In The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd, Joseph Campbell's concept of the monomyth is used to develop Lily's journey of a lack of family recognition and uselessness to a new life. of true meaning and appreciation. Joseph Campbell argues that all stories are essentially the same because of their relationship to the monomyth. Throughout this journey, the hero goes through three critical phases: departure, initiation and return. They must overcome obstacles and risk falling into peril, but they will eventually gain the freedom to live. In addition to applying monomyth theory to works of fiction, Campbell also used the idea of ​​archetypes created by Carl Jung. He used them to discover the deeper meanings of myths and religion. More importantly, these archetypes are present in novels to express the collective unconscious and are an important part of the hero's journey. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay In each monomyth, the hero must first leave home in order to embark on a journey of empowerment. This first step is known as starting. In Kidd's novel, Lily follows many of the stages of departure described by Joseph Campbell. Lily's first action during the journey is when she is called to adventure. After T. Ray brings Lily back from prison, she is sent to her room; they get into an argument regarding Lily's mother. T. Ray laughs: “The woman could have laughed at you. "Lily says, 'That's not true, that's not the case'" (Kidd 39). After this indignant comment from T. Ray, Lily feels completely empty inside. Throughout her young life, Lily has lacked a strong maternal archetype and now realizes that she must undertake a journey of sorts in order to reestablish this archetype in her collective unconscious. Many heroes also receive help from something beyond their world, some sort of paranormal support. Joseph Campbell states that another movement on the road to departure includes the assistance of supernatural help. As Lily sits in her room after T. Ray scolds her, she hears a voice in her head. Lily thinks, “I heard a voice say, Lily Melissa Owens, your jar is open. In a matter of seconds, I knew exactly what I had to do: leave” (Kidd 41). Lily is encouraged to leave the house by the voice in her head. For her, this turns into a rare opportunity that gives her justification to abandon her home and do better for herself. Later in the novel, August describes the sound Lily hears in her mind as Mary's voice. Throughout the novel, Lily applies this voice within herself as a guide that leads her down the path of her unconscious. Now that Lily has decided to leave T. Ray, she must take her first steps away from home. Campbell describes this stage of departure as crossing the first threshold. Lily crosses this line after gathering all of her possessions and writing a letter to T. Ray. Lily's letter says: “'Dear T. Ray, don't bother looking for me. Read. PS People who lie like you should rot in hell'” (Kidd 42). Lily has truly crossed the point of no return; she must now disappear because after T. Ray finds this letter, she knows he will punish her severely. She has no choice but to continue her journey far from home. Campbell calls the hero's first challenge the "belly of the whale." This experience will test the hero's will and provide him with the ideals necessary to continue. Lily faces her first major test after decidingthat she must free Rosaleen. Lily goes to the hospital where Rosaleen has been confined and calls for a nurse in the colored section of the hospital while posing as the jailer's wife. Lily says, “'Mr. Gaston wants you to send the policeman we have there, back to the station. Tell him that the pastor is about to sign some papers and that Mr. Gaston can't be there because he had to leave earlier” (Kidd 48). The policeman having left, Lily and Rosaleen manage to escape. Telling such a lie was a difficult ordeal for Lily as she had to defy the law to help Rosaleen escape. This test shows that Lily is competent and has the willpower she needs to complete her adventure. At this point in the novel, Lily has taken the step of leaving. The situations that Lily must overcome during the stages of departure show how Lily follows Campbell's monomyth theory. There is ample evidence that the monomyth initiation phase exists in The Secret Life of Bees. Lily begins the path of trials when she begins the journey to August's house. During this trip, Lily begins to develop the terrible habit of lying. Lily lies to a salesman she meets, just before finding out where her mother received the photo of the Black Mary. “'I don't think I've seen you before,' he said. “I’m not from here. I'm visiting my grandmother'” (Kidd, 62 years old). Lily began to break out of her usual routine by lying, something she would never have done at home with T. Ray because she knew it was morally wrong and unethical. Shortly after reaching August's house, Lily has a date with the goddess, or god in this case. This character plays another role in Campbell's monomyth. Lily is instantly charmed by Zachary's appearance and behavior. Lily thought, “At my school, they made fun of colored people's lips and noses. I had laughed at these jokes myself, hoping to fit in. Now I wish I could write a letter to my school to read at the opening assembly and tell them how wrong we all were” (Kidd 116). Zachary is Lily's god in the story, as she always finds him amazing and adorable. For Lily, Zach is perfect; he is something of a surrogate father figure, as he possesses all the positive and honest qualities that T. Ray lacks as a father. Once Lily realizes that Zach has all these qualities she's never admired in a man before, Zach becomes her god. Not only does Lily have Zach to distract her from the task at hand, but she also has a voice inside her that is a temptation, leading her away from the true path. In Lily's case, the true path is to discover the truth about her mother. Lily so passionately wants to tell August the truth about who she is and why she came here, but something increases her resistance. August said, "You know, don't you, that we two must have a good talk." And this time, not about me. About you’” (Kidd 152). “'I suppose,' I said. ‘And now?’ ‘Not now’” (Kidd 152). Although Lily wants August to know the truth, there is a little voice in her head telling her that she can't do this because she isn't ready to accept reality yet. After finally eliminating this distracting voice, Lily discovers who her mother was, why she knew August, and why she left. “T.Ray told me she came back to get her things. But she would come back for me too. She wanted to bring me here, to Tiburon, to August” (254). Lily achieves atonement with her mother here and forgives her when she realizes that her mother loved her after all. The same quote can be used to describe Lily's ultimate blessing. Lily also goes.