    (c) 1991 Bureau Development, Inc.

    File: \DP\0134\01342.TXT         Mon Jun 26 15:38:49 1995
Database: Monarch Notes By Literary Period


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Title:       Works of Toni Morrison
Book:        Beloved
Author:      Morrison, Toni
Critic:      Branch, Eleanor
Affiliation: Free-Lance Writer, Formerly Associate Editor, New York Daily Challenge

Beloved: Part 1

     I Will Call Them My People, Which Were Not My People; And Her Beloved,
Which Was Not Beloved. (Romans 9:25)

     An epigraph is a quotation set at the beginning of a literary work that
often suggests a theme. Morrison's choice is from the New Testament in a
chapter where the Apostle Paul voices his concerns about the destiny of his
people and the nature of God's interaction with man. The quotation, and its
relationship to the novel, can only be understood when taken in the context of
the biblical text. Paul's feelings, begun in lament, grow hopeful in the
absolute power and mercy of God. The verse immediately following Morrison's
chosen quotation heralds reconciliation: "And it shall come to pass, that in
the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they
be called the children of the living God." Likewise, later verses proclaim a
redemption. As we shall see, these are major themes in Beloved.

One

124 Was Spiteful.

Exposition.

     The early chapters of a novel are often devoted to exposition or
information the author provides us as background to the rest of the story. We
are introduced to characters, conflicts, and themes that will be developed
later. Many authors pique our interest by revealing certain aspects of the
story that make us want to read more. One of the ways Morrison does this is to
foreshadow something mysterious about the baby's death.

Structure.

     The novel begins in medias res (in the middle of a narrative). The
haunting, the death of Baby Suggs, the departure of the boy children are old
news. As the novel progresses, a consistent use of flashbacks will not only
create a sense of continuity with the past, but develop exposition and
characterization as well.

     Morrison also uses memory to foreshadow future events, as when Sethe and
Denver demand that the ghost come forward.

     To pique our interest, the first turning point in the novel is also in
the first chapter-Paul D exorcises the ghost.

Setting.

     While we know from the first page on that it is 1873 on the outskirts of
Cincinnati, the most important piece of information we are furnished with
regard to the setting is that it's a house on Bluestone Road called 124. This
is very important, so important that Morrison has seen fit to begin the novel
with the sentence, "124 was spiteful." Such personification gives the house
character and us a sense that a world-the world of the novel-exists primarily
within.

Characterization.

     This is an important chapter in the characterization of Sethe. She is
stoic, even in Denver's eyes, because despite whatever tragedy, she is "one
who never looked away." Yet, her weariness is palpable and there is something
within her that will ultimately welcome the tyranny of the ghost incarnate.

     Note Sethe's reaction to her graveyard barter: "... But those ten minutes
she spent pressed up against dawn-colored stone studded with star chips ...
were longer than life, more alive, more pulsating than the baby blood that
soaked her fingers like oil." Clearly, there is more here than we can see
presently if the accoutrements of death are more alive than life itself.

[Hear Sethe's Reaction To The Barter]

     The other characters introduced-Baby Suggs, Paul D, and Denver-are given
various treatments. Baby Suggs, by virtue of her age, is ancestor-elder. She
too is stoic, defeated finally by her own pain. Paul D seems chameleon-like,
changing and adapting to fit the situation; and Denver is victim, a lonely and
unhappy adolescent still devastated by the departure of her brothers and the
death of her grandmother.

     An important moment of clarification in character for both Sethe and Paul
D comes in their discussion of the tree on her back and how it got there.
Sethe puts the emphasis on the fact that her milk was stolen, Paul D on the
fact that they beat her while she was pregnant. This difference in perception
reveals two ways of looking at the world and will recur in their quest to
forge a solid relationship.

Theme.

     Through the process of exposition, Morrison acquaints us with some of the
themes and motifs that she will continue to develop throughout the novel. One
of the first to be addressed, and the dominant theme throughout, is the
existence of the supernatural; 124 is spiteful because a baby ghost lurks
there.

     Another controlling theme is the impact slavery has had on the
characters' lives. From Baby Suggs, who remembers very little about her eight
children, we learn that the institution of slavery has a debilitating effect
on the concept of motherhood and the sense of family; from Sethe, there is a
great sense of awe and dread.

