Hour of the Bees

Bees symbolize various things in these chapters; they continue to represent the connection between Rosa and Carol, as well as allude to the authenticity of Serge’s story. Furthermore, bees (who took the lake water as a punishment for the tree’s destruction) symbolize the restoration of the ranch into a lush and fertile landscape. Carol is magically connected to this process, as is evident when she finds the seed to regrow the tree in Rosa’s closet. Like Rosa, Carol seems to attract bees: “A bee—of course a bee—finds me, buzzing in a halo” (172). Tellingly, a bee immediately lands on the seed, further establishing the connection between Carol and Rosa, and between Carol and the magical tree: “A bee lands on the seed and scurries along its surface. It inspects it, almost sniffing (do bees have noses?), then flies away” (184). An element of fate seems evident in Carol’s discovery of the seed, as if she was destined to return the ranch to its former glory, as the bees gravitating to her suggests.

Thematically, these chapters continue to establish The Power of Story in Identity and Connection as Carol seeks out her grandfather to hear the next installment of his wondrous story. Serge’s dementia continues to complicate Carol’s impressions of the mysterious story, which she continues to interpret as fiction despite the significant evidence that Serge is recounting his life story:

So much of his story is stolen from real life. There’s a girl named Rosa who travels the world. There’s a sheep ranch in the desert. The world’s most persistent bees. A bundle of souvenirs from every country that’s ever existed. And now this black-bark bracelet…There’s even a scabby tree stump beyond the pasture, I realize, that kind of matches up (180-81).

Serge’s incredible story takes on greater authenticity when Carol watches the bees bringing water to the seed: “They place the water on the seed, then buzz away” (220). Her connection to the desert ranch grows stronger.

Through Carol’s skepticism, as well as the family’s grief and stress in managing Serge’s transition to the Seville, these chapters continue to explore The Impact of Aging on Individuals and Families as a theme. The family uses the metaphor of a string of Christmas lights with faulty bulbs to describe the gaps and confusion in Serge’s memory and working knowledge. Tragically, Patricia points out that, “once the Christmas lights are off, they’re off,” alluding to the degenerative and irreversible nature of dementia (185).

The dementia, which causes Serge to be moody and angry, complicates his and Raúl’s already complex relationship, which comes to a head when Raúl burns down the termite-infested barn: “‘Barn’s on fire!’ Serge yelps, looking pained.” Serge’s distress contrasts with Raúl’s calmness as he calls, “Is dinner ready?” as the barn burns (197). Raúl’s inconsiderate decision to burn down the barn and his nonchalance are jarring in light of Serge’s devastation, which is further contextualized when Carol learns that the barn was Sergio and Rosa’s first home. For Serge, who is disorientated and grief-stricken, Raúl’s decision to burn down Serge’s first home symbolizes Raúl’s broader efforts to destroy Serge and his legacy: “You want to put me away in a box! You’re burning me down!” (202). Raúl’s grief and distress are evident when he breaks into sobs; he’s overwhelmed with the physical and emotional toll of cleaning up the ranch and moving his father from it. Raúl cries at his father’s distress and confusion, “howling like a coyote pup” (202), thus emphasizing the heartache of aging parents and dementia. This simile uses a coyote’s howl, framing Raúl’s distress through the desert landscape and representing the recurring theme of Nature’s Role in Shaping Identity.

Carol feels increasingly connected to the ranch. This is evident when she doesn’t reply to Sofie’s message asking, “Are you so excited to come home?” (218). Carol struggles to reply as she realizes that she’s “not ready to leave” (218). When the ranch’s sale is confirmed, Carol knows that she had hoped for a miracle: her grandfather’s recovery and the rehabilitation of the land. Carol’s increasing feeling of connectedness to the ranch mirrors her increasing connection to her ancestry and her Mexican heritage. Carol looks at Rosa’s photo and sees a beautiful, adult rendering of her own looks, which she previously dismissed as ugly in comparison to Alta’s stereotypically good looks: “Her face is familiar. She’s beautiful and glamorous, I see how I can tilt my chin up, glance at the world from beneath my eyelids” (179). This passage alludes to Carol’s coming-of-age as she grows in confidence and self-acceptance. In addition, Carol feels an increasing affinity to the Mexican food they’ve been eating on the ranch. At the beginning of the summer, she criticized her mother’s cooking, finding it an embarrassing reminder of their Mexican, whereas at this point in the story she regretfully reflects that “the kitchen feels cold without the spicy aromas of her Mexican meals” and mournfully thinks that at home it will be “back to Hamburger Helper” (222). Significantly, Hamburger Helper is what Carol implored her mother to cook in the opening chapters, as it made Carol feel more connected to the “American” aspect of her Mexican American identity.

Within the world of the Serge’s story, Sergio continues to represent restraint and gratitude for what one already has, whereas the other villagers, epitomized in Rosa, represent the darker side of desire for new experiences. Sergio, a voice of restraint, suggests that they take turns using the bracelet for protection during travel rather than destroying more of the tree; Rosa counters, “But we have this whole tree” (163). Although the story characterizes curiosity and travel as worthy pursuits (as is symbolized in Rosa’s amazing souvenirs, which reflect an exciting life well lived), it also somewhat condemns these pursuits in that the villagers’ desire to explore the world motivates them to destroy the majestic tree. Harsh, violent language describes the tree’s destruction: “They hacked wood from the bald tree, clawed it from the trunk, tore it, ripped it away at odd angles, splintered and raw” (189). Furthermore, the self-aggrandizing nature of travel is evident in the boasts of the villagers, a significant shift from their previous prayers, which carried connotations of gentle gratitude: “Instead of prayers under their breaths, they spoke loudly and grandly of their travels” (189).

The death of Rosa’s sister Carolina, which marks the end of the tree’s magical protection, symbolizes the price of the villagers’ insatiable desire for travel and exploration: “Lying inside was a corpse, marble-eyed, staring at nothing: Carolina, Rosa’s beloved sister, dead” (216). Carolina’s death illustrates that actions have consequences. The villagers could have stayed in the village and enjoyed the tree’s magical protection, but by wanting to leave the tree and also take the tree with them, the villagers asked for too much, and thus took their beautiful home for granted, eventually destroying it. The sheepdog Inés’s death symbolizes her magical connection to Serge and to the ranch and parallels Serge’s declining health as well as his forced removal from the ranch.