Find one critical essay on Beloved. Your response is not due until Friday, April 10th. (I know that we don't have school that day). Your in-class essay is on Monday, April 13th, and I think it will be very helpful to have read some criticism before that day.
You can use good ole LRC (password: elvis, then scroll down to Literature Resource Center) to find an article. Be careful not to use "overviews" or "reviews." They are not criticism. You may also use any book in our school library (such as Novels for Students). Please do not take articles from the internet. Use only the LRC or our library. Choose an article that you can understand and read well.
Do the following:
1. Cite the article properly (MLA format- use the OWL to help you.)
2. Summarize the article- what does it say about Beloved? This part is simply a summary, not your opinion. Write at least a full paragraph (6-10 sentences, at least).
3. React to the article- what parts do you agree/disagree with? What do you learn about the novel from this article? Again, about another full paragraph (6-10 sentences, at least).
If you accomplish the above three items correctly, you will receive 40 (!!!) points. That's double the usual blog grade! If you fail to do the above correctly, you will not receive full credit. If you post late, it is half credit until the end of Sunday.
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"To be loved: Amy Denver and human need--bridges to understanding in Toni Morrison's Beloved" by Nicole M. Coonradt
In this critical essay, Coonradt focuses on the often overlooked character of Amy Denver and the signifance of her presence in Toni Morrison's Beloved. She serves as a foil for Sethe, a compassionate white woman who serves as a contrast to the dark, determined slave. Also, her name shows Toni Morrison's subversive pattern of language where she uses words of multiple significance throughout the novel. When the name "Amy" is translated, its meaning is "Beloved." Therefore, we see not one, but two characters named Beloved in the novel. Morrison wishes to take her readers out of their comfort zone, where the lines of good and evil during the times of slavery cannot be drawn as easily as separating blacks from whites. Even though Amy is white, she and Sethe still share a copious amount of similarites. They meet each other in the woods, starving and weak. Like Sethe, Amy was born into slavery, the daughter of an indentured servant forced to pay her dead mother's debt. Through the descriptions of Amy, it is obvious she has suffered abuse like Sethe. Despite all of this hardship, Morrison presents her as a prophet and a healer, who constantly appeals to God as she brings Sethe's broken body back to life. Finally, she bonds with Sethe during Sethe's childbirth, forming a bridge between blacks and whites, establishing what might be the beginning of healing.
Response: Once again, I find myself guilty of overlooking characters who show themselves to be of extreme importance to literary works. At first I was skeptical that she was pivotal to the plot considering she only takes up about fifteen pages of Morrison's novel. However, after looking at this criticism and seeing the evidence, especially the translation of her name, I feel it is irrefutable that Morrison deliberately uses Amy Denver as a tool to bridge understanding. Also, I never really viewed her as prophetic, but many symbols Coonradt describes do seem too striking to be ignored, such as her "chokecherry tree." The tree could have multiple ties to the Bible, specifically the Tree of Life, or the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil that led to the downfall of the human race. Certainly both the idea of hope and the juxtaposition of good and evil are both prevalent through the pages of this novel.
Coonradt, Nicole M. "To be loved: Amy Denver and Human Need--Bridges to Understanding in Toni Morrison's Beloved." College Literature. 32.4 (Fall 2005): p168. Literature Resource Center. Gale. Collierville High School. 7 April 2009 [http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRC&u=tel_k_collier].
"Object written, written object: slavery, scarring, and complications of authorship in Beloved" by Anita Durkin
Durkin, Anita. "Object written, written object: slavery, scarring, and complications of authorship in Beloved." African American Review. 41.3 (Fall 2007): p541. Literature Resource Center. Gale. Collierville High School. 7 Apr. 2009 http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRC&u=tel_k_collier.
In Anita Durkin's critical essay, she points out the difference between orality and the writing itself. She believes that there is to much emphasis on the way in which African Americans speak, not enough on how it is written. Toni Morrison doesn't have her characters speak in the normal southern, African American dialect that most white authors would have written in. Durkin thinks that it is dangerous to focus so much on orality, because the black culture could be misconstrued because of it. Durkin also discusses the ways in which the Caucasians gained power through beating, whipping, and scarring the slaves, becoming the white people's objects instead of human beings. Durkin describes the scars as "visible legacies of slavery," suggesting that they will live on and remind the slaves of their past. Morrison's characters struggle to regain some sort of humanity throughout the text. Perhaps Durkin's main focus is on other critics thoughts on orality versus writing. Most others believe that to be able to tell their story and get the past off their chest is the main focus. But, most overlook the whole concept of writing it down to get it out. In this way, the characters and generations to come could read their thoughts and what happened. Both orality and writing are legitimate forms of expression, but Durkin suggests the importance of actually writing Sethe, Denver, and the other's thoughts and past down. Toni Morrison is a genius at incorporating both oral and written traditions throughout her novel.
I had never really thought of Beloved as a way for the characters to express their feelings before. I think this is a really interesting concept, because if you think about it, if they don't tell somebody or write it down, it'll be bottled up inside of them, eating away at them. It's as if Sethe, Paul D, Denver, and the rest of the characters are telling a story to th readers, and in that way they are getting everything that happened, all of the hurt and pain, off of their chests. I like how Durkin compares the form of oral expression to writing, because like many other critics, when I read it, it feels like it should be read aloud at times. But it's written the way it is for a reason, and I think it's because Morrison may be envisioning the character's writing down their thoughts, like Durkin suggests. This really makes me think of Beloved in a different way.
"Who or what is 'Beloved'? Anne Crow explores the title of Toni Morrison's enigmatic novel" by Anne Crow
Crow, Anne. "Who or what is 'Beloved'? Anne Crow explores the title of Toni Morrison's enigmatic novel." The English Review. 14.4 (Apr. 2004): p2. Literature Resources from Gale. Gale. Collierville High School. 8 Apr. 2009 [http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRG&u=tel_k_collier].
In this essay, Anne Crow begins by discussing the fact that Morrison sets up her novel "to make readers work to understand, as the slaves had to work to comphrehend their nightmare." She then describes how the novel is told in fragments due to they are too painful for each character for them to tell at once. "Time is not important" and the pieces must be put together like a jugsaw puzzle. Crow goes onto analyze idea that the Sethe's "savage" act was really the effect of the climate she lives in but that thatis a sign of her giving in to the system and that it takes Beloved'd presence to lead her to understand that the murder was wrong.She also discusses how Beloved is what the charachters want her to be and how the ghost is also the "person" that both women in the house need and believe she is. Crow also talks about the quote that the narrator says this is "not a story to pass on". She interprets it as "the story must be understood and felt...[but] the bitterness should not be handed down".
I really enjoyed reading this essay. One thing that suprised me is that Crow identifies "the hot thing" as "the burning need of Sethe and Denver". This was a new idea to me, and I think that it definately works. I had been thinking it was being alive or love, though I guess love does fit in with their need. Anyway, I also really liked the comparison of the novel to a jigsaw puzzle and I thought that her analysis of the reason being because the events were revealed piece by peice was very insightful. That method is very much like Faulkner's, as is Beloved's narration which Crow also calls attention to in it's childlike revealing her "toddler's abitity to think in images". I was really glad she metioned that, because I hadn't completely picked up on that connection, though it makes perfect sense. The idea of Sethe's defense and conviction in th emurder being in accord with the system was also an idea that I hadn't had yet, but that I thoguht made alot of sense. The need for her to acknowledge her wrong in order to break the hold of the slaveowners so that she doesn't prove their "savage" theories about blacks true is so true. Also, I thought she had a great theme statement: "The book seems to be sayign that the past is there and should be understood, but, if we become preoccupied with what has happened, then that will prevent us from moving forward and living in harmony."
"Nameless Ghosts: Possession and Dispossession in Beloved" by Deborah Horvitz
Horvitz mainly focuses on Beloved and the mother-daughter relationships in the novel. Strong emphasis is put on the fact that the mother-daughter relationships play themselves over and over again; from Sethe's mom, to Sethe, to Beloved. Another topic was the different aspects that Beloved represents. One main one is every African women made to come to America and put into slavery; Beloved represents the spirit of these women. A main reason for Morrison using her as a main character is that she brings back painful memories that Sethe has long forgotten; at first, they are welcome, but when Beloved becomes increasingly tyrannical, they begin to hurt Sethe again.
I really liked Horvitz's opinions and connections about Beloved. As the main character, she holds so much importance, yet I had occasional trouble trying to decipher what she really was and what she stood for. I liked her idea of her standing for slave women; she also had no choice that she was killed at a young age, just like those women had no choice but to be taken to America. I agree that the ending is a complete paradox, with learning to live with the present with a painful past. In my opinion, Beloved is literally the baby's spirit come back in a human form in order to bring memories back to Sethe, though she ends up bringing more pain.
Horvitz, Deborah. "Nameless Ghosts: Possession and Dispossession in Beloved." Studies in American Fiction. 17.2 (Autumn 1989): 157-167. Rpt. in Contemporary Literary Criticism. Ed. Christopher Giroux and Brigham Narins. Vol. 87. Detroit: Gale Research, 1995. 157-167. Literature Resource Center. Gale. Collierville High School. 8 Apr. 2009 [http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRC&u=tel_k_collier].
"Morrison's 'Beloved.' (novel by woman author Toni Morrison)." by Angela C. Simpson
In this essay, Angel Simpson discusses the ending of Beloved. She discusses the quote "It was not a story to pass on," and suggests that Morrison actually meant the opposite. She writes that Morrison is stressing the importance of the history of slavery and that it cannot be "overlooked." Simpson suggests that Morrison thinks the past should be shared, but it must be shared accurately, despite the pain. In Beloved, Sethe hides Denver from her past to try and protect her; resulting in Denver not knowing her true or full identity, because she doesn't know exactly where she came from. The absense of one's past, makes it easier to fabricate a false one, because one will always search for some type of answer. Confronting the past and sharing it with others is the only way Sethe and the other characters in the book can finally find healing.
I agree with Simpson. I think that Morrison is ironically stressing that one must know their past and confront it, or one will just be continually haunted with it. Sethe tries to cover up her past and bury it, but it is unescapable. It comes back to haunt her not only emotionally, but even physically it cause her harm. I also found it intersting that Simpson shares that Morrison got inspiration for Beloved from an actual newspaper article in 1855 about a woman that did the same thing Beloved did to protect her child. However, I do think that the characters in the book have still yet to grasp the fact that they have to be open about their past. This makes the closing statements more ironic because the characters believe they should forget it, but Morrison is showing the detremental path that keeping the past hidden will lead one down.
Simpson, Angela C. "Morrison's 'Beloved.' (novel by woman author Toni Morrison)." The Explicator. 56.3 (Spring 1998): p154. Literature Resources from Gale. Gale. Collierville High School. 9 Apr. 2009 [http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRG&u=tel_k_collier].
"Who or what is 'Beloved'? Anne Crow explores the title of Toni Morrison's enigmatic novel"
By: Anne Crow
Crow, Anne. "Who or what is 'Beloved'? Anne Crow explores the title of Toni Morrison's enigmatic novel." The English Review. 14.4 (Apr. 2004): p2. Literature Resources from Gale. Gale. Collierville High School. 9 Apr. 2009 http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRG&u=tel_k_collier.
Anne Crow discusses several questions from the novel. She opens up the essay with the discussion of the chapters being fit together like a "jigsaw puzzel." Crow points out that the chapters are not numbered placing no relevance on time because of the lack of importance of the past. Crow then moves on to discuss the pulsating red light that appears throughout the novel as Sethe's pain and suffering emerging out of her. The next point Crow makes is pointing to the three marks on Beloved's head that mark as her only physical imperfection. She notes that these marks appear like the marks that Sethe might have caused when killing her baby in struggle. Crow focuses then on the quote, "This is not a story to pass on." THis quote, according to Crow, illustrates the idea that the story should not be focused on the baby's death but the way that Sethe made it to this point. The final real point made by Crow is perfectly worded (I also believe it was read in class to day). She says, "The book seems to be saying that the past is there and should be understood, but, if we become preoccupied with what has happened, then that will prevent us from moving forward and living in harmony." This is essentially the theme for the book and perfectly words Morrison's intent for this novel.
