The Murmur of Bees

Segovia describes the era of the novel as a period of great technological advances, though none of those developments seems to add security or peace of mind to the characters’ lives. Do you think today’s technological advances are more likely to offer security and peace of mind than those described in the novel? If not, why don’t added convenience, productivity, speed, communication, and information increase life’s serenity and certainty?

Segovia’s description of the Spanish flu pandemic, though written five years before the COVID-19 pandemic, seems eerily prescient in many respects, including the foolish behavior of individuals regarding safety precautions and risks. Why did humans make the same mistakes dealing with COVID-19 that our less well-informed forbears did in 1918?

Segovia describes many of the main characters as devout Catholics, supporting the church and including the priest in every milestone rite. However, the author seems to implicitly question what tangible thing they receive in return for their faithfulness. What should devout followers of a religion expect to receive in return for their service and devotion?

In Beatriz, Segovia creates a realistic, comprehensive depiction of the privileged but tragic life of an early 20th-century upper-class Mexican woman. In what ways is today’s middle-class woman like and unlike Beatriz?

For years, Anselmo is disrespectful, uncooperative, and even openly hostile to his landlord and benefactor. Why does Francisco Senior fail to understand Anselmo’s true nature and the potential danger he embodies? After Anselmo threatens to kill Simonopio in front of Beatriz, why doesn’t she insist that Francisco make Anselmo take his family and leave their property?

Simonopio believes that his brief lapse of attention, because of his curiosity about the underwater singer, allowed Anselmo to attack Francisco Senior and his son. Was he really responsible or was it fated?

Francisco is a fair-skinned, blonde, important landowner and a prestigious individual in Linares. What makes Anselmo think that he’ll get away with killing Francisco and claiming the land as his own? In your response, comment on the possible influence of the Mexican Revolution on his thinking.

The narrative contains a long string of miraculous events. The arrival of Nana Reja, the arrival of Simonopio, the Morales family being saved from the pandemic, and the bees leading Simonopio to the orange blossoms are the most obvious magical events. Why couldn’t the same magic prevent the murders of Lupita and Francisco Senior? What was the point of these miraculous interventions if they couldn’t prevent tragedy perpetrated by evil?