Essay/Term paper: Morrison's beloved: a review

Essay, term paper, research paper:  Argumentative Essays

Morrison's Beloved: A Review


Everything in a novel is there only because the author chooses it to be
there: characters, plot devices, structure and pacing, tone, etc. all are ways
in which the author says what he/she has to say. Morrison implements different
characters and ideas to enhance the slavery of the time and its lasting
affects. While the story is of heartbreak there are various representations of
concepts. Which can be seen through realism and the characters of Mr. Bodwin and
Baby Suggs.
Mr. Bodwin is a white abolitionist and has high hopes for blacks in the
future. He spends the happiest years of his life struggling for emancipation of
blacks. Mr. Bodwin represents a time in history where slavery starts to come
into question. People (white) started to realize this travesty and begin to
speak up and act towards the abolition of slavery. The abolitionists begin a
process which will eventually end in the 60's where blacks will attain complete
freedom. They begin a legacy of freedom fighters that will not stop till blacks
receive the right they so deserved. Future leaders of known fame will be Malcolm
X and Martin Luther King which will carry on this battle begun by the
abolitionists.
Baby Suggs, is Halle's mother and Sethe's mother - in - law, and is an
important character in the story in that she brings about many aspects of self-
pride and versatility. Suggs lived through the "slavery" and came out of the
ordeal with strength of her character alone. Slavery at the time broke down the
slaves making them have low self- esteem and low worth. But Suggs brings about
the part of resiliency that was needed to beat the "system." Her faith in God
and self makes her the prominent legacy. As she rose above slavery so have
other individual rose above persecution and hardship across the years. For
instance, World Wars, Holocaust, and the depression to name a few.
Morrison throughout Beloved offers realism of the times and consequences
that occurred with the slaves. Morrison paints a picture post -Civil War life
that leaves many black people lost in America. Blacks after the civil War
emerged all across the South with no place to go. The South was in ruins in
every sense and the Black freed slaves were confused. They had been separated
from their families, lost any property they may have had, they wandered in
search of a better life. Just because Slavery was abolished didn't mean all was
right in their lives of the former slaves. Slavery in the South left a lasting
effect on the country and those inside it especially the Southerners and slaves.
Even today it still has its effect, with peoples till trying to trace there
heritage and the some southern economies still recovering completely.
Morrison makes effective use of the characters and elements of realism
to make comments on slavery and interpret various legacies. Each make a
reference to various parts of slavery thus offering a selection of perspectives.
Although there are only three mentioned there are many more to be found in the
story.