This essay was extremely insightful to read. In my response, I discussed a lot of the points on the idea of confronting the past and letting live on. Crow seemed to be in the "literary zone" as I would call it,pointing out several questions that I had left in the novel. Crow identified the "hot thing" that Beloved refers to in her section as the burning desire that Beloved has to get with Sethe and Denver. Also, the idea of the jigsaw puzzel style made a lot of sense to me. The lack of numerical values to each chapter places a lack of relevance onto the idea of order and time. When Crow discussed this concept, a lightbulb seemed to regain strength in my head and just opened such an awesome realm of ideas. Including the idea that I had written in my response to part three. I had mentioned that Morrison wants us not to pay attention to the minor details but the lasting effects of a traumatic experience. This idea leads to Crow's final sentence that states once again,"The book seems to be saying that the past is there and should be understood, but, if we become preoccupied with what has happened, then that will prevent us from moving forward and living in harmony."
Ochoa, Peggy. "Morrison's Beloved: Allegorically Othering 'White' Christianity." MELUS. 24.2 (Summer 1999): p107. Literature Resource Center. Gale. Collierville High School. 9 Apr. 2009. http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRC&u=tel_k_collier.
In this essay, Ochoa begins by showing the similarities in Beloved and the Old Testament (specifically Solomon's Song). It goes on to show how the "others" are powerless to the white people that define them (like we talk about in class!), and it uses Sixo as the example. She brings it back to religion by tying in Romans with the fact that there is a male speaker in several parts and a beloved female. The essay then focuses on how the allienation of Jews after Christ's death parallels the allienation of African Americans in the white society of the time of this novel. It also compares blacks to Christian martyrs and shows how hypocritical and self richeous the white Christian Americans were during this time.
Response: If I had realized the connection between the Songs of Solomon and the "I am beloved and she is mine" quote, then I would have a had a lot more to talk about in my personal response today. I really didn't understand what the religious "othering" was talking about, but the article seemed interesting so I decided to read it anyways. The similarities described between Morrison's novel and both the Old and New Testaments is impressive.
One thing I'm unsure about is why Beloved's name is what it is. God calls followers his beloved people; however, Beloved in the novel appears to be a parasite. So I guess my question is, is Morrison trying to compare Gods beloved people with the supernatural ghost of Beloved?
1)Ochoa, Peggy. "Morrison's Beloved: Allegorically Othering 'White' Christianity." MELUS. 24.2 (Summer 1999): p107. Literature Resource Center. Gale. Collierville High School. 9 Apr. 2009 http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRC&u=tel_k_collier.
2) This article focuses on Morrison's bibical references throughout the novel. Most notably was the quote "I am Beloved and she is mine" which is almost a direct parady from a verse from Song of Solemon which says "I am my beloved and my beloved is mine." This is significant because in the bible Song of Solemon deals almost entirely with relationships, which is essentially the point of this novel because it mainly deals with Sethe's relationships with her children and herself. It also talks about religious "othering", which is setting aside a group of people for one reason or another. The article refers to christianity as the "white man's burden" and it talks about how the white man's relationship with the slaves was dynamic because it had to constantly be changed in order to keep them at bay. The author uses the school teacher's treatment of Sixo to show this relationship within the work because the schoolteacher tells Sixo that "definitions belong to the definers, not the defined." The article also references the segregation of the Jews throughout history and how their struggle mirrors the blacks struggle for freedom in the American south during this time period.
3) I thought this article brought an entirely new perspective to that quote b/c I didn't recognize that particular bibical reference. In context though it makes sense b/c it brings to light the origin of the title of the novel as well as some motive for the character. I was also unaware until today that Morrison actually wrote another novel entitled Song of Solemon, but that fits right along with this novel b/c that book of the bible is dealing with relationships, whether it be male and female, or mother and child. I also thought the comparasin to the Jewish people was very interesting b/c it shows the problem is not just one of America, but really a universal problem to which all can relate. This article also made me go back and re-read the part with Sixo and it made me realize how horrible his death was, especially being burned. His death just brought to life the unbelievable lengths slaveowners would go to in order to keep there illusion of superiority.
Nameless Ghosts: Possession and Dispossession in Beloved
Summary- Horvitz write's about the mother daughter realtionships throughout her criticism. Also she claims that Beloved stands for her story of an African American that will never be told. Horvitz states that no matter how the mother daughter realitoinship ends up it will either destroy or save their future. This is because people will live either in the past or move on without it. Morrison commonly titles Beloved a "ghost story" and Horvitz writes that the ghost of Beloved could be the connection between Africa and America. Also, she believes that Beloved is the pain and suffering that everyone will face throughout life.
Response- Horvitz allowed me to undrestand more of Sethe and Beloved's relationship. But, what wsa really shown to me was what Beloved really stands for. While reading the novel I really couldnt understand why she came back in the form of a rememory only to haunt people. After reading Horvitz criticism I now understand that Beloved reprsented many things such as slavery and the African/American passage. Also while reading the last few pages of the novel I did'nt get why Morrison kept writing the story must never be passed on. But, Beloveds story will live on in many ways but never to be passed on. Horvitz review really allowed me to see why the novel end where it did.
Source Citation: Horvitz, Deborah. "Nameless Ghosts: Possession and Dispossession in Beloved." Studies in American Fiction. 17.2 (Autumn 1989): 157-167. Rpt. in Contemporary Literary Criticism. Ed. Christopher Giroux and Brigham Narins. Vol. 87. Detroit: Gale Research, 1995. 157-167. Literature Resource Center. Gale. Collierville High School. 9 Apr. 2009[http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRC&u=tel_k_collier].
Wardi, Anissa Janine. "A laying on of hands: Toni Morrison and the materiality of Love." MELUS. 30.3 (Fall 2005): p201. Literature Resources from Gale. Gale. Collierville High School. 9 Apr. 2009 http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRG&u=tel_k_collier.
The novel, Beloved makes people question differences in forms of love. love has the power to do many things, including save, heal, or destroy. Baby Suggs shows that in order for the once enslaved to be truly free, they have to find some kind of love. Hand movements the characters use also show love and healing. they show love's expressions. Morrison uses this as a symbol throughout all her works. She believes that people don't realize the feeling in the word "love" anymore, that we are numb to it. Most important, love is not a defineable thing.
I disagree with the idea that hands are used in the novel to express love. Maybe they are in her other novels, but in Beloved i think many other things are better symbols than hand gestures. i also don't think that for slaves to be truly free, they must find love. i believe that most of them already have love somehow, like Sethe has the love of her family. i think for slaves to be truly free, they must confront their past, and eventually accept it. i agree that Morrison is trying to show that love is not really a definable concept. it does not always fall in to one category, but each person makes it their own. i also think that love has the power to do incredible things, good and bad.
"To be Loved and Cry Shame"
by Lynda Koolish.
In this critical essay, Lynda Koolish talks about the struggle for psychic wholeness. She claims that each character lacks a certain peice of wholeness in their mental ability. However, in an interesting idea, Lynda says that the character of Beloved houses a fragment of each character's persona. She also talks very much about Multiple Personality Disorder. In regards to Beloved, Koolish says that she has multiple ambiguous meanings. The key to the novel is the understanding of Beloved, and what she represents.
This novel is very deeply involved with the persona of each of its characters. It is not so much about the plot, but how the characters react to the plot. In regards to the wholeness, I definately agree. Sethe is a mother, but she lacks a sense of community. Denver is very intelligent but she lacks the self esteem to handle herself. But Beloved brings out their deepest fears and emotions. For example, after sleeping with her, Paul D is distraught. She took advantage of his sexual weakness. And in talking about MPD, Beloved is the perfect example. One moment, she is a bveautiful woman who loves to skate, and the next she is a parasite feeding the life out of her mother for revenge.
Koolish, Lynda. "'To be Loved and Cry Shame': a psychological reading of Toni Morrison's Beloved." MELUS. 26.4 (Winter 2001): p169. Literature Resource Center. Gale. Collierville High School. 9 Apr. 2009 http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRC&u=tel_k_collier>.
Horvitz, Deborah. "Nameless Ghosts: Possession and Dispossession in Beloved." Studies in American Fiction. 17.2 (Autumn 1989): 157-167. Detroit: Gale Research, 1995. 157-167. Literature Resources from Gale. Gale. Collierville High School. 10 Apr. 2009 http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRG&u=tel_k_collier.
In Horvitz's essay she talks about the multiple meanings for Beloved in this novel. She makes many connections with Sethe and Sethe's family. The monologue in the novel describing the horrific middle passage is supposed to be Beloved representing Sethe's mother. The entire essay focuses on mother-daughter relationships and how each woman is a "Beloved" at some point. Horvitz says that the "cycle of mother-daughter fusion, loss, betrayal, and recovery between Sethe and her mother" is repeated when Beloved shows up at Sethe's doorstep. Beloved comes back for many reasons. Horvitz main point is that Beloved is "an individual and a collective being" within this novel, representing African women as a whole, mother-daughter relationships, Sethe, Sethe's mother, and herself.
I'm really glad I picked this essay because it actually helped me to understand the novel better. Horvitz shows specifically who Beloved is and what she is meant to do in the novel. The ties to every African woman helped me to grasp the themes of this novel more. Something that really popped out for me was the Biblical tie with Sethe's name. Seth from the Bible is a "replacement" for the murdered Abel, and Sethe is a "replacement" for her mother's lost children. This essay helped me to realize how much more important Sethe's mother is to the understanding of who Beloved is.
Crow, Anne. "Who or what is 'Beloved'? Anne Crow explores the title of Toni Morrison's enigmatic novel." The English Review. 14.4 (Apr. 2004): p2. Literature Resource Center. Gale. Collierville High School. 10 Apr. 2009 http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRC&u=tel_k_collier
In this critical essay, Anne Crow discusses the first part and how many nightmarish images there are with the red light and the baby's blood on her fingers. The details of the story fit in like jigsaw pieces and the chapters are not numbered, meaning no sense of time. Crow suggests that the "hot thing" is Beloved's burning need for Sethe and Denver. She says that the red light represents "tangible pain and tension" within the house and the people in it. Crow also shows that Beloved does not have an actual name and also that she is not called Beloved until she appears in her human form. Morrison never comes out and says that Beloved is actually the crawling already? baby, the reader only assumes because the characters all believe that she is. The "not a story to pass on" means that their stories are too pain to speak of and remember. Crow answers a question about how a mother could kill her own child, which is she did not want her children to suffer like she, Sethe, suffered. The end of this critical essay, Crow says, "...if we become preoccupied with what has happened, then that will prevent us from moving forward and living in harmony." This is exactly what this novel represents, the moving forward.
I really liked this critical essay. Crow points out several facts within the book and explains them. I really like the ending statement about moving forward because it is very true not only in the novel but also in real life. People sometimes just cannot let go of the past and therefore, suffer in their own agony. Morrison uses stream of consciousness just like Faulkner and Crow describes it as a jigsaw puzzle which is exactly what it is. The past and present together. Crow points out little details that I had overlooked, like "the hot thing." I assumed it was fire or a body, but what she explains that it is, I do agree with because Morrison never actually comes out and says what it is. Crow helped me understand the novel a little more.
"Who or what is 'Beloved'? Anne Crow explores the title of Toni Morrison's enigmatic novel" by Anne Crow
Crow, Anne. "Who or what is 'Beloved'? Anne Crow explores the title of Toni Morrison's enigmatic novel." The English Review. 14.4 (Apr. 2004): p2. Literature Resources from Gale. Gale. Collierville High School. 8 Apr. 2009 [http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRG&u=tel_k_collier].
In Crow’s essay, she opens by acknowledging that Morrison starts her first chapter with the intent of capturing the reader with multiple questions, and that Morrison will “pull no punches, will not make life easy for us.” She then realizes that while Morrison splits her novel into section, she does not divide it into chapters because time is irrelevant and “irrevocably combined.” Beloved, the deceased daughter of Sethe, is never actually referred to as ‘Beloved,’ she is called ‘crawling already baby’. Denver realizes that the baby has returned in ghost-like form, and while she thinks it has plans, both she and Sethe are glad to have it around. It takes much longer for Sethe to acknowledge that the girl who calls herself Beloved and her daughter are one in the same. And upon this knowledge, Sethe begins to sacrifice herself to show her sorrow and pain of her actions. It is only when Beloved is exorcised by the towns women it is confirmed that Beloved is some sort of supernatural being.
