Christian Turiello

Ms. David
HELA 10
14 May 2016

SLOB Rhetorical Precis

In the passage from the novel, The Secret Life of Bees (2001) feminist writer Sue
Monk Kidd implies that whites and blacks are unable to share the same religious customs due to
their historical backgrounds. She supports this claim by first describing the meaning of the Lady
of chains to the slaves, characterizing the masters feelings toward the Lady of Chains, then
showing how these meanings affect the feelings between whites and blacks. Kidds purpose is to
demonstrate how racism has restricted blacks and whites from sharing the same religious ideals
in order to have the reader understand why June stopped playing the music when Lily attempted
to take part in the Ceremony because June feels that whites and blacks cannot share the same
cultural customs due to their past history together. The author uses a disdainful tone, by showing
Junes contempt for Lily because of her skin color, for the reader of the novel-and audience full
of people interested in this story, and at the same time the author shows her views on it.