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"That night I lay in bed listening to the flicks and twitters and thrums inside the bee jar, waiting till it was late enough so I could slip out to the orchard and dig up the tin box that held my mother's things. I wanted to lie down in the orchard and let it hold me." (22)
Lily wants badly to have some connection with her mom. She feels free and safe when looking at her mother's things. Lily's mom, although not present physically, is Lily's rock and without it she would be lost.
The orchard is the home to Lily's heart. It was like a heavenly atmosphere and that the orchard would hold Lily as she lay down and dreams of her mother. Everyone has that place where you escape from the rest of the world and to Lily the orchard is that place.
This quote does consist the imagery of nature but in the bigger picture it shows that Lily has a wonderful mind that is full of happiness. Throughout the novel, since it is in 1st person, the reader can see the importance of Lily's storytelling.
The tree of souls in Avatar provided life and a safe place for the creatures who lived here
"She walked on puddles like they were Persian carpets, and when a clap of thunder boomed around us, she looked up at the drowned sky, opened her mouth, and let the rain fall in. Ever since those men had beaten her up, her face had been so pinched and tired, her eyes dull like they'd had the light knocked out of them. Now I could see she was returning to herself, looking like an all-weather queen out there, like nothing could touch her" (75)
"In my dream I was back on the peach farm, sitting out behind the tractor shed, and even though it was broad daylight, I could see a huge, round moon in the sky. It looked so perfect up there. I gazed at it awhile, then leaned against the shed and closed my eyes. Next I heard a sound like ice breaking, and, looking up, I saw the moon crack apart and start to fall. I had to run for my life." (54)
In the novel, Lily dreams a lot and shows that she has a powerful, imaginary mind. Her dreams are so powerful that it mentally and physically opens her up and lifts her when she is feeling down. Lily's storytelling in the novel proves to be the key factor that keeps Lily going.
This place is so alive in Lily's mind but it is all just a dream. This place has a special place in her heart and makes Lily smile and feel like the whole world just paused to imagine being on the peach farm. The moon looking perfect as she stared, Lily's mind was put in ease as she pictured all of it.
Lily tells a beautiful situation in her dream and how everything was perfect. She was lost in the moment and at the very end she snaps into the reality of things and is running for her life. She had just ran away from her so-called "home". She knows that her dreams can't yet be and has to live in the present.
This passage explained Rosaleen and how she had to go through some of the toughest times but is enjoying her life while she still has it. Lily sees that Rosaleen is a tough woman and one day hopes to be as tough as she is.
This passage, especially the last part of it really shows the strength of women. This is another major theme in the novel, the power of women is constantly shown and woman, more towards African-American women, in this time period were very discriminated against and it took a strong one to live past it.
In this time period, especially in South Carolina, racism was still high in the white society. Whites can be violent against blacks which is seen when Rosaleen is badly hit. It was right around the time that Dr Martin Luther King was pushing and peacefully protesting for the Human Rights Movement.
"The water felt like a glacier melting against my legs. I must have gasped at the iciness, because Rosaleen looked up and seeing me come naked through the water, started to laugh... She reached over and patted the roundness of my knee like it was biscuit dough" (55)
The coldness of the water caught Lily by surprise but yet it was very relaxing and joyful for her to share this special moment with Rosaleen. It was in the night time and they both are on their journey to find a place to stay since leaving T-Ray's house.
A big theme, not only in this quote but in the entire novel is the wrong, irrational views on blacks and racism. Rosaleen, an African-American lady, shares a special and loving connection with Lily and they comfort each other no matter there race.
This was a comforting moment for Lily because she is being cared for and loved by Rosaleen. Love is something that Lily has been looking for her whole life since her mom died young and T-Ray was not very nice. Rosaleen, atleast for this moment seemed like a mother figure to Lily