     Other themes are interrelated, e.g., isolation: Sethe and Denver are
isolated, in part, because the townspeople won't come near their haunted
house. Defeat: Baby Suggs accepts defeat and spends the rest of her life
pondering color "suspended between the nastiness of life and the meanness of
death." Victimization: Sethe is victim, not only because she barters 10
minutes of sex to get the name "Beloved" printed on a headstone, but because
she must face the daily rage of her dead baby, who is the ultimate victim.
Redemption comes at the hands of Paul D, whom Sethe allows to take
"responsibility for her breasts."

Realism.

     Sethe's mention of the woman in the wagon to whom she gave the
responsibility of her children is a subtle reference to the underground
railroad. Thousands of blacks escaped the oppression of slavery literally by
following the North Star. Along the way, they were aided by black and white
men and women who showed them the way, offered them food and lodging or
transported them to the next station stop.

Symbolism.

     Two important symbols emerge in this chapter: the milk and the tree. The
milk, as nourishment, symbolizes the indelible bond between mother and child;
the chokecherry tree on Sethe's back is a symbol of resistance and strength,
despite life's bitter fruit.

     Also symbolic is Paul D's fascination with Sethe's eyes. The idea of
vision will be used to support the juxtaposition of their experiences within
slavery. The differences, directly related to their sex, are an important
point of contrast.

Irony.

     Sethe's memories of life at Sweet Home are far from pleasant. Even the
plantation's name is ironic. What she does remember about the place is its
beauty-and this feeds the irony: "It never looked as terrible as it was," she
thinks, "and it made her wonder if hell was a pretty place too."

Not Quite in a Hurry ...

Structure.

     There is a steady movement in this chapter from isolation to connection.
Morrison uses the voices of two people, lost from each other in remembrance,
and masterfully brings them together by juxtaposing memory against memory
until finally their recollections converge on the same episode.

Characterization.

     The characterization of Paul D and Sethe is extended further. This comes
principally through the intrusion of memory as both characters use the time
after sex to reflect on their shared experience of slavery at Sweet Home.
Against this backdrop, both struggle to tackle their feelings of inadequacy.
Most important, however, we begin to see how Sethe's expectations and
perceptions about slavery were naive, even foolish. Sethe's attempt to take
possession of herself and her work by bringing things into the kitchen while
she worked, and her willingness to take her family for granted, are untenable
attitudes for a slave, and Morrison's authorial voice comments strongly: "A
bigger fool never lived."

     Paul D's retrospection is clouded by his struggle to define himself in
relationship to Sixo, another slave on the Sweet Home plantation. Sixo's brand
of fiery determination, his boldness and knowingness, become the yardstick by
which Paul D measures his own manhood. Not surprisingly, he does not measure
up.

Theme.

     Motherhood, "familyhood," "personhood" as manifested by slaves become
important motifs that support the exploration of slavery and its impact on the
slave. Baby Suggs, whose children are taken away one by one, refuses to love
any of them, save Halle. Halle, she feels, is a person, a "somebody" because
of that connection, that love.

     Sethe, whose beliefs are tempered by her own experience, attempts
motherhood, familyhood, and personhood in a system that denies the slave these
impulses. This is only one of the contradictions that Sethe must face, and her
response to it is at the heart of the novel.

Metaphor.

     The sense of desire and sexual gratification is captured in a graceful
metaphor as Morrison fastens on the images of "loose silk" and "jailed down
juice." The corn feast is the climax of a year in which the men abused cows
while they waited for Sethe to choose a husband.

Irony.

     What should be a moment of tender passion is over too soon and Paul D is
left contemplating the irony of an 18-year expectation that did not measure up
to its reality.

Denver's Secrets Were Sweet.

Characterization.

     The characterization of Denver, Sethe, and Paul D continues through the
use of flashbacks, especially Denver's. By juxtaposing memory with scenes from
the present, Morrison offers a better understanding of the teenager and her
reaction to Paul D. Lonely and troubled, she finds solace inside her own small
world and connection in the memories her mother has shared with her regarding
her birth. This is one way Denver feeds her hunger. The others are perfume and
the boxwood arbor.

