becomes

her place to find a comfort and peace. She writes all unpleasant subjects that

happened and put in between the stone. May choose to commit suicide as

happened before to her twin sister because Zach, who is one of the beekeeper, has

the conflict with white men and it make Zach put in jail. Both May and April are

failed to do their struggle toward racial discrimination because they choose to

commit suicide. One important thing is they do not commit suicide frontally but

still within the process of struggle although at the end they give up.

Another silent reaction is doing by Rosaleen. She learns how to write her

name correctly and secretly in order her rights accepted without telling T.Ray, her

master.

The Third struggle is self-separation. Self- Separation in this case is the

way they keep struggling by avoiding White’s areas. It happens to June, she

refuses to work for white people. June might have too high esteem to work for

White people. She even prefers to dress up deceased black people rather than

working for living white people. The other self- separation is Rosaleen reaction.

On her trip to Tiburon, Rosaleen refuses Lily’s advice to stay at motel. Rosaleen

realizes that there is no white will let her to stay at motel. She chooses to avoid a

situation in which they may face discrimination.


56

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Abrams, M. H. and Geoffrey Harpham. A Glossary of Literary Terms 10th

edition.

New York: Cornell University, 2012.

Aguirre, Adalberto, Jr., and Jonathan H. Turner. American Ethnicity: The Dynamics

and Consequences of Discrimination 7th

edition. New York: McGraw-Hill

Companies, Inc., 2011.

Cashmore, Ellis. Encyclopedia of Race and Etnic Studies. New York: Routledge

Ltd., 2004.

Davis, Angela Y. Women, Race and Class. New York: Random House. 1983.

Frazier, E. Franklin. Race and Culture Contacts in The Modern World. New York:

Alfred A. Knoff, Inc., 1957.

Hine, Darlen Clark and Kathleen Thompson. A Shining Thread of Hope: The

History of Black Women in America. New York: Broadway Book Random

House, Inc., 1998.

Johnson, Allan. G. Human Arrangements: An Introduction to Sociology. New

York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc., 1986.

Kidd, Sue Monk. The Secret Life of Bees. New York: The Penguin Group, Inc.,

2003.

Kusumaningtyas, Rintan. “The Reaction of African American’s People toward

Racial Discrimination in the 1960s Reflected in Kathryn Stockett’s The

Help”. Thesis. Yogyakarta: Sanata Dharma University, 2012.

Mifflin, Haughton. The American Heritage Dictionary of The English Language 3rd

edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. 1996.

Miller, Laura. “The Help” and “ The secret Life of Bees” presentation. Prezi.

Prezy. December 7, 2012. (https//prezi.com/6cquvtqgfmoe/the-help-the-

secret-life-of-bees-presentation/). October 31,2014.

Murphy, M. J. Understanding Unseen: An Introduction to English Poetry and the

English Novels for Overseas Students. London: George Allen & Unwin.

Ltd., 1972.

Nuraini, Anita Auliya. “Marguerites’s Struggles against the Practices of Racial

Discrimination as seen in Maya Angelou’s Gather Together in My Name”.

Thesis. Yogyakarta: Sanata Dharma University, 2008.


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Pager, Devah and Hana Sheperd. The Sociology of Discrimination: Racial

Discimination in Employment, Housing, Credit, and Costumer Market.

Vol. 8. (2008): p. 182. The Annual Review of Sociology.

(www.annualreviws.org/doi/abs/100.1146/annurev.soc.33.040406131740).

March 21, 2014.

Putri, Benedicta Novena Sheila. “The Influence of Minor Characters on Lily’s

Personality Development The Secret Life of Bees”. Thesis. Yogyakarta:

Sanata Dharma University, 2010.

Rohrberger, Mary and Samuel H. Woods. Jr. Reading and Writing about Literature.

New York: Random House, 1971.

Tyson, Lois. Using Critical Theory 2nd

edition. New York: Routledge. 2011.

Wellek, Rene and Austin Warren. Theory of Literature. New York: Harcourt Brace

and World, Inc., 1956.


58

APPENDIX

Summary of Sue Monk Kidd’s The Secret Life of Bees

The Secret Life of Bees was first published in 2002. Generally, this story

tells about the Life of Lily Owens who gets the love of mother from African

American Women around her. However, the writer tries to emerge the other issue

that also reflects in the novel which is African American women’s experience

toward racial discrimination and their struggle against it. Those are Rosaleen

Daise, August Boatwright, June Boatwright, May Boatwright and April

Boatwright. They get unfairly treatments from the first chapter until the last

chapter of the novel.

Rosaleen as the first African American Woman is told in the novel. She

works as a housekeeper in White’s house. Rosaleen has six brothers and sisters

but she does not know where they live. She gets divorce with her husband without

a child in their marriage. Her master named T.Ray has a daughter named Lily and

Rosaleen cares to Lily like her own daughter. The issue about racial

discrimination happens when Rosaleen attempts to register her name as a voter. In

the middle of her trip to city with Lily, she meets with three white men who mock

her and call her Nigger. She lifts her snuff jug to the tops of the men shoes. Three

white men get mad and hit her violently. At least, she is put in jail. Although, Lily

helps Rosaleen to escape from jail. Since that time, the story leads us to the life of

other African American women.

They arrive safely in Tiburon, South Carolina. There, they live in Pink

House, Boatwright’s house. They meet August, June and May. August is an older


59

sister. She is unmarried woman because she loves to live freedom. The first time

Lily and Rosaleen come to their house, August knows that Lily lies to them.

Although, she still accepts Lily and Rosaleen to live with them. August and June

actually teachers but the place to teach for Black people is rare that make her

choose to get a job as housekeeper. However, June one of August’s sisters does

not want to work for white and chooses to work for Colored funeral home. At last,

August moves to Tiburon and works as beekeeper in honey house that in the past

was her grandmother’s honey house. August sells the honey with a picture of

Black Mary on the label and it makes some people lose interest to buy it. For her,

the most important thing is the message behind the label. She hopes everyone who

bought her honey can feel that Mary does not only come for White people but also

Black people.

Talking about June’s life, she is the most unfriendly person in treating Lily

in the pink house. June does not want to live with White people closely. She does

not like Lily in their first meeting and forces August not to accept Lily to live in

their house. Although, August still accepts Lily and Rosaleen to live with them.

On the other hand, May is the friendliest person to accept Lily and Rosaleen to

live with them. She is close to Rosaleen without difficulty. May also loves to

cook. She actually has a twin sister named April but April committed suicide

when she was thirteen because April has terrible depression to face racial

discrimination. Since her twin sister dies, May reacts abnormally. Every time she

hears and sees an unpleasant subject, she will cry and scream. August and June

find a solution that is make stonewall, the place for May to write all her sadness


60

and put it in between the stones. It works and May goes to this place almost

everyday. However, in the end, May also commits suicide because she knows

that Zach, the man who works for them in honey house is put in jail because he

has a conflict with white men.

In the last chapter of the novel, Rosaleen forces to register her name as a

voter. Lily is shocked and worried, because what happened the last time Rosaleen

tried to register, but August gives her an explanation about it. It makes Lily proud

of Rosaleen. In the end, Lily and Rosaleen still stay in August’s house.


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