The Representation of Character Education in the Characterizations of Lily Owens in Sue Monk Kidd’s The Secret Life of Bees

DOI

10.2991/assehr.k.211222.047How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Core values; Character education; Main character; Characterization

Abstract

As literature is argued to bring positive character values while being an entertaining medium for learning character education, the present study analyzed the five core values of character education in The Secret Life of Bees (2001). The study focused on the characterization of Lily Owens as the main character in representing good and evil characters in children. Descriptive qualitative was used to analyze the representation of character values using the Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture’s recommendation of five core values of character education as theoretical perspectives. The research revealed that Lily Owens’ characterization represented all five core values recommended by the Ministry, although with different degrees of dynamics. Religious and independent values are presented as Lily’s characters since the beginning of the novel, but nationalistic and cooperative value gradually developed along the conflicts that marks the raising actions of the plot. Integrity emerged late in the plot, yet it becale the key that unlock the mystery of Lily’s mother. The completion of the five core values in Lily Owen’s personality determined whether Lily Owens achieve the main goal at the climax of the plot. Thus, by reflecting on the core values exhibited through Lily Owens’ character development, the novel illuminates how young adults can develop strong core values through life experience.

Copyright

© 2021 The Authors. Published by Atlantis Press SARL.

Open Access

This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC license.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - I Gusti Ayu Diah Gita Saraswati
AU  - Ni Komang Arie Suwastini
AU  - Ida Ayu Made Istri Utami
AU  - I Gusti Agung Sri Rwa Jayantini
AU  - I Wayan Budiarta
PY  - 2021
DA  - 2021/12/21
TI  - The Representation of Character Education in the Characterizations of Lily Owens in Sue Monk Kidd’s The Secret Life of Bees
BT  - Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Innovative Research Across Disciplines (ICIRAD 2021)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 292
EP  - 302
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.211222.047
DO  - 10.2991/assehr.k.211222.047
ID  - Saraswati2021
ER  -