     But it is also the baby ghost that keeps Denver going, lending an air of
excitement to her life. The ghost's departure leaves her that much more lonely
and she digs her heels in as a way to punish her mother. In this chapter, we
also learn that Denver is a "charmed" child.

     Taking another look at Paul D and Sethe, we see two people who are open
to the possibilities of a relationship. Sethe, for the first time in almost 18
years, dares to think about what having a life means. However, both are still
haunted by the past, still tied to it. Sethe tells Denver that nothing ever
dies and vows to keep her from the past, while Paul D fights off his own
thoughts about Alfred, Georgia, and jail.

     Two other characters are introduced here-Amy Denver, the white girl who
helps Sethe deliver Denver, and Schoolteacher. Both are minor characters, with
Schoolteacher's name used to tag many of his personality traits.

Theme.

     Principal among the many themes and motifs that this chapter examines is
that of defeat. Where Denver's defeat lies in her isolation, now exacerbated
by the absence of the baby ghost, Sethe's defeat begins 18 years before on the
banks of the Ohio River when she fears she is dying, and comes back later in
her resignation over the baby ghost's tyranny and her belief that making plans
is pointless. She is joined by Paul D, who has internalized his defeat by
simply shutting down the functions of his brain that are not motor-related.

     Morrison hints, too, at the theme of mother-daughter conflict as Denver
strives to connect with Sethe through a reenactment of the details of her
birth, and as Sethe's vague connection with her own "ma'am" comes back to
haunt.

     The idea of quest is also picked up in Amy's search for velvet, which
becomes a metaphor for a better life, and Paul D's search for himself and true
freedom. Even Sethe is on a quest, although hers is far from external.

     Finally, Morrison explores redemption as both Sethe and Paul D begin to
see the possibilities open to them.

Metaphor.

     The image of the white dress with its arm around Sethe is a controlling
one. Although out of memory, it is taken as an omen by both Sethe and Denver
and becomes one of us as well. We expect something to happen, although not
necessarily the good things Sethe hopes for.

     Another set of images exists in Denver's recounting of her birth. The
animal imagery, i.e., the antelope and the snake, speaks to certain primitive
instincts. Sethe equates the baby kicking inside of her with a restless
antelope and later to the dance of her elders when she was young. She imagines
herself to be a snake, crawling in the underbrush all "jaws and hunger." What
she is creating in her head, however, are images of life, when all her
thoughts are of death.

Irony.

     Sethe's description of the manners of Schoolteacher and the nephews is
steeped in irony. The allusion to their stiff formality and gentleness is
negated time and time again by acts of violence perpetrated against the slaves
at Sweet Home.

Sense stimuli.

     In what will be a recurring device indicative of conflict, Morrison uses
the senses-sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell-to reveal the degree to which
a character is open to and interactive with the world around him or her.
Sethe's senses are opened with the coming of Paul D. She notices color for the
first time since the baby's death: "Things became what they were: drabness
looked drab; heat was hot. Windows suddenly had view."

Pleasantly Troubled ...

Structure.

     The story line is anchored in the present as Morrison sets up a picture
of family life that will act as a contrast in subsequent chapters.

Characterization.

     Denver emerges as a recalcitrant child. Her anger and jealousy finally
find direct expression as she confronts Paul D about his intentions toward her
mother. Paul D's kindness, however, is contagious and after a day at the
carnival, we are hopeful that Denver will soften her attitude.

     Sethe, like Denver, is also blossoming; her concern about facing the
community and her worry over how she will be perceived is quite telling. Sethe
is changing and it is all because of Paul D.

Theme.

     The question of how wise it is for an ex-slave mother to invest so much
love in her children becomes the focal point. Paul D believes it is risky;
Sethe, that it is normal. Both sides are argued briefly, and the dispute ends
in a temporary truce. This issue is at the heart of the novel, for Sethe's
maternal love, so distorted by the experience of slavery, is the driving force
in her life.

Symbolism.

     Two images signal conflicting perspectives. The first is the shadow of
three people holding hands, a symbol of the possibilities inherent in the
family life being developed by Denver, Sethe, and Paul D; and the second, the
doomed roses, as an omen of defeat. The fact that both are associated with the
carnival is very important because we are at a crossroads in the story. The
possibility exists that the threesome could become a family, but as we shall
see in the next chapter, the seeds of disruption have already been sown.