Response: I completely agree that Morrison neglects chapter because the timing is impossible to divide accurately. Because Beloved is not only a story of Sethe, Denver, and Beloved, but a tale for all African Americans, it is too difficult and complex to divide. Contrary to Crow, I believed the first time we were introduced to Beloved that she was Sethe’s daughter. It was too much of a coincidence for it to be unimportant. However, I do believe the exorcism was the first time we had proof of her supernatural aspects. All-in-all, the essay was very insightful on Beloved’s relationships and what she stands for. I enjoyed reading someone else’s point of view aside for mine and my class’.
Koolish, Lynda. "'To be Loved and Cry Shame': a psychological reading of Toni Morrison's Beloved." MELUS. 26.4 (Winter 2001): p169. Literature Resource Center. Gale. Collierville High School. 10 Apr. 2009 [http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRC&u=tel_k_collier].
Beloved is a continuous struggle for psychic wholeness, and to achieve this the characters must come to terms with not only their individual past but historical past too. All of the protagonists, not just Sethe, exists almost as dreamwalkers in a state of denial. Sethe, Paul D, Denver, and Beloved suffer from Multiple Personality Disorder because of the severe abuse they have suffered. Despite the fact that Beloved was born in America and would have no remembrance of slave ships, Beloved describes in vivid details the Middle Passage. Morrison intended for Beloved to be an ambiguous character, where she is both Sethe's dead daughter and a survivor from a true slave ship. Paul D's response to the ghost reflects his own repressed emotions from the past.
I agree to the evidence that both Denver and Paul D frequently do not know if they are dreaming or awake. Denver says at one point that she isn't sure the breathing is coming from herself or someone else. Paul D says at one point that he thought he was screaming, but it could have been coming from someone else. I thought it was really interesting how Koolish talks about the fact that Beloved doesn't have to just be the spirit of Sethe's daughter. I never really thought about Beloved truly being from a slave ship on the Middle Passage, but after reading this criticism I can see that side of thigns. I liked when Koolish says that Beloved represents "many things, many people, each of which is true." Each character views Beloved differently, and all of these descriptions fit her. I also agree with Koolish when she says that the meaning of the characters is not about their multiple personalities or their continuation of past pain, but it is about acknowledging the power of African-Americans to move on from past generations and create individuality.
1. Boudreau, Kristin. "Pain and the Unmaking of Self in Toni Morrison's 'Beloved.'." Contemporary Literature. 36.3 (Fall 1995): p445. Literature Resources from Gale. Gale. Collierville High School. 10 Apr. 2009 [http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRG&u=tel_k_collier].
2. This critical essay explores pain and suffering with the "unmaking of self" and how language can influence pain. Boudreau brings up two questions in her essay: Can pain be explained through language? How can pain be explained to someone else? Sethe would say that pain can be explained; however, Baby Suggs seems more resilient to this idea. The essay then goes on to describe Paul D's lost manhood and how even a rooster has the right to be called mister but not Paul D. When Paul D sleeps with Beloved, his rusted tobacco tin can falls apart, but nothing is really in there anyway; however, Paul D now feels that he has gained his manhood, metaphorically and literally, and with this comes his feeling of being an actual human. While Baby Suggs only identifies Sethe's scars as looking like a chokecherry tree, Paul D says they do not look like a tree because trees are inviting, whereas Sethe's scars are obviously not. Boudreau also goes on to say that Sethe actually called Beloved to come when she wishes to explain to her baby, but when Sethe and the rest of the community do not aknowledge her anymore, Beloved is forced to disappear.
3. I liked this essay a lot and how Boudreau really delves into the whole identity crisis hen one does not confront their past. I agree with Paul D in that there can be nothing beautiful about Sethe's back even though it looks like a tree because the tree is metaphorically choking her and is an awful memory from her past. I believe that pain can be explained and explained to someone else, but that maybe one truly knows pain when they physically experience it. I did not quite like how Boudreau talked about Baby Suggs character, for I respected her a lot more, and I believe her to be more inspirational than what it seemed that Boudreau thought. I thought it was interesting that Paul D metaphorically and physically gained his manhood--I hadn't really thought about the physical part truly because I was putting too much emphasis on the metaphorical part. I also thought it was interesting that Boudreau brought up the point that Sethe called Beloved to herself. Sethe was trying so hard to not aknowlegde the past and act as though it never happened, yet she brought it back and even called to it herself. However, she also banished it, when she tries to hurt Mr. Bodwin, whom she thought was schoolteacher, with an icepick. I'm very proud of Sethe fo confronting her past.
Wardi, Anissa. "A laying on of hands: Toni Morrison and the materiality of Love". MELUS. 30.3 (Fall 2005): p201. From Literature Resource Center.
A fair amount of the article focuses on the comparisons between the hands and their importance between Beloved the novel and several other sources, the first of which is the Christian faith. Wardi notices the use of healing through Baby Suggs and Amy Denver's hands, and notices the distinct similarity in the healing hands of Jesus from Christianity. In addition, Wardi explains the significance of outstretched hands in prayer, and that the similarities should not be overlooked. She states that the upward, outstretched hands were common in African-American Churches, and in ancient Jewish culture as well. She explains how this motion has progressed to the outstretched hands of Jesus on the Cross and praying in that sense as well.
I liked how this article portrayed the use of hands as healing elements, largely because I never noticed the similarity. I do believe that Morrison wanted to portray Amy Denver and Baby Suggs as the Christ-like healing figures mentioned in the article. This was obvious in Baby Suggs case, but in Amy Denver's case I did not make the connection at first, simply because I found it odd Morrison would portray all white people in the novel so negatively, but give Amy Denver this pure role. I also liked the article's comparison to the outstretched arms and hands in prayer in both old and new Judaism and Christianity. This led me to catch on to another theme of everything being possible with unconditional love. However, this situation is very rare because so few people are able to come close to that type of love that Jesus had for humanity, but if we are to act more loving toward everyone, the world can be a better place.
"Nameless Ghosts: Possession and Dispossession in Beloved"
Horvitz, Deborah. "Nameless Ghosts: Possession and Dispossession in Beloved." Studies in American Fiction. 17.2 (Autumn 1989): 157-167. Rpt. in Contemporary Literary Criticism. Ed. Christopher Giroux and Brigham Narins. Vol. 87. Detroit: Gale Research, 1995. 157-167. Literature Resources from Gale. Gale. Collierville High School. 10 Apr. 2009 http://go.galegrou p.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRG &u=tel_k_collier.
This essay mainly focuses on the lost mother-daughter relationships that are represented by Beloved in the novel. Though Beloved does represent the lost Sethe's lost daughter, she also represents themany generations of lost daughter created by the autrocities of slavery and the middle passage. Beloved represents the loost relationship betweenSethe and her mother and also between Sethe's mother and grandmother. Just as Sethe pushes Beloved's memory out of her life for many years, she tries to erase the memory of her mother because she believes that her mother tried to abandon her. The act of childbirth and having children serve to spark Sethe's memory once again. Through her experiences with Beloved, she learns to embrace her heritage so as to learn from her ancestors and to remember where she came from. Sethe's reunion with her past help to cleanse her and make her a new person while she realizes the past cannot be constantly dwelled upon.
I agree with the fact that Beloved represents the many generations of lost daughters brought about by slavery. Many times in the novel, Sethe remebers past exeperiences with her mother and daughter when dealing with Beloved or Denver. For example, when giving birth to Denver and providing milk to her children, Sethe remebers certain aspects of her mother, like her dancing feet or the cross branded below her breast. I think that Beloved's return serves to demonstrate the importance of remembering her past to Sethe. As soon as Paul D, a person from her past, returns to her life, Beloved returns too, to remind her that her past will always be present. Though her past does return to her, she makes her life all about the past. She tries to make up for the lost time between herself and her daughter and possibly the time she never had between herself and her mother. When she makes her life all about the past, things begin to go bad all over agin. Through her experience with Beloved, She realizes she must not dwell i the past but that the past will always be a major part of her present and future life.
"Who or what is 'Beloved'? Anne Crow explores the title of Toni Morrison's enigmatic novel"
By: Anne Crow
Crow, Anne. "Who or what is 'Beloved'? Anne Crow explores the title of Toni Morrison's enigmatic novel." The English Review. 14.4 (Apr. 2004): p2. Literature Resources from Gale. Gale. Collierville High School. 9 Apr. 2009 http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRG&u=tel_k_collier.
Anne Crow begins by discussing how she wants to make readers work to understand, as the slaves had to work to comphrehend their nightmare." She talks about how the chapters are not numbered and how it doesn't relie on time because of the lack of importance of the past. She later begins to discuss the red light that appears throughout the novel as Sethe's pain and suffering coming out of her. The three marks on Beloved's head mark as her only physical imperfection. She notes that these marks appear like the marks that Sethe might have caused when killing her baby. Crow focuses on the quote, "This is not a story to pass on." Crow believes that this quote depicts the idea that the story should not be focused on the baby's death but the way how Sethe has survived to this point in her life. (I loved the ending on this essay!) Crow states at the end of her essay pretty much exatly what we talked about in class, "The book seems to be saying that the past is there and should be understood, but, if we become preoccupied with what has happened, then that will prevent us from moving forward and living in harmony." This is basically the theme of the whole book ! :D
I really liked this essay. It answered alot of my questions about the book and made alot of the more difficult parts alot easier to understand. I really liked how she called the book a jigsaw puzzle cause it is true. The nonnumbered chapters ( which i found dumb at the start of the novel) now make sense to me because we don't need to have everything numbered because we shouldn't dwell on it and without have numbered chapters this shows thats.
Crow, Anne. "Who or what is 'Beloved'? Anne Crow explores the title of Toni Morrison's enigmatic novel." The English Review. 14.4 (Apr. 2004): p2. Literature Resource Center. Gale. Collierville High School. 10 Apr. 2009 http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRC&u=tel_k_collier.
In this essay, Anne Crow explores the different identities of Beloved and what she represents. She claims that whether Beloved is real or not is irrelevant because she is real to Sethe, Denver, and Paul D. Crow believes that Beloved is more than the murder daughter of Sethe, who has returned to take her revenge. Instead, she believes that she is the haunting rememory of slavery that African Americans have in their subconscious. Interestingly, this essay claims that Sethe killed her daughter in order to "take back the only thing blacks had with which to defy white people--choice." Sethe would have had no choice but to give up her children, so by killing them, she takes back some control. Beloved is not completely gone to prove that "the past is there and should be understood, but, if we become preoccupied with what has happened, then that will prevent us from moving forward and living in harmony." Crow also suggest that while the story of slavery is "a story to pass on," the bitterness and anger should be left to die.
This essay is a lot like what we talked about in class. I think that preoccupation with the trauma of the past is just as damaging as having the horrible event happen again. I'm glad that Morrison and Crow both realize that the only way for the nation to recover completely from the horrors of slavery is to let the bitterness and tension between races go. Even though Sethe killed her child to take power away from the schoolteacher, I wonder why she did not go after the man trying to hurt her children instead. I don't think I'll ever think that what Sethe did was the best option. As far as Beloved being real or not, I think she is real. She is rememory which is just as real as the actual event, and the characters in the novel play a part in making her real.
Coonradt, Nicole M. "To be loved: Amy Denver and human needs--bridges to understanding in Toni Morrison's Beloved." College Literature. 32.4 (Fall 2005): p168. Literature Resource Center. Gale. Collierville High School. 7 April 2009 [http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRC&u=tel_k_collier].
Summary:
In this critical essy, Coonradt addresses the evident significance of Amy Denver in Beloved, though she is a minor character and easily overlooked. While the work does primarily focus on the effects of slavery, a young white girl would normally be depicted as an antagonist; however, Morrison's "artistic hands" show her as a prophetic figure that rescues Sethe from death. Amy serves as a foil to Sethe, revealing her characteristics on a deeper level, and she also represents a bridge between "white and black, destruction and renewal." Coonradt then analyzes the term "Beloved" both as a noun and a verb, and reveals that Amy's name translates to "Beloved". Morrison writes primarily on love or the absence of it, and through Amy's compassion and care for Sethe, she is able to survive and truiump over her obstacles. Amy and Sethe form a correlation, for both women have been enslaved, have been abused sexually in some fashion, and have run away from their struggles and have found each other in a ruined state. Amy's prophetic healing and many other references to the Word of God illustrate the hope that permeates Beloved. Coonradt compares Amy to Jesus washing the disciples feet, as well as the Good Samaritan helping the beaten man on the side of the road. Overall, Amy's character should not be overlooked, for she serves as a victim who offers redemption and a bridge between devastation and healing.
