How would you define the queen bee in The Secret Life of Bees?

You might want to answer this question by refering to the
quotes that the author uses to start each chapter, each of which refers to a work of
non-fiction about bees and beekeeping. For example, consider the quote that the author
uses to introduce Chapter Twelve and the theme of queen bees, which of course is
relevant to certain characters in this excellent
book:

If the
queen were smarter, she would probably be hopelessly neurotic. As is, she is shy and
skittish, possible because she never leaves the hive, but spends her days confined in
darkness, a kind of eternal night, perpetually in labour... Her true role is less that
of a queen than mother of the hive, a title often accorded to her. And yet, this is
something of a mockery because of her lack of maternal instincts or the ability to care
for her young.

The queen bee
is essential to the hive, as all the bees would die without their queen, and we see in
this quote she can be described as a kind of mother figure who continually gives birth
and is protected by her bees. Of course, you need to be aware of the way that the novel
relates the figure of the queen bee to other characters, in particular in this chapter
Deborah, Lily's mother, who, like the queen bee, is rather lacking in her maternal
skills as Lily finds out.