Chapter 8
What does Lily learn from August while they are pasting labels on the jars of honey?
She learns how and why the black Madonna came to be on the jar labels, and she learns about August's personal history--how she was from Richmond but loved to come here to her grandmother's house, and how she came to own it.
Who does Lily call from Mr. Forrest's office? Why?
Lily calls T. Ray to ask him if he knows her favorite color.
What happens when Zach and Lily ride to town to get a new radiator hose?
Some of Zach's friends get into an incident with white men who were waiting for Jack Palance outside the movie theater. One of the boys throws a bottle at one of the white men and gives him a bloody nose. Zach stands with the boys, and they are all arrested. Then Lily is left alone.
What happens to May after she goes to the wailing wall for the last time?
She goes to the river puts a rock on herself and drowns herself in the river.
What important message is in May's note to August and June?
"It's my time to die, and it's your time to live. Don't mess it up."
What does August say is the whole problem with people?
They know what matters, but they don't choose it.
Lily writes a letter to T. Ray then tears it up. That night, what did Lily do in the parlor?
She touched the heart of Mary, Our Lady of Chains, and prayed to her.
What happens to May when she finds out about Zach's being arrested?
At first she seems fine, then she goes into a kind of a trance, and then she comes back but isn't at all her usual self. She insists on going to the wall by herself.
What messages does Lily have for May during the vigil?
Lily says she hopes May will be happier in heaven and to tell Mary that "we're doing our best to keep her memory going" and to find her mother and let her know that Lily is away from T. Ray and "would appreciate a sign letting her know you love her."
What is August's advice to June after reading May's note?
She told June to marry Neil.
What is the relationship of the queen bee to all the other bees in the hive?
The queen is the mother of every bee in the hive.
What is the result of Lily and June's fighting over the water sprinkler?
They both lied down on the floor and start laughing, and June hugs Lily.
Who tells May that Zach has been arrested?
Zach’s mother
How does Zach get out of jail?
The girl at the ticket booth at the movie theater finally comes forward to say which of the boys
threw the bottle, and the charges against Zach are dropped. and he got out.
Where did Lily decide to move back to?
Her old room in the honey house
How does Lily feel when she and August go to collect honey, and the bees come out and fly around her?
"I felt like the queen's attendants were out here in a frenzy of love, caressing me in a
thousand places. Look who's here, it's Lily. She is so weary and lost. Come on, bee
sisters. I was the stamen in the middle of a twirling flower. The center of all their
comforting."
What does Lily discover May doing that made her have a strange, thick feeling inside and made her feel trembly?
May works at luring roaches out of the house with graham cracker and marshmallow crumbs, just like Lily's mother did.
What does Zach’s friend throw at the white men, for which Zach and all his friends are arrested?
a bottle
What is August's reply when Lily asks if she believes putting black cloths over the hives will help May get to heaven?
August says, "Putting black cloths on the hives is for us. I do it to remind us that life gives way into death, and then death turns around and gives way into life."
What holiday did the Boatright sisters celebrate in August and what had happened on this day that the sisters decided to celebrate it?
Mary Day. This is the day that Mary rose up to heaven. They baked cakes to celebrate.
What news does Zach bring on the lunch feast day?
Jack Palance, the movie star, is coming to town with a black woman and plans to sit
with her in the white section of the movie theater.
What critical piece of information does May tell Lily?
May tells Lily that Deborah Fontanel stayed out in the honey house and was "the sweetest thing."
Which household pest does Lily remember her mother using marshmallows and graham crackers to get rid of?
roaches
What brings Lily the most cause for gladness while the Daughters of Mary are holding vigil for May?
Sugar-Girl makes a joke about white people which wasn't very nice. No one there is judging Lily about her color they are just treating her as a individual.
What promise did Zach make to Lily and what did he give her to seal the promise?
He promised that after he becomes someone he is going to find her and they are going to be together. He gives her his dogtag to wear around her neck.