Reaction:
I knew that Amy's role in Beloved held some significance, but I underestimated the true meaning behind her character. I agree with everything Coonradt says concerning Amy being a bridge between white and black, and thus representing hope and healing for the future. I did think about her being similiar to the Good Samaritan, for she found Sethe on the side of the road with her torn up feet; but I did not consider her to be compared to Jesus washing the disciples feet. This is probably a better example, for, like Jesus, Amy humbled herself and cleaned the feet of Sethe. The name "Amy" meaning the same as "Beloved" is both astounding and ironic. While Beloved represents the past and the overbearing effects of retaining traumatic experiences, Amy symbolizes hope and renewal, and makes it possible for Sethe to survive. Beloved only makes her weaker, but the love and affection Amy provides makes her stronger and prove to be what saves her.
Eckstein, Lars. "A love supreme: jazzthetic strategies in Toni Morrison's Beloved." African American Review. 40.2 (Summer 2006): p271. Literature Resources from Gale. Gale. Collierville High School. 10 Apr. 2009 [http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRG&u=tel_k_collier].
Toni Morrison's Beloved is surrounded by music, although few people put much thought into the concept. Morrison points out through her passages (such as the scene in which the community women drive out Beloved with their song) that the sound patterns that originated from Africa are much older than the English language. Music evokes the type of emotion that cannot be put into words--but can only be felt alone. As Theodor W Adorno states, "Words bear reference to things in the world, while music is largely self-referential." Four of the main characters in the novel (Baby Suggs, Paul D, Amy Denver, and Beloved) are given their own style of music throughout the novel that defines them to the reader. These characteristics play into Morrison's "jazzthetic" narrative techniques.
I observed when I read the novel that there were scenes in which music played a notable part as well as when they began a chapter, but I did not realize that Morrison had intended for it to be such a big part of the depth of the novel. This article helped me realize why music is a reoccurring theme in novels centered around the lives of African Americans. Music and folklore were the main ways of communication back in the days of the Great Passage (and before), so I can understand why it is so important to incorporate the roots of the race. I did not realize before that Amy had musical references in the novel, but I found it interesting that Morrison would include a white woman with these African ties. It helps you realize that music is a universal form of communication; it is not just intended for one race or another.
"Nameless Ghosts: Possession and Dispossession in Beloved"
by: Deborah Horvitz
Deborah Horvitz asserts that Beloved creates a "matrilineal connection between Africa and America." She is a symbol of the African women who had been hunted down and brought to America, yet never able to tell their stories. She is the spirit of these women from the other side, yet she plays a role as Sethe's murdered child, who comes from death, and also her mother who was shipped from Africa, the other side of the world. She teaches Sethe that stories about her ancestry are life-giving and helps her remember her own mother. Horvitz says that no matter how this mother-daughter relationship works out, it will ultimately destroy or save their future because they will learn to live in the past or must move on without it. As such, Beloved is the pain and suffering that everyone faces in life because each women will at some point be represented by Beloved, as she is an "individual and collective being." Horvitz asserts that Sethe and Beloved repeatedly switch roles through their "cycle of mother-daughter fusion, loss, betrayal, and recovery," which is shown throughout Beloved encounters with Sethe.
This was an interesting way to look at the novel because I had only really seen Beloved as representing either Sethe's daughter or the African history as a whole. I never really saw her as representing Sethe's mother. However, after realizing this connection, I am better able to understand how Sethe and Beloved are able to switch roles so easily. Beloved becomes the mother that Sethe never really knew as Sethe transforms to a more childish version of herself. This shows how Beloved can represent any generation of women and the relationship involved. Beloved is meant to bring Sethe's past back to her, which includes the past that she forgot with her mother. Only after Sethe is able to rid herself of Beloved, with the help of the community, is she able to assert herself and her humanity and escape the painful burdens of her own past, so she can mov on to the present and the future.
Horvitz, Deborah. "Nameless Ghosts: Possession and Dispossession in Beloved." Studies in American Fiction. 17.2 (Autumn 1989): 157-167. Rpt. in Contemporary Literary Criticism. Ed. Christopher Giroux and Brigham Narins. Vol. 87. Detroit: Gale Research, 1995. 157-167. Literature Resources from Gale. Gale. Collierville High School. 10 Apr. 2009 [http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRG&u=tel_k_collier].
1) Evans, Elizabeth. "Chapter 6: “Ripping the Veil”: Meaning through Rememory in Beloved." Toni Morrison. Wilfred D. Samuels. Twayne's United States Authors Series 559. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1990. Literature Resources from Gale. Gale. Collierville High School. 10 Apr. 2009 [http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRG&u=tel_k_collier].
2) Evans begins by discussing Morrison's reasons for writing the novel. Among these, Evans declares that Morrison wrote the novel in a manner so as not to offend the reader. Because the novel was written in this way, Morrison uses caution in her attempt to explore the concept of the reality of slavery during this time period. Morrison creates the idea of "rememory" to recreate the past from the perspective of a slave. Evans defines a rememory as “a journey to a site to see what remains have been left behind and to reconstruct the world that these remains imply.” With the use of rememory, Morrison is able to unearth the feelings and actions of the slave, while at the same time presenting the reader with a vivid description of events relating to the plot of the novel. In addition, Evans dicusses the realtionship of the slave-woman and her true purpose on the platation. She believes that, due to Sethe's amount of children (4 by the age of 19), child bearing was the main use of the slave woman. Finally, Evan closes by discussing the aspect of love within the novel, particularly Sethe's act of love - killing the child Beloved. She adds the statement by Morrison about the act: "Sethe did what was right although she did not have the right to do it."
3) From my perspective, the concept of rememory is an original approach to the analysis of the effects of the past. However, in my opinion, it is largely ineefective at its initial reading. Only through analysis does rememory present a lasting image in the minds of the reader. During reading, rememory is nothing more than a memory used to portray an event within the plot. However, upon analysis, the rememory is revealed to have a broader implication, usually pertaining to the world as a whole. In fact, one could make the argument that the novel itself is a rememory, pertaing to the broader aspects of escaping or confronting one's past. The concept of rememory allows the reader to gain a greater understanding of what the author is trying to say from the novel, not just the literal events that occur within its context.
Jesser, Nancy. "Violence, home, and community in Toni Morrison's 'Beloved.'" (1999). LRC.
Beloved shows both the dystopian and utopian properties of the space named "home" and the people named "community." Morrison, through a complex interweaving of peopled spaces, shows how homes and communities serve as places to gather strength, formulate strategy, and rest, even as they are insufficient to the task of "solving" institutional and social ills. In a process of personal and social transformation, Beloved's spaces and times change through geographical and structural movement and through storytelling. The rented house 124 Bluestone plays a crucial role in marking the possibilities and limits of transformations of spaces Morrison's characters inhabit. It is Morrison's insistence on this widespread haunting that makes Beloved a useful place to investigate the troubled history of domestic spaces.
I agree with this article and how it expands upon the significance of Morrison’s use of community and home. Her use of Beloved in the community and home give contrast to the other characters and set the tone for an unrelenting paradigm. After the disappearance of Beloved, Sethe is able to recover and move on because of her new dynamic community and home. The novel is about transformation, and the use of the setting allows that to happen. Also, the violence in the novel is what allows the conflict to be resolved. Though painful and destructive at times, it allows for the overall good to prevail in the end.
"Trauma and the specters of enslavement in Morrison's Beloved" by R. Clifton Spargo
In this essay, Spargo questions the relevance of the ghost to gothic tradition as well as its role in modern literature. He ties it to the idea of traumatic experiences and the effect it has on other characters. He also speculates trauma's effect of Sethe herself and how it prevents her from giving a linear narrative. As the reader, we are seeing a personal account of slavery from the outside. He talks of how trauma comes as the result of a lack of knowledge and that as such the trauma blocks the reality of history. By blocking the history, the trauma also fills in the gaps. He suggests that as spectators, the reader is forced to decide whether the trauma is strong enough to contest the actual history as the characters tell it.
I found this article very interesting because trauma plays a huge role in Beloved. What I didn't realize was that it could have an adverse effect on the actual narration. It is completely possible in Sethe's first person narration that her trauma from slavery has deteriorated some of her memory and explains why these flashbacks occur. I think Beloved represents this trauma. They eventually forget her and the events thus replacing the history that actually occured. They did not simply create a gap in their minds, it had to be filled. However, if they could not remember her in the end, how can we be sure she had not done the same for other experiences that occured that she told about? Her trauma could have induced her memory of Beloved.
forgot the citation...
Spargo, Clifton. "Trauma and the specters of enslavement in Morrison's Beloved." Mosaic. 35.1 (March 2002): p113. Literature Resource Center. Gale. Collierville High School. 10 April 2009. [http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRC&u=tel_k_collier].
"To be loved: Amy Denver and human need--bridges to understanding in Toni Morrison's Beloved" by Nicole M. Coonradt
In this essay, Coonradt explores the significance of the easily ignored Amy Denver. Being that a fair portion of this novel is focused on the cruelty and damaging effects of slavery, it is very easy, Coonradt asserts, to label black as "protagonist" and white as "antagonist." However, this white girl portrayed by Amy Denver represents a healer by aiding the escaped Sethe and even birthing one of the few possessions she can still call her own later in life. She also points out that the name "Amy," though offers no immediate significance, is derived from the French "Aimee," and a Latin form which actually means "loved." Coonradt then questions why Morrison would name two characters Beloved and then offers that perhaps she plays the role of a bridge for broken souls who need her as their healer. Amy Denver offers a parallel image to Sethe, in reference to her past and the torture she endured at the hands of her master.
The concept of Amy Denver as a healer is most fitting for several reasons. She demonstrates the qualities of a midwife helping Sethe birth Denver following her escape. She possesses the knowledge and means to physically heal those she comes in contact with. In addition, however, she herself has endured some of the same trials as Sethe did back at Sweet Home. Despite being white, she establishes herself in those short moments as almost a co-protagonist, working against the hardships and cruelties of a similar background. Unlike Sethe, however, she seems more at peace with her past and is able to reach out and focus on those around her. Because of this, perhaps she helps to set in motion the healing process necessary for Sethe to finally enjoy the freedom she has found.
Coonradt, Nicole M. "To be loved: Amy Denver and human need--bridges to understanding in Toni Morrison's Beloved." College Literature. 32.4 (Fall 2005): p168. Literature Resource Center. Gale. Collierville High School. 10 Apr. 2009 [http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRC&u=tel_k_collier].
"Narrative and community crisis in Beloved" by D. Scot Hinson
In this essay, the aspect of community is heavily analyzed. Hinson exerts that the black community is blind to its true oppressor, the white superiority of the time period, and that it is what it book is largely about. He makes numerous metions of status and rank as a driving force of all action in the novel. He says that "Within these detours, characters recount their pasts; they narrate the violence and trauma that have driven them to perpetuate violence in the community." He later moves in to comparing a multitude of Morrison's works with Beloved saying that she is focused on the atocitites and oxymorons of slavery rather than blaming anyone for it.
I really don't think this guy could survive the class. He is so focused on the role of the community and the 'violence' within it. I don't see the blatant outbursts of violence that he seems to allude to. He is missing a huge portion of Morrison's work. He rarely mentions the characters by name. He does cover the past well though. I agree with his assessment of the oxymoronish (???) nature of slavery. This essay was very infomative... after the first half.
Hinson, D. Scot. "Narrative and community crisis in Beloved." MELUS. (Winter 2001): p147. Literature Resource Center. Gale. Collierville High School. 10 April 2009 [http://go.galegroup.com/ps/ start.do?p=LitRC&u=tel_k_collier].
"To be loved: Amy Denver and human need--bridges to understanding in Toni Morrison's Beloved"
Coonradt, Nicole M. "To be loved: Amy Denver and Human Need--Bridges to Understanding in Toni Morrison's Beloved." College Literature. 32.4 (Fall 2005): p168. Literature Resource Center. Gale. Collierville High School. 10 April 2009 [http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRC&u=tel_k_collier].