Irony.

     The carnival, despite its false promises and perverse people, is enjoyed
by the townspeople. The numerous insults are turned around in the "spectacle
of white-folks making a spectacle of themselves."

A Fully Dressed Woman ...

Structure.

     Beloved's arrival is another turning point in the novel because it upsets
the family dynamic that has already begun to develop between Sethe, Denver,
and Paul D. A stranger, Beloved is accepted without reservation. Sethe is
touched by her name, Paul D wonders about her new shoes, and Denver is
delighted. The differences in their reactions provide an excellent opportunity
for further characterization using contrast.

Characterization.

     The mystery of Beloved is an important part of her characterization. Is
she Sethe's daughter returned from the dead or just a stranger in dire need of
kindness and a place to stay? We suspect, as Denver does, that this is no
ordinary woman; that Beloved could in fact be a reincarnation of Sethe's
murdered baby. We know that she walked out of the water; that her skin is
lineless and new; that she is incontinent (as any baby might be); that she is
taken with color; that she is approximately 19 or 20 (just the age Sethe's
child would have been); and that she loves sugar, a detail Morrison alludes to
when Sethe places her children on the underground railroad and instructs the
"conductor" to nurse the baby with a cloth dipped in sugar water.

     Still, Denver's almost voracious devotion to Beloved is a clear
indication of how far her loneliness has taken over. More important, however,
is Denver's belief that Beloved may be her sister come back from the dead. If
we accept the notion that Denver is a charmed child, then her attention to
Beloved, while fed steadily by the hunger of loneliness, comes out of a
different kind of knowledge. How else can we explain Denver's certainty that
Here Boy won't be coming back?

     Paul D and Sethe are divided once again on the issue of nurturing as
evidenced by their different reactions to Beloved. Sethe responds as a mother,
immediately caring; Paul D is silent, but skeptical. Later his feelings
explode as he questions Sethe about her intentions regarding Beloved. Here,
Morrison emphasizes the difference in their attitudes. It will come up again
and again.

     Beyond that, we are called to make a decision with regard to the
supernatural. It is not possible to argue that Beloved is simply a
manifestation of Sethe's own guilt at having killed her child because both
Paul D and Denver see her. Yet, we know that she is no ordinary person. Do we
accept Beloved as a ghost incarnate? Denver feels it, but can not articulate
it yet, and much later Sethe, Paul D, and the rest of the community do. In
fact, Morrison demands that we do, and in subsequent chapters builds a case to
support it.

Symbol.

     Beloved's association with water is extremely important and is connected
to other water imagery in the chapter. She walks out of water and upon seeing
her, Sethe's urge to urinate is compared to a woman's breaking water in the
process of birth. There is also Beloved's unquenchable thirst and her
incontinence. The links are drawn clearly. Water itself is a symbol of life,
of birth, and Beloved's arrival and placement in the midst of water imagery is
part of the life-death-rebirth motif that informs the novel.

Theme.

     With Beloved's arrival, the supernatural is accentuated, and with it a
kind of mystical reverence for water as a symbol of life, death, and rebirth.
Since she has lived and died, her rebirth is literally a second chance at
life. Her constant association with water as a symbol of life supports this
motif. As the story progresses we will see the application of this motif
elsewhere.

Realism.

     Morrison paints a picture of post-Civil War life that was disjointed for
many black people. Separated from family, faced with the loss of their land or
the death of their crops, they wandered in search of a better life and some
sort of connection to family and/or community.

Rainwater Held on ...

Structure.

     This chapter offers us clue after clue to the identity of Beloved. The
questions that she asks Sethe are based on information she could not possibly
know if she were a stranger. Denver, who in the last chapter responded almost
instinctively to Beloved as her sister, begins to articulate that. The chapter
ends in the one question we are asking ourselves: How did Beloved know about
the earrings?

     Beloved's questions are triggering mechanisms for Sethe. They are an
opportunity for her to confront her past without feeling threatened by the
memory. It is a brief example of free association-one memory triggering
another-in an effort to discover what lies deep inside.

Characterization.

     Very little is known about Beloved, only that she seems incredibly
devