Kidd, Sue Monk: *1948

The Secret Life of Bees, 2002 - Thematic Parallels: Racism

Kidd, Sue Monk: The Secret Life of Bees, 2002
The book’s central topic is a coming-of-age journey of healing and self-discovery, framed within issues of race, family, and female solidarity.
The following books are thematically similar. They lend themselves well to being read in groups, compared with one another, or used to teach a similar topic over an extended period with a class:
- Hansberry, Lorraine: A Raisin in the Sun, 1959, ~150pp
  This is a play that addresses racial discrimination and aspirations in a Black family.
  - While "A Raisin in the Sun" focuses more on African American family struggles in urban Chicago and "The Secret Life of Bees" blends personal growth with racial consciousness in the rural South, both works intersect in their treatment of race, identity, dreams, family, and female empowerment.
- Lee, Harper: To Kill a Mockingbird, 1960, ~300pp
  This novel is a classic in exploring racial injustice.
  - Both novels use the lens of a young female narrator to explore themes of race, justice, family, and moral growth in the American South. They show how innocence and experience collide, and how guidance from compassionate adults helps the protagonists navigate a world marked by inequality and prejudice.
- Walker, Alice: The Color Purple, 1982, ~300pp
  This novel explores African-American women’s struggles, racism, and abuse.
  - Both works share core themes of female empowerment, racial injustice, healing from trauma, the importance of chosen families, and spiritual growth, all framed through the coming-of-age journeys of their female protagonists in the American South.
- Wright, Richard: Native Son, 1940, ~400pp
  This is a novel presenting racial oppression and its consequences in America. It tackles systemic racism and racial injustice, which aligns with core themes about racism.
  - Both novels share key themes: racial injustice, identity formation under societal pressures, the influence of community, and coming-of-age experiences shaped by oppressive social structures.
List of general discussion questions on Racism (pdf)
List of essay prompts on Racism (pdf)