In her essay, Coonradt assets that Amy Denver should be looked at as a major character in Beloved rather than a minor character. Amy, Coonradt claims, is one of the bridges crossing the vast expanse of racism, seen when she, a young white woman, willingly helps Sethe deliver her baby. Coonradt suggests that the title of the novel not only refers to the actualy charcter who is named Beloved, but also all the characters who suffer and need love or give love to those who need it. Amy, her name meaning beloved in Latin, shows love to Sethe when she needs it, helping her escape from the hatred of slavery. Also, Coonradt focuses on Amy as a healer in the novel, because without her, Sethe would have surely died. Amy, although she is white, has a strange resemblance to Sethe as a result of being an indentured servant and being mistreated by her master. Coonradt explains that through naming her daughter after Amy, Sethe is keeping the rare bridge between blacks and whites alive in her own life.
Although I didn't see it when I was reading the novel, I now see how Amy Denver should be looked at as a key charcter in the novel. She is the first person that Sethe encounters after escaping slavery. Coincidently, or perhaps not at all, Amy is a white indentured servant, and is very similar to Sethe. By helping Sethe, I think that Amy Denver opens Sethe up to trusting white people. What is even more interesting to me is the similarities between Amy and Denver, Sethe's daughter. Both women are healers for Sethe. Denver, like Amy, cares for Sthe and sacrifices her in a time when no one else will. Overall, I think that Coonradt's assertion that Amy is a major character in the novel and could also be considered one who is "beloved," is key to understanding that love is one of the only ways to bridge hardship.
Crow, Anne. "Who or what is 'Beloved'? Anne Crow explores the title of Toni Morrison's enigmatic novel." The English Review. 14.4 (Apr. 2004): p2. Literature Resources from Gale. Gale. Collierville High School. 8 Apr. 2009 [http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRG&u=tel_k_collier].
Anne Crow writes that Morrison makes parts of the novel difficult to understand so that it simulates the difficulties slaves had to go through. She sets the events up like a puzzle that the reader must put together. She discusses that the ghost and beloved are perhaps reincarnations of the same thing. She writes that Sethe's ilness after she discovers that her daughter is beloved stems from the trauma in her past. She also writes that Morrison is suggesting that the past can only be dealt with once it is all laid down and confronted. Another key assrtion she maks is that the blacks acted like animals because the whites said they were.
I thought it was interesting how she pointed out that the chapters werent named to show that the present are equally important. I think this is central to the novel, for Morrison sugests that the past never really disappears. I also thought it was interesting how she show that Sethe's killing of her babies parralles the act of slavery. Like slavery Sthe is unable to deal with what happens in the past so it is simply forgotten. She can only find redemtion by facing it head on and realizing what was wrong with it.
"To be loved: Amy Denver and human need--bridges to understanding in Toni Morrison's Beloved" by Nicole M. Coonradt
In Coonradt's critical essay, the character of Amy Denver is more closely looked at. Amy, which can actually be translated into Beloved, serves as a foil to Sethe although they have lived very similar lives. Like Sethe, Amy Denver served as a indetured servant, more or less a slave, and was also sexually abused. However, Amy serves as the helper and even the healer to Sethe who is weak and in need of help moments before she gives birth to Denver.
Amy's name being translated into Beloved shows that Amy is also a linking character. Beloved links the past to the present, where as Amy is "a bridge between black and white, racism and understanding, destruction and renewal." Most importantly Amy Denver shows that regardless of race "all people can be loved and healed."
I never really thought anything of Amy Denver except that she was very kind for helping Sethe while she was pregnant, thus giving Denver her name. However, when I found out the translation of her name I definitely agree that Amy and Beloved both serve as two bridging characters. Amy's compassion and helpful nature links black and white without regard to race. She sees Sethe as a woman in need and relates to her on that level. I thought it was also interesting how similar the two women are. Both of their mother's had to experience a "middle passage" and both women had to spend their lives struggling against the hardships of slavery and sexual abuse. However, I somewhat disagree with this essay because i do not really think that Amy Denver is as important as Coonradt suggests. I think that Morrison is an intelligent writer and used many things to link Amy to understanding and healing; however, I think that the translation of her name to Beloved is something that Morrison might have added as a coincidence to show that both characters serve a similar bridging role. I believe that Amy's character is an introduction to a type of character, the "bridge" character. She almost foreshadows the same role that Beloved will later play.
Coonradt, Nicole M. "To be loved: Amy Denver and Human Need--Bridges to Understanding in Toni Morrison's Beloved." College Literature. 32.4 (Fall 2005): p168. Literature Resource Center. Gale. Collierville High School. 7 April 2009 [http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRC&u=tel_k_collier].
Crow, Anne. "Who or what is 'Beloved'? Anne Crow explores the title of Toni Morrison's enigmatic novel." The English Review. 14.4 (Apr. 2004): p2. Literature Resources from Gale. Gale. Collierville High School. 8 Apr. 2009 [http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRG&u=tel_k_collier].
The author compares the pieces of the story to the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. The story is revealed in tiny details and the chapters are not numbered which represents the confusion and inability to seperate the past and the present. She tries to suggest that the history of African-Americans is a continuous cycle of oppression. The other also says that Beloved's return is necessary for her to understand her mother's past. Basically, she thinks that the book is about people that are trying to come to terms with the unspeakable thoughts of their past so they can become human again. Also, she asserts that the past is there and has to be understood but they can not become preoccupied with what has happened.
I agree with the main point of that article that the novel is essentially the past is there and should be understand but we that we can not be preoccupied with it. I disagree with the author's idea that perhaps Beloved came because she had to understand the reasons for what her mother did. I think that she had to come for Sethe to confront her past and not for Beloved to accept what would happen. The other thing I disagree with is her assertion that that order does not matter. In order to forget the past you have to realize what is past and what is the present.
"Nameless Ghosts: Possession and Dispossession in 'Beloved'" by Deborah Horvitz
Horvitz,Deborah. "Nameless Ghosts: Possession and Dispossession in Beloved." Studies in American Fiction. 17.2 (Autumn 1989): 157-167. Rpt. in Contemporary Literary Criticism. Ed. Christopher Giroux and Brigham Narins. Vol. 87. Detroit: Gale Research, 1995. 157-167. Literature Resource Center. Gale. TSLA. 10 Apr. 2009 http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRC&u=tel_s_tsla.
In her essay, Deborah Horvitz focuses on the different sides to Sethe and Beloved's relationship. She says that the relationship represents one where Beloved embodies Sethe's dead mother and murdered daughter; Beloved acts as all the mother's that were taken from their daughters in the Middle Passage; also, she is all of the daughters that were abandoned. Horvitz emphasizes that Beloved possesses the ability to make Sethe address her past. This power that Beloved has, she says, has both the mother and daughter aspects. She says that Beloved is a representation of all the mother-daughter relationships severed by the cruelties of slavery; that is what makes it hard to distinguish whether Beloved is acting as Sethe's murdered daughter or her mother. Horvitz also alludes to times in the novel that could lead to the possibility of Sethe's mother being on the slave ship with her own mother, which would lead to the conclusion that Sethe's severed relations with her daughter and mother did not just begin with her; it is deeper than that.
I did like reading this critical essay. I think that Horvitz does make a good point when she says that this severed relationship between Beloved and Sethe actually has deeper roots and represents all of the same relationships during the Middle Passage and the time of slavery. I agree her that Beloved had to come back in order for Sethe to move forward with her life. She needed to go lower than she had been before to see the light at the end; revisiting her past had to happen in order for any of the characters in this novel to have a future. I think the way that Horvitz draws comparisons between the women coming to exorcise Beloved and Beloved comparing them to a "little hill of dead people" makes me look at that scene differently. It almost makes it more eerie to me.
"Nameless Ghosts: Possession and Dispossession in Beloved"
Summary: The author tells how Beloved's symbolism is multi-faceted, not confined, yet not over-generalizing. She symbolizes all of the slave women whose stories will never be told. It's also interesting how the author points out that after Beloved comes, Sethe's memory seems to unlock all the memories she's repressed. She also asserts that Beloved symbolizes Sethe's mother as well, who was hanged possibly for trying to escape the plantation. If that's true, then Sethe's mother would have decided to abandon Sethe, and that would have been too painful for Sethe to bear. The author also makes a connection between Sethe’s mother “dancing the antelope” and Denver’s painful kicking when she is born. When Beloved starts becoming possessive and controlling, her actions towards Sethe are reminiscent of slave-master relationship, which is further illustrated by Sethe’s deterioration. Beloved also shows similarities to the “woman from the sea” who is likely Sethe’s mother on the Middle Passage, in her references to “men without skin” and how Sethe didn’t smile or wave goodbye to her. The author infers that on the slave ship, Sethe’s mother probably tried to save Sethe’s grandmother, but was unable to. So Beloved is “both an individual and a collective being” who represents the severed ties between Sethe’s grandmother, Sethe’s mother, Sethe, and her murdered child. The author also states the theme of the novel, “However, Morrison implies, even though memory of the past can prevent living in the present, to pursue a future without remembering the past has its own and even deeper despair for it denies the reality and sacrifice of those who died.”
Response: The essay definitely helped shed some light on the question, “what exactly is Beloved?” I remember that day in class when we were discussing whether Beloved as simply the dead baby’s reincarnation or something more, and it would definitely seem that Beloved is something more. As I was reading, I was also confused about the section with the monologues and the stream of consciousness with no punctuation because it sounded like Beloved was more than one person. I think the essay puts it well when it says, “Beloved exists in several places and has more than one voice” and that she is a “collective being.” I also like that the essay pointed out how Sethe’s memory unlocks when Beloved arrives and starts asking her questions about her past. I hadn’t noticed that when I first read it, but it is definitely true. Beloved forces Sethe to confront her past, and as a result she becomes stronger (initially at least).
Horvitz, Deborah. "Nameless Ghosts: Possession and Dispossession in Beloved." Studies in American Fiction. 17.2 (Autumn 1989): 157-167. Rpt. in Contemporary Literary Criticism. Ed. Christopher Giroux and Brigham Narins. Vol. 87. Detroit: Gale Research, 1995. 157-167. Literature Resource Center. Gale. Collierville High School. 8 Apr. 2009 [http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRC&u=tel_k_collier].
This is Ashley...
Horvitz, Deborah. "Nameless Ghosts: Possession and Dispossession in Beloved." Studies in American Fiction. 17.2 (Autumn 1989): 157-167. Rpt. in Contemporary Literary Criticism. Ed. Christopher Giroux and Brigham Narins. Vol. 87. Detroit: Gale Research, 1995. 157-167. Literature Resources from Gale. Gale. Collierville High School. 10 Apr. 2009 http://go.galegrou p.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRG &u=tel_k_collier.
Horvitz really centers on the dynamics of the novel's mother-daughter relationships. She relates Beloved and Sethe's relationship to the linkage of Africa and America in the context of slavery. However, she recognizes that Morrison was careful not to trap Beloved into a single meaning while also preserving the validity of her importance to the other characters. The bond between mother and daughter is what allows Sethe to relive her past, which controls her to actually give her the strength to face what she couldn't before. Horvitz acknowledges that the resolution to the conflict between past hardships and present realities remains unresolved at the novel's close.
I found Horvitz's idea of Beloved as both Sethe's mother and child really intriguing. From her explanation, the connection makes perfect sense--I just probably would never have seen it though. I also like how Beloved is a connection to Africa (like her entire narration that seems to scream out "Middle Passage"), plus (as a ghost) to the non-physical world. Horvitz really focused in on Beloved as the generations of women who suffered under the thumb of slavery, as well as the embodiment of Sethe's past that she previously could not even face. Beloved is, obviously, central to the novel. However, from Horvitz's criticism and my own understanding, I think that Morrison knows a balance between past and present exists, but fully capturing it and understanding it is impossible and futile; however, her creation of Beloved does an excellent job representing some of that balance's complexity.
