Transcendence

In terms of Bee Season, transcendence relates to a character's experience of a type of spiritual ecstasy. As it relates to Eliza Naumann, transcendence takes two forms. The first kind of transcendence Eliza experiences is related to her spelling ability. During her spelling bee experiences, the letters occur to Eliza in a way that is beyond the norm. That is to say, the letters envelop Eliza's consciousness, dancing in her mind and moving through her body; spelling for Eliza is organic rather than purely intellectual. Eliza's second experience with transcendence has to do with her study of Saul's translations of the work of Abraham Abulafia and his principles of "shefa." By closely following Abulafia's principles, Eliza is transported to a place outside herself, a place of complete and total spiritual alignment with herself and the universe around her.

Saul Naumann's first experience with transcendence occur when he is...