Description
PULITZER PRIZE WINNER • NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A spellbinding novel that transforms history into a story as powerful as Exodus and as intimate as a lullaby. With a new afterword by the author. This “brutally powerful, mesmerizing story” ( People) is an unflinchingly look into the abyss of slavery, from the acclaimed Nobel Prize winner. Sethe was born a slave and escaped to Ohio, but eighteen years later she is still not free. Sethe has too many memories of Sweet Home, the beautiful farm where so many hideous things happened. And Sethe’s new home is haunted by the ghost of her baby, who died nameless and whose tombstone is engraved with a single word: Beloved. “A masterwork…. Wonderful…. I can’t imagine American literature without it.” —John Leonard, Los Angeles Times
Walter I. Jenkins III –
Beloved by Toni Morrison is a dramatic historical fiction published in 1987 by Vintage Books. Morrison is an award-winning author of such prizes as the Nobel Prize in literature, the Pulitzer Prize, and many more. This novel was written with the purpose of exhibiting not only the horrors of slavery but also the psychological consequences it had on those who became free. Beloved adequately conveys these themes through the perspective of Sethe, a woman who was enslaved for most of her life and who tries desperately to run from her past once she achieves freedom. Reasons for Sethe’s grief include the mysterious death of her baby after whom the book was named as well as the everlasting feeling of repression that her owners instilled in her during her time on the plantation “Sweet Home” in Kentucky. Sethe’s issues also extend into her relationships. Her daughter, Denver, is constantly suspicious of new people who enter her mother’s life and constantly searches to learn more about her family’s history-a history her mother has worked desperately to forget. Sethe’s new lover, Paul D, who was also a slave at Sweet Home is extremely supportive of her strife. However, he cannot get her to forget about her true love Halle, who was separated from her when they left the plantation. Throughout the novel Beloved we as the readers see how Sethe evolves and accepts her past while more fragments of her past are explained., The significance of the title Beloved is that this word was engraved on Sethe’s dead child’s tombstone. Throughout the book this significance becomes even more relevant. Many themes are present in this novel, though I feel the most important ones are running from the past and inferiority. From the early chapters of the book, it is clear that Sethe has faced some horrible situations including the death of her infant child and her abuse as a slave. The scars on Sethe’s back serve to symbolize the permanent effects that her past in slavery has on her present as a freed woman. The theme of inferiority is displayed many times throughout the book, but the character who faces this the most is Paul D. Paul D grew up with two half-brothers, both of which shared the same name Paul, but with an A and an F., Two words I would use to describe Beloved are uncomfortable and confusing. Though these words have negative consequences, I believe this was Morrison’s intentions. I felt uncomfortable throughout the novel because of the excessive amounts of rape and because of some of Sethe’s decisions throughout some of the later chapters. Though these are unsettling events in the book, they are also very important to convey the atrocities that slaves were subject to. Of course, I could never imagine what it was truly like to be a slave, but I think Morrison accurately depicted the extreme physical and mental tolls slavery had on its victims. I also found Beloved to be very confusing because of its constant transition between Sethe’s time as a slave on the Sweet Home Plantation in Kentucky and her time as a freed slave in Cincinnati. This is not a criticism but simply encouragement to read the book a second time in order to develop a more thorough understanding. Morrison’s utilization of constant flashbacks served to add a level of suspense to Sethe’s life story., Beloved is an incredible depiction of life after slavery and the relationships one would make through it. I recommend this novel to people of all ages, but I feel like it is particularly important for white children to read. Slavery is a subject that is prevalent in every African American household even today, including many stories of the horrors their ancestors faced. Though I learned about slavery all through school, I was never able to put myself in the mind of a slave. For someone like me whose family never had to deal with any of it, it was especially mortifying. Beloved can be found on Amazon.com for $12.43 and free shipping with Amazon Prime.
Tracey Robinson –
I selected Beloved as one of my #BannedBookWeek reads for September 2019. This isn’t my first read by the G.O.A.T. Ms. Toni Morrison, it is my most recent read of hers in the personal growth journey I’m on. This wasn’t a personal growth read, but it certainly does fit in that category for me., Brief Synopsis: Morrison sets out to show how deep the effects of slavery goes. Slavery, in some cases, was able to completely shatter the black family. Sethe’s story is just one of the countless stories that are out there. While this is a work of fiction, it has ties to a true-story. Ms. Morrison gives voices to many people: mothers, fathers, children, grandparents, and brothers/sisters. The most important voice she writes for is that of the victim. So many times we focus on the justification of heinous acts and ignore the victim. I applaud her for this, because she did it so masterfully. While giving all these voices, she also gives a testament to the strength of the Black Woman even when such a woman doesn’t realize it. The novel definitely tugs at your heart but that’s what reality does. Will Sethe find her peace, what really happened, can a family survive after taking its freedom? Read this book to find out., I now speak on what spoke to my soul. I recently listened to a podcast by two talented black indie authors (Bookish Brown Girls). They chose to speak on Ms. Toni Morrison as we have lost the literary great that she will always be. In their podcast they relate quotes she said, their favorite works of art by her. One quote came from this book regarding love. Paul D. told Sethe her love was too thick. Her response was, “Love is or it ain’t. Thin love at love at all”(Part 1, p. 194, par 1). It made me think about a mother’s love and how deep it goes. Sometimes it’s at a fault but with Sethe one thing she knew for sure, she was going to protect the only thing she had claim to in her eyes. While the slavery we read about no longer exists, the remnants of it does. I ask myself, how far will I go to protect my own? Reading this novel can make a person look at life from a different perspective. You may not agree with the message and that is your right. What is not your right, is to judge someone else’s actions. Try walking in their shoes, your decision-making just might change., The next idea that spoke to my soul I already mentioned in the synopsis, the strength of the Black Woman. Sethe, Denver, Baby Suggs, and even Beloved. All of them displayed varying degrees of strength. Looking at these woman helped me see both the strength I have and the strength I don’t have. This is the main reason I view this book as a personal growth read. My vision of myself, me working to be the best version of me. Ms. Toni Morrison exposed another level of myself I didn’t realize I felt or believed to be true. For this I thank her and know my path is becoming clearer., The final idea that spoke to my soul was that of redemption. There were many characters who were looking for or even avoiding redemption. Sometimes it comes easily, most times it doesn’t. This is because you have to be honest with yourself. This I believe is one of the hardest things to do in life. You can hide it from others, but you can’t hide it from yourself. Your conscience won’t allow it. I close this review with the question: Be honest with yourself, what redemption are you in search of?, As Always,, #HappyReading, Tracey Robinson, Words For The Soul Book Club
Joan M Neigbauer –
I appreciated how much was conveyed with such an economy of words requiring a deep read to not miss important aspects of the story. Found myself going back to reread sections where I misunderstood what was being conveyed. Am now reading Sula.
SanK –
Had to buy for required reading for high school. It was a good bood.