Beyond the "literary habit": oral tradition and jazz in 'Beloved.' by Cheryl Hall
Hall opens by discussing the difficulty that Morrison experienced in stretching her narration back generations in order to tell a story involving slavery. Cheryl Hall then shares an excerpt from an interview with Morrison in which Morrison claimed she overcame this difficulty by writing the book in a very conversational tone, as if she were recounting a story to a friend. Morrison's style in Beloved is described as confusing on the grounds that it shifts from the mind of one character to another while keeping an omniscient point of view. Hall suggests that Morrison intentionally makes the minds of her characters complex but unknown to the other characters as a means of emphasizing the result of the interaction that actually takes place between the characters. Hall then points out that the style of Beloved was largely crafted by traditional oral narration which was prevalent in slave culture. The critic closes by comparing Beloved to a performance that merges jazz, storytelling, and slave culture, thus creating an unforgettable piece.
One thing I liked about Hall's criticism is her comparing Beloved to a jazz composition. I found this especially true in part 2 when the narrative shifts between the different characters' minds, like a jazz song would shift between a lead trumpet, saxophone, etc. I also liked her interpretation of the ending. Hall says that the reason the story isn't one to "pass on" is because it speaks differently to every reader, again likening it to music. Furthermore, I agree with Hall's implication that repetition in the novel makes it similar to music. One place I noticed this repetition was the beginning of the sections in part 2 that all start with a phrase regarding Beloved.
Hall, Cheryl. "Beyond the 'literary habit': oral tradition and jazz in 'Beloved.' (Special Issue: Varieties of Ethnic Criticism)." MELUS. 19.1 (Spring 1994): p89. Literature Resource Center. Gale. Collierville High School. 10 Apr. 2009
Durkin, Anita. "Object written, written object: slavery, scarring, and complications of authorship in Beloved." African American Review. 41.3 (Fall 2007): p541. Literature Resource Center. Gale. Collierville High School. 7 Apr. 2009 http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRC&u=tel_k_collier.
"Object written, written object: slavery, scarring, and complications of authorship in Beloved."
Summary: Durkin begins the critical essay with differentiating oral storytelling and written storytelling. Also, Morrison states in a later essay which she writes that her novel should not be looked upon the same as white literature, just as all African American literature should be analyzed from a different point of view. Durkin explains that Morrison incorporates both oral and cultural traditions, a skill that most authors apparently lack. She also discusses the scars that distinguish the slaveowners from the slaves. Another thing that she points out is that white identity cannot be established without the black identity also being discovered. Sethe's scar is another topic of Durkin's writing; she states that the scar not only represents the black community as a whole, but also Sethe's individuality, especially since it is in the form of the tree. Sethe's scar being a symbol of the black community also leads into a theme which Durkin establishes in that slavery cannot be overcome by the individual alone, it must involve a community effort, especially since it took a community effort to create the horrid institution.
Reaction: I never really distinguished oral storytelling and writing. I also never thought of Beloved as a story in which both concepts are incorporated. I thoroughly enjoyed Durkin's bit about the scars on the slaves, and the fact that the white identity cannot come about without the African American identity first being established. White slaveowners were thought to be better due to their views on blacks, and in this way they ultimately lose their goal in trying to be superior, in my opinion. Creating yourself only with the help of others exhibits weakness, as can be seen in the white characters throughout Beloved. This critical essay really opened my mind up to the different styles of African American and white literature, especially giving me a new view on the way in which Beloved should be read. :)
The Auther of this critisism is praising Morrison for her ability to write in such a way as to grab the readers eyes out of their heads and he says with her realism in the novel of the true acounts that it makes the novel overflow with african american wisdom. Morrison did not just learn how to write and teell stories so great at some school she llearned it from her father who had taught her so well of her heritage. The author goes on to explain her life story and how she got to were she is now with her most know book Beloved. She married a Jamacian Archeticht and they had two childern before they divorced. he goes on to explain her other success steps
Response: I think for a literary critisism it was not a good one at all, it only talked about beloved for a short while, which is one of her best now works as an author. and towards the end the author did not even mention Beloved. But what the author did say about Beloved i was really impressed and agreed with the author a great deal. When someone has a great deal of talent it usually is not taught by someone, it is learned and picked up by the person who is really good at it. truthfully though i dont see how Morrison was able to write the words on a page about a mother killing her own children, because that must have been the most horrible thing to get through, well i mean i can think of worst things but i would just hate to sit there and have to do that. The author of the Critism say she was inspired but i thing instead of inspired Morrison was compelled.
Blue, Bennis. "Toni Morrison: Overview." Contemporary Popular Writers. Ed. Dave Mote. Detroit: St. James Press, 1997. Literature Resources from Gale. Gale. Collierville High School. 10 Apr. 2009
http://go.galegroup.com
A laying on of hands: Toni Morrison and the materiality of Love by Anissa Janine Wardi
Summary: Wardi comments on the motif of love in Morrison's novel Beloved. She points out that the story is not just about the ghost but about the power of a mother's love. She says that of Morrison's novels, "Beloved best illuminates the practice of love, its power to heal, save, redeem, as well as devastate." She uses Baby Suggs as an example because she talks about love as being denied to the slaves and the power of love that is brought with freedom. Also Amy Denver shows the caring and compassion through helping Sethe give birth. Both Baby Suggs and Amy show how their hands have a unique power to show the effects that love can have on others. Also, Wardi says that love goes along with death in this novel in the impact it has on the characters and the way they both effect how they live their lives. Sethe and her love, although it may be "too thick," is a big part of the story Morrison created.
Response: I think that Morrison really does make love an important theme for her novel, Beloved. Love is what connects and pulls people apart, which is what happens with the characters. Halle shows love through giving himself up for Baby Suggs's freedom. The community shows love for Sethe when Denver tells them her mom is sick. Paul D makes Sethe feel self-love, in the end when he tells her that she is her own best thing. Wardi, makes some basic points about the different things that love brings out in this novel. Athough, she only points out some, she is correct in the obvious power of love prevalent in this novel.
Wardi, Anissa Janine. "A laying on of hands: Toni Morrison and the materiality of Love." MELUS. 30.3 (Fall 2005): p201. Literature Resources from Gale. Gale. Collierville High School. 10 Apr. 2009 http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRG&u=tel_k_collier.
Crow, Anne. "Who or what is 'Beloved'? Anne Crow explores the title of Toni Morrison's enigmatic novel." The English Review. 14.4 (Apr. 2004): p2. Literature Resource Center. Literature Resources form Gale. Collierville High School. 10 April 2009. http://go.galegroup.com/ps/retrieve.do?sgHitCountType=None&sort=RELEVANCE&inPS=true&prodId=LitRG&userGroupName=tel_k_collier&tabID=T001&searchId=R2&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&contentSegment=&searchType=BasicSearchForm¤tPosition=22&contentSet=GALE|A114856400&&docId=GALE|A114856400&docType=GALE
In this essay, Crow is trying to uncover the true identity of Beloved an trying to decipher the meaning of the title. She statrs out by talking about how the author thrusts the reader in to the novel abruptly to symbolize how slaves were take in the middle passage. The she talks about how the novel is broken into "jigsaw pieces" because Morisson intends to make her readers work to understand, as the slaves had to work to comprehend their nightmare. She claims that Morisson doesn't number her chapters to signify how time is unimportant in the novel, because the past and present coexist through rememory. Crow also asserts that while Sethe and Denver BELIEVE that Beloved is the baby reincarnated, that they may be wrong. She says that it was necessary for Beloved to return to demonstrate that conventional history does not tell the whole story and that history only reflects what is said or written, but the whole story involves what is never spoken and is left behind for later generations to deal with. "The book seems to be saying that the past is there and should be understood, but, if we become preoccupied with what has happened, then that will prevent us from moving forward and living in harmony."
I agree with a lot of Crow's assertions. She identified the hot thing for me which we never really discussed in class. she says that the hot thing is the burning need of sethe and denver to may be confront the past and to rid themselves of the anger and pain in their lives. Another thing i agreed with was that Beloved may not be the reincarnation of the dead baby. Everyone believes that it is but that may only be because they need Beloved to be that. They need Beloved to be the dead baby so that they can have a way to deal with the past and so that Sethe can feel redemption for her terrible deed.
Malmgren, Carl D. "Mixed genres and the logic of slavery in Toni Morrison's 'Beloved.'." CRITIQUE: Studies in Contemporary Fiction. 36.2 (Winter 1995): p96. Literature Resource Center. Gale. Collierville High School. 10 Apr. 2009 http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRC&u=tel_k_collier.
I his essay, Carl Malmgren discussed the different types of stories that Morrison includes in Beloved. First, he notes that Beloved is a ghost story, seen in the presense of Beloved at the 124. Also, he notes that the novel is a historical novel, suggested through the setting and time frame. This helps the reader experience the realities of slavery much clearer. Next, Beloved is a love story, both the love between Sethe and her children, that is a killing love, and the love between Sethe and Paul D. But at the same time the story can be seen as a tragedy through the actions that Sethe had to take and the consequences that ensued. However, the slave narritive is what holds all the different genres together in unity.
I thought this essay was very helpful. I could clearly understand how all the different genres fit inside the novel. The most interesting part was when Malmgen compsred Beloved to the passage, which is seen in the historical novel, but related back to slavery. He states that Beloved's monolouge has allusions back to the middle passage, also seen in her connection to water. I also agreed with his description of the love story because he tlaked about the different perspectives on love that are seen throughout the novel. Sethe's love is motherly and killer, Paul D does not love enough, and Ella does not love anything. However, I think it was good to recoginze that all the genres connect back to slavery, which is the main topic of the novel.
Narrative and Community crisis in Beloved, by Scot. D. Henson
In this critical analysis Henson talks mainly about the violence in Beloved. He explains that Morrison focuses on African American violence imposed by outside white oppressors. The African Americans or oppressed persons in the novel seem to vent their anger and frustration on each other.In Beloved, incidents in the plot metonymically repeat dominant white society's oppression of black communities. This oppression must be named if the novel is to escape plot and the chain of metonymic repetitions. As is true of the narrative structure in Beloved, the community surrounding 124 Bluestone is concerned with finding a "cure" for violence.
I like how Morrison talks about the violence within Beloved. It seems to me like since the African Americans are treated like scapegoats when they have their own problems with anger and Morrison is working at expressing this. I dont think she does the best of jobs at moving on from the past aggressions. I understand the limitless pain suffered by Sethe and Paul D, but I dont understand why they can confront anger with specific persons, instead of entire races or genders. When Morrison talks about Sethe confronting the past in the ending by literally hitting the white man I think she is rather imposing anger on a specific individual that represents the teacher to her. It's at this moment she moves on when she no longer inflicts the anger or resentment on her own race.
Hinson, D. Scot. "Narrative and community crisis in Beloved." MELUS. 26.4 (Winter 2001): p147. Literature Resource Center. Gale. Collierville High School. 10 Apr. 2009 http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRC&u=tel_k_collier.
"Who or what is 'Beloved'? Anne Crow explores the title of Toni Morrison's enigmatic novel"
Crow, Anne. "Who or what is 'Beloved'? Anne Crow explores the title of Toni Morrison's enigmatic novel." The English Review. 14.4 (Apr. 2004): p2. Literature Resource Center. Gale. Collierville High School. 10 Apr. 2009 [http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRC&u=tel_k_collier].
Anne Crow begins by explaining the significance of the first chapter of the novel. She compares the slaves unwilling submersion into slavery with the reader's submersion into the novel. Both are unexpected and harsh new environments. Crow then goes on to say that Beloved's presense is tantamount to the novel's purpose, whether she is supernatural or not. Denver and her mother believe she is the reincarnation of 'crawling-already baby' and that is what matters. Through their thought processes we see that is true and thus Morrison can depict the strength it took Sethe to kill her own baby and the reaction Sethe has to Beloved when she comes back.
I gathered from this essay that the novel does indeed revolve around the presense of Beloved and her interactions with Sethe, Paul D, and Denver. Crow explains that an omnicient perspective would not be appropriate, and the character's own stories are necessary. Through their minds, we can follow the horrors of their pasts and realize the pain inflicted with their memories come back to them. This is especially true in Sethe and Paul D's case. With Beloved's reappearance, both their minds are taken back to the times of slavery and their most painful experiences. Beloved's reincarnation allows the reader to see what Sethe's daughter would have been like and how hardened she would have needed to be to take her life. For Paul D, Beloved brings back memories of all the sexual abuse he went through in the chain gang, and his catharsis with her allows him to gain closure. These points are important to show the lasting effect of the past and its ability to last forever on the mind's of the victims.
