The Secret Life of the Bees V.S. Reality

In my American Literature class we are reading the novel called The Secret Life of the Bees. In the first chapter it explains the background of Lily and her father, who she calls T-Ray, and how her mother died. When Lily was four years old, mother was 'cleaning out the closet' and she and T-Ray were fighting. T-Ray threw Lily into the wall. Mother was angry about this, so she grabbed a gun out of the closet. T-ray wrestled it out of her hands and it fell on the floor. Lily somehow hit the trigger and it killed her mother. She didn’t know better. This happens all the time in the real world. Parents have guns in the house and children find them. Kids don’t understand how dangerous they are and how they work. They get one in their hands and before you know it someone is dead. Do they know how it happened? Most of the time they don't, but who is to blame, the four year old child or the parent who left it out?

 Lily and her father don’t get along well; actually, T-Ray is a horrible father. He seems very abusive. He doesn’t allow her to read while she sells peaches from their orchard, he doesn't appreciate her intelligence and is careless of her appearance. One night, Lily went out the orchard to unbury her mother things she had found in the attic, laid on the ground with her shirt unbuttoned and held her mother gloves. T-Ray came outside and she hurried to hide her mother items and buttoned her shirt. T-Ray thought she met a boy out there and called her a slut. He gave her the usual punishment that he came up with, Martha Whites, and beat her! He doesn’t listen to her! He didn't give her a chance to explain. Maybe if he knew his daughter, she would know that is how she sleeps and she just wanted fresh air.
Lily’s birthday is on Fourth of July and has never had a birthday! Can you believe it! For fourteen years of her life she hasn’t had a birthday! She brings it up to her father before her 14th. Birthday that she would like a silver charm bracelet but her father’s silence tells her that she won't be getting one. This reminds me of a friend i used to have. Her situation wasn't nearly as bad as Lily's, but she never had a birthday or received gifts on her birthday. He father didn't care how she looked or what she wore, but as far as I know, he didn’t beat her.

It is sad when you hear of people being mistreated by their parents. Children all over the world are beaten, but we don’t see it enough or hear of it enough to understand how terrible it can be. If you don’t want your child or don’t care to take care of your child then why have a child? Why not give your child to someone who will care for it? Children deserve better, most of the time it isn't their fault you are unhappy. You as a parent put them here and it is your job to do what it takes to make them happy and give them love.