R. Clifton Spargo suggests that the ghost/Beloved is irrelevant to the literary work. He believes that the use of ghosts has become a “Gothic tradition” but has no role in modern literature. He points out that its effect on characters is the same as a traumatic experience. Beloved represents traumatic experiences in history, but trauma is created from being ignorant about the past. Being ignorant creates an obstacle from seeing the reality about the past/history. According to Spargo readers are spectators and they are left to decide if the trauma experienced by the narrating characters affects the truth of history as the character sees it.
There really is not a short essay about Beloved, but this one by Spargo is not too shabby. I think it is possible to consider trauma changing the credibility of the way Sethe portrays the past, as well as any character for that matter. In reality, traumatic experiences can always change the way a person remembers the event in question, so why couldn’t it be the same in modern literature. Although, before I even read this essay I was considering that Beloved was never real because everyone managed to forget about her. You would think that, with as much as she affected everything, she would have left an impression in everyone’s memory; yet, she didn’t.
"Trauma and the specters of enslavement in Morrison's Beloved" by R. Clifton Spargo
Spargo, Clifton. "Trauma and the specters of enslavement in Morrison's Beloved." Mosaic. 35.1 (March 2002): p113. Literature Resource Center. Gale. Collierville High School. 10 April 2009. [http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRC&u=tel_k_collier].
Evans, Elizabeth. "Chapter 6: “Ripping the Veil”: Meaning through Rememory in Beloved." Toni Morrison. Wilfred D. Samuels. Twayne's United States Authors Series 559. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1990. Literature Resources from Gale. Gale. Collierville High School. 10 Apr. 2009
Summary:Evans says that Morrison is very cautious of how she explores slavery and its reality because she is very conscious of not offending the reader. He talks about rememory and says its “a journey to a site to see what remains have been left behind and to reconstruct the world that these remains imply.” Evans also talks about the slave-woman and her true purpose on the plantation, which he claims is to bear children. Lastly, he discusses Morrison's use of love. He says that Sethe "did what is right although she did not have the right to do it."
Reaction: I picked this article because I found the concept of rememory really interesting. Rememory is how memories are can be seen by everyone and never leave the place where they were created. Actually this doesn't sound too far from the truth, with one major exception, i don't think memories are collective. But they don't always go away, and certain places do hold reminders of events there. What makes it clear that time is so important to the novel is that the whole book is arguably a rememory. At the end Morrison keeps repeating that this story is not a story to pass on. To me this seems like she didn't want to tell this story, but was experiencing a rememory herself.
"Who or what is 'Beloved'? Anne Crow explores the title of Toni Morrison's enigmatic novel" by Anne Crow
In this essay, Anne Crow talks about how Beloved is not your typical novel and begins with “disturbing images of a nightmarish quality.” Crow also says that Morrison makes the reader “work to understand, just as slaves had to work to comprehend their nightmare.” In Beloved, time is of no importance and the past and the present are intertwined. Crow says that Denver needed Beloved once Paul D came because she felt excluded and alone. The book ends with images of how the memories of Beloved gradually fade. Crow ends by saying, “The book seems to be saying that the past is there and should be understood, but, if we become preoccupied with what has happened, then that will prevent us from moving forward and living in harmony.”
This essay was very interesting and gave new insight on some topics. One thing I found very intriguing was when Crow talks about the story being like a jigsaw. She points out that the novel is divided into chapters, however they aren’t numbered. This signifies that time is not important, and that the past and the present are intertwined and can’t be separated into chronological order. The story is told is bits and pieces like that of a jigsaw puzzle, and no matter what order they are placed the end picture is the same. Morrison does force the reader to figure things out on his own, and I found it worthy of note that Crow says she makes the reader work just as the slaves had to work.
Crow, Anne. "Who or what is 'Beloved'? Anne Crow explores the title of Toni Morrison's enigmatic novel." The English Review. 14.4 (Apr. 2004): p2. Literature Resources from Gale. Gale. Collierville High School. 8 Apr. 2009 [http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRG&u=tel_k_collier].
"Morrison's 'Beloved.' (novel by woman author Toni Morrison)." by Angela C. Simpson
Angel Simpson, in this essay, is talking about the final section of Beloved. She focuses on the quote "It was not a story to pass on," and illustrates how she believes that Morrison actually means the exact opposite of what she wrote. She believes that Morrison is showing how important it is for us not to overlook the history of slavery and all the cruelty it entailed. Simpson believes that history should be shared and passed down from generation to gerneration, but only if is historically accurate. She also believes that confronting one's past and sharing it with others is the only way a person can find and obtain personal and psychological closure.
I support Simpson in the fact that Morrison wants people to pass on accurate information. I believe that supressing emotions that are the result of trauma and stress in ones life can do more harm in the long run, just as Sethe's surpressed emotions and memories come back to haunt her not only emotionally, but even physically. However, I do believe that the characters in the novel have trouble realizing that they are not relieving there problems by bottling them up.
Simpson, Angela C. "Morrison's 'Beloved.' (novel by woman author Toni Morrison)." The Explicator. 56.3 (Spring 1998): p154. Literature Resources from Gale. Gale. Collierville High School. 9 Apr. 2009 [http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRG&u=tel_k_collier].
"The restorative power of sound: a case for communal catharsis in Toni Morrison's Beloved" by Roxxane Reed.
Reed, Roxanne R. "The restorative power of sound: a Case for Communal Catharsis in Toni Morrison's Beloved.(Critical essay)." Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion 23.1 (Spring 2007): 55(17). General OneFile. Gale. Collierville High School. 11 Apr. 2009
"http://find.galegroup.com/ips/start.do?prodId=IPS".
The main focus of this essay is sound and the use of it in Beloved. It explains that the sounds in the novel are not be overlooked because they symbolize a connection between the women in the novel. It is the way the women are able to help each other out and understand each other. It also talks about the purpose of Baby Sugg's spirit. Baby Sugg's spirit is probably the most important "character" in the novel because it is the good spirit within 124 and the one that really keeps Sethe going. Not only does her spirit help out Sethe, but her spirit also helps out the community from back when she use to preach. She challenged a normally male dominated thing and was able to gain the respect of the community which showed another battle within the novel besides slavery. There is also a discrimination towards women that is fought in Beloved. Paul D. is the physical thing that tries to restore the family, but it is the spirits that have more control. The sounds create a deeper meaning than words, it is almost like the sounds projected are alive and have feelings. The sounds are used as something to distinguish or help heal.
After reading this, my mind immediately went to The Sound and the Fury with the noises that Benjy made. Despite them seeming very pointless, they meant so much more. The points Reed made about sound makes much sense, considering the novel is involving slaves. Slaves were well-known for coming up with songs in order to escape the pains they were going through in the real world. When music gets involved the mind can carry oneself to another place. I'm not so sure about Baby Sugg's spirit having such an influence on 124 and the community. She left a lot in the community but I think it is the family itself than brings the community together with Denver's outcry. But once again, I have overlooked what seemed a minor aspect.
To be loved: Amy Denver and Human Need--Bridges to Understanding in Toni Morrison's Beloved.
Summary: In her essay, Coonradt compares the lives of Sethe and Amy Denver. She points out the obvious similarities between the two woman such as their lives of servitude, dehumanization, and the many facets of abuse. She views Amy as not only a foil for Sethe, but also for the other characters as well. She points out intricate details, such as Amy's quest for velvet as a prime example of how, like slaves, the simple pleasures of life are if not more important than major turning points. She believes that the only thing that stands in the way of Sethe and Amy is the perspective and custom of the South. In her conclusion, she juxtaposes the two characters through their nearly identical background, ultimately briding the gap between human understanding, compassion, racism, custom, and to be loved.
Interp: Before reading this article, I never considered the glaring similiarties of Sethe and Amy. I agree with Coonradt that Amy should not be considered a minor character. Amy serves as the middleman between whites and blacks, because though she does use her skin color to override and talk down to Sethe, she has been treated as a slave for the most impressionable years of her life. If anything, the interraction between Sethe and Amy is paramount as it is a key scene that services to the themes of slavery and human compassion. She views Amy as this almost "Mother Nature" type person who has come to show Sethe that her abuse is in the past and that not every white person is the same. This entails that Amy is indeed a healer for Sethe's wounds literally and metaphorically.
Coonradt, Nicole M. "To be loved: Amy Denver and Human Need--Bridges to Understanding in Toni Morrison's Beloved." College Literature. 32.4 (Fall 2005): p168. Literature Resource Center. Gale. Collierville High School. 7 April 2009 [http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRC&u=tel_k_collier].
Narrative and Community crisis in Beloved, by D. Scot Hensen
Violence in Beloved, can be attributed to opression by the white man. The black community can not get over its past with the white community, so it singles out weaker members and pits them against one another. Guilt bred by violence can only be removed by recreating the act that opressed the blacks, as seen by Beloved's exorcism. The fact that the same events in the novel are explained from different points of view show how the characters' identities are blurred. Through Beloved, Morrison reminds us that the history within our own communities often trap and enslave.
I thought this was an interesting take on the community's role in Beloved. I didn't realize that their collective pain had such an impact on Sethe and Beloved in the community. I liked how the author's take on the horrors of slavery force people to ostracize one another. Is Beloved also representative of the community's past pain? Once the community began to comunicate their shared pain, Beloved was able to disapear. She was a "bridge" to get Sethe and Denver to connect with the world outside.
Hinson, D. Scot. "Narrative and community crisis in Beloved." MELUS. 26.4 (Winter 2001): p147. Literature Resource Center. Gale. Collierville High School. 10 Apr. 2009 http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRC&u=tel_k_collier.
Evans, Elizabeth. "Chapter 6: “Ripping the Veil”: Meaning through Rememory in Beloved." Toni Morrison. Wilfred D. Samuels. Twayne's United States Authors Series 559. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1990. Literature Resources from Gale. Gale. Collierville High School. 10 Apr. 2009
Summary:
This article was all about where the book came from and why Morrison decided to write it. This novel did not just originate from her mind but from true events that happened in another book that she read. She discusses the true reason a slave woman was so popular on the plantation and why it was so demeaning to them. This criticism pointed out that the novel was not about what the former slaves wrote, but what was left out. Morrison pointed out what the slaves ommitted and was able to capture a life that not many americans ever experienced.
Reaction:
I kind of agreed with this article. It showed me that she had some pretty good points throughout the book. She actually based her novel on true life and made it worthwhile for the reader. She took what she read from books and wanted to prove slavery wrong. She made her story into something that many would want to pass on.
"Who or what is 'Beloved'? Anne Crow explores the title of Toni Morrison's enigmatic novel"
By: Anne Crow
Crow, Anne. "Who or what is 'Beloved'? Anne Crow explores the title of Toni Morrison's enigmatic novel." The English Review. 14.4 (Apr. 2004): p2. Literature Resources from Gale. Gale. Collierville High School. 9 Apr. 2009 http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRG&u=tel_k_collier.
Anne Crow states that the chapters in Toni Morrison's Beloved fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. She says that the chapters are not numbered because Morrison was showing the unimportance of time. The next point Crow makes is pointing to the three marks on Beloved's head. These are the only marks she has that show physical imperfection. She notes that these marks appear like the marks that Sethe might have caused when killing her baby in struggle. Crow also focuses on the famous quote, "This is not a story to pass on." Crow says that this quote illustrates the idea that the story should not be focused on the baby's death but the way that Sethe made it to this point. Crow says, "The book seems to be saying that the past is there and should be understood, but, if we become preoccupied with what has happened, then that will prevent us from moving forward and living in harmony." This is essentially the theme for the book and perfectly words Morrison's intent for this novel.
I thought this was a very good essay. It pointed out a lot of things I hadn't realized before. Although I noticed the chapters weren't numbered, it never occured to me that Morrison was trying to show the unimportance of time. Crow identified the "hot thing" that Beloved refers to in her section as the burning desire that Beloved has to get with Sethe and Denver, and I still am not sure whether this is a creepy desire, or just a desire to have a family. I thought the book was pretty good, and this essay helped with answering some of the questions I had.
Crow, Anne. "Who or what is 'Beloved'? Anne Crow explores the title of Toni Morrison's enigmatic novel." The English Review. 14.4 (Apr. 2004): p2. Literature Resource Center. Gale. Collierville High School. 10 Apr. 2009 http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRC&u=tel_k_collier
One of the main things that Crow mentions in the beginning of her essay about Beloved is how the past and the present cannot be separated and so therefore, the history of African Americans is a "continuous cycle of oppression". She also talked a lot about Beloved and constantly refers to her as a poltergeist because she is so destructive. However, she also believes that both Sethe and Denver want her there. Another main idea that Crow talks about is that Beloved arrived simply because the girls at 124 needed her. She claims that since Sethe had partnered with Paul D, that Denver need someone which is why Beloved came immediately following this. Sethe, also needs Beloved in order to come to terms with her past.
I definitely agreed with what crow said about how the past and the present are deeply intertwined in this novel.. I think that that is why Sethe has such a hard time dealing with her past. However, I did not so much agree with her calling Beloved a poltergeist because a poltergeist is more of an annoyance and Beloved seemed to suck the life out of things like a parasite more than being annoying. In fact, she did not seem to be annoying or terrorizing the other two women at all. In fact they were very happy to have her around. So, I did agree with what Crow stated about how both Denver and Sethe needed Beloved, because I believe that without her, Sethe would never have been able to move on with her life and Denver would not have become as independent.
Crow, Anne. "Who or what is 'Beloved'? Anne Crow explores the title of Toni Morrison's enigmatic novel." The English Review. 14.4 (Apr. 2004): p2. Literature Resources from Gale. Gale. Collierville High School. 11 Apr. 2009 http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRG&u=tel_k_collier
In this critical essay it starts out saying that the reader is thrown into the middle of things and "snatched up" just as the slaves would have been. Morrison's intentions are very evident in the very first chapter. She will not sugar coat anything and wants to make the reader realize what it was like for the slaves. Also, the painful memories are told in pieces like a jigsaw. She does this because time is not important in the novel because the past affects the present and the future. Beloved is what sparks the mood for the whole novel. Beloved represents all of Sethe's regret, grief, love, and guilt. Beloved ends up being what everyone is missing at 124. She does not feel just one person's emptiness but all of them. This book is about people trying to come to terms with their own past so that they can come to terms with the "unspeakable thoughts of the unspoken.
I agree with most everything that Crow has stated. The opening is very disturbing and throws you into the middle. I like how she compared it to being taken by a slave owner without warning or defense. Also, the way she says that the novel is made up of jigsaw pieces that link the past to the present is very clever. But i think that time is important in this novel. Not necessarily when it happened but the fact that all time links together and one cannot escape it. I agree with the fact that Beloved is the daughter of Sethe and the sister of Denver but I think she only comes to help them fill the gap and learn how to deal with the past. Because if she had not come, they would have never dealt with their past and ignored it for the rest of their lives.
Crow, Anne. "Who or what is 'Beloved'? Anne Crow explores the title of Toni Morrison's enigmatic novel." The English Review. 14.4 (Apr. 2004): p2. Literature Resource Center. Gale. Collierville High School. 10 Apr. 2009 http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRC&u=tel_k_collier
This essay begins by commenting on how Morrison's style of writing mimics the slavery she is writing about. She throws the reader into a scary and unfamiliar situation and makes them piece together bits of information, just like how the slaves were treated. Crow then comments on this novel's concept of time--that it doesn't matter. She writes about how all the events, past and present, are mingled together, suggesting that the effects of slavery are forever present and significant, no matter what order you put them in. She gives her opinion about what she thinks Morrison means by the quote "Not a story to pass on." She thinks it means that Beloved is not just a story about one woman's struggle; it represents something much bigger--the story of anyone who's trying to deal with a traumatic past. Though the message of this novel must be understood by everyone, the bitterness must not be passed on. Though the past should be recognized and remembered, it should not comsume someone's life.
I agree with what Crow has to say about this novel's concept of time. It reminds me of the Sound and the Fury the way it mixes up the order of time and makes the reader really pay attention to understand the details. I also definitely agree with her comment about the quote "Not a story to pass on." The last chapter of the novel is Morrison's chance to speak to everyone who has been affected by not only slavery, but any traumatic past. It's her chance to say that the past is not something to forget, but something to be reconciled with, just as Beloved reconciled the whole community to their past. Though this book was full of pain, i think Morrison wrote it to be helpful with those who just can't seem to move past a terrible experience.
Horvitz, Deborah. "Nameless Ghosts: Possession and Dispossession in Beloved." Studies in American Fiction. 17.2 (Autumn 1989): 157-167. Rpt. in Contemporary Literary Criticism. Ed. Christopher Giroux and Brigham Narins. Vol. 87. Detroit: Gale Research, 1995. 157-167. Literature Resource Center. Gale. Collierville High School. 8 Apr. 2009 [http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRC&u=tel_k_collier].
Sorry this is late. Oops.
In this essay,Horvitz strongly emphasizes how mother/daughter relationships seem to be a continuous cycle. Roles of the caregiver and the needy are constantly shifting. Horvitz's other strong point throughout her essay was what else Beloved could possibly symbolize. Horvitz gives the idea that Beloved & Sethe give a voice to every African American woman brought into slavery.
I really liked this essay. I think Beloved was her daughter coming back, but I don't think her intentions were always bad. I believe once Beloved got a piece of the love she had missed out on, she was hooked. She became selfish and seemingly violent with those who cared for her and nurtured her the most.
Hinson, D. Scot. "Narrative and community crisis in Beloved." MELUS. 26.4 (Winter 2001): p147. Literature Resources from Gale. Gale. Collierville High School. 12 Apr. 2009 [http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRG&u=tel_k_collier].
Summary: In this essay, it talks about violence in Beloved and the source of that violence. In general, the violence comes from the oppression of the African American community by the whites. It then elaborates on that violence, concluding that the conflicts lead to violence and then violence leads to more violence as members of the community plot revenge. Specifically, in Beloved, the community abandoned their traditional values for the more dominant culture [the whites]. As the members of the oppressed community is powerless to strike out against their oppressors, they turn to striking out at their equally powerless members of the community. It then goes on to say that sacrifice is a cure to violence and that the African American community around 124 is concerned with finding a "cure." They seek a "return to order" and they want a reinstatement of the differences that gave the individual in the community an identity. Then the issue of the narrative crisis is the ever-constant presence of the collective past versus the forward moving plot. For example, Beloved's monologue emphasizes persistence of memories and of the past. The narrative crisis is both one of chronology and narrative voices. Finally, it says Beloved serves as a testimony to the slave women, of all their pain they experienced and will experience.
I do agree with the idea that violence within the African American community stems from their disability to strike out against their oppressors. For example, when the schoolteacher came back for her, all Sethe could think to do is kill her children so they won't experience the horrors of slavery. I do believe sacrifice can cure violence, too. Denver sacrificed her time from home and faced her fears of the outside world to help her mother. Through Denver's actions, the community was able to come together and even staged a "rescue" mission for Sethe. I believe most of the "narrative crisis" originated from the chronology rather than the narrative voices. The constant memories of the past that intruded in the text was more confusing to me than the change in narrative voices. I usually assumed a third person omniscient narrator when it wasn't obvious who the narrator was. What I don't understand is how they abandoned their own traditions in favor of the white people's traditions and values. But certainly there was a breakdown of communal identity somewhere along the line.
Coonradt, Nicole M. "To be loved: Amy Denver and Human Need--Bridges to Understanding in Toni Morrison's Beloved." College Literature. 32.4 (Fall 2005): p168. Literature Resource Center. Gale. Collierville High School. 12 April 2009 [http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRC&u=tel_k_collier].
Summary:
Coonradt begins with discussing how Beloved is filled with many different healers in the text, one of them being Amy Denver who helped out Sethe in the woods. She talks about how she is a literary foil to Sethe herself--she contrasts sharply with Sethe and becomes a bridge between black and white and racism and understanding. She then goes into explain how each of the characters in Beloved needs love and it is the soothing power to each of their aching and damaged souls; Amy Denver gives that love to Sethe and Denver through saving them. Coonradt then talks about how Sethe and Amy are similar in their slaveries--both are sexually and physically abused by their "masters" and are not much different, even though they have different skin colors. They have parallel situations which makes Amy similar to the slaves undergoing hardship at that time. Amy also resembles Sethe in her speech, which is not much different to that of an African slave. Coonradt also explains how Amy can be a symbol of Christ, a healer and a miracle worker as she helps Sethe birth her baby and provides comfort and security to a weary runaway slave. There is connection between Sethe and Amy and the parable of the "Good Samaritan"--Amy being the Good Samaritan and helping Sethe out even when the whites and the blacks did not necessarily get along. Lastly, she goes into explaining how Amy is seen as a heroic character not only in the black community, but in the white community as well as she helped Sethe and loved her neighbor.
Analysis:
One thing i found really interesting was how in French, when studying Amy's name, it literally means "Beloved." I thought that was so interesting how Morrison not only included Beloved herself (the baby as well as the reincarnation), but Beloved in the form of Amy Denver who helped Sethe when she was in time of desperate need. I also think it was so courageous of Amy to help Sethe out, when she was in a tragic situation herself. But she forgot her own needs and focused on someone else--she rubbed Sethe's feet and made sure she would be okay even though she was starving and hurting herself. She was selfless and loving in those moments, and i find it interesting how this essay relates her to Christ. She put others before her, sincerely attempting to help Sethe out and deliver Denver into the world. Lastly, i found it interesting how Amy is presented as a "bridge to white society" because she is a compassionate white woman. She is not the stereotypical white person of that time period--racist and full of hatred for the black community, but instead a loving and caring woman who does not notice skin color.
Who or what is 'Beloved'? by Anne Crow
Crow, Anne. "Who or what is 'Beloved'?. The English Review. 14.4 (Apr. 2004): p2. Literature Resources from Gale. Gale. Collierville High School. 12 Apr. 2009 [http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=LitRG&u=tel_k_collier].
In this essay, Anne Crow states that Morrison makes the readers work to understand the novel just as the slaves had to "work to comprehend their nightmare." She claims that, in her story, time is not very important, but the bits and bits of the story must be put together for a full understanding. She claims that the stories are told in fragments because, all at once, they are too much to handle. She also says that it takes Beloved's resurrection for Sethe to realize that her murder is wrong. According to her, the story must be "understood and felt, but the bitterness should not be handed down."
One thing that I couldn't really grasp but had an idea of was the novel being related to a jigsaw puzzle. I knew there was something that was going on, with the story jumping, but I couldn't realy get why Faulkner made it that way. It is a story that is told in bits and pieces, but it is the reader's job to place them in the right positions in order to get a full understand of the novel. I also liked how she stated that the past should be recognized and understood, yet dwelling on it prevents us from living peacefully.
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2838/is_2_33/ai_55577123/
Violence, home, and community in Toni Morrison's 'Beloved.'
summary: Nancy Jesser is saying that in Beloved, a social life for the inhabitants is helpful and heatlthy but that alone will not solve problems. She also talks about the memories in their tangible sense bringing people together. Being able to run into memories gives people a chance to bond over a common past. Finally she discusses 124 as it goes from an open place to anevil place to be avoided to then be opened again to the community for the intervention.
analysis: As Jesser points out, before Sethe's killing of her own child, 124 was a welcoming place for the community to gather. but the tragedy in murder was so strong that it closed the home off and made it simply a house. A cold house not to be entered that felt plagued with evil to those who did enter. Through Denver going out into the community, the community was given a chance to run into and remember the past of how things once were at 124. This gave them the strength for the intervention that was able to make 124 a home again.
Hinson, Scot D. "Narrative and community crisis in Beloved". 2001.http://www.geocities.com/tarbaby2007/beloved10.html
Hinson talks about how the Black community in Beloved ignore the humiliation and anger of its members. The community is unable to identify the source of the violence and oppression the causes this violence. This violence is cause by Sethe's reoccuring memories of white violence in slavery. Morrison concentrates on uncovering the horrible effects of slavery as the source of the violence in the community surround 124. Slavery has now put pressure on African American communities such as the one surrounding 124 to stand up for what they believe in, despite them being accustomed to never acting this way.
I did agree with Hinson on many levels the source of the ignorance within the community stemmed from Sethe. It was almost as her actions were too embarrassing for the Black community. But like Hinson says, it can not be completely their fault. For many years during slavery, African Americans were taught to never stand up against anyone. Beloved reveals that these horrendous acts in slavery were the leading cause in this violence in Black communities. The African American's unwillingness to point out this fact lead their community deeper into violence until they could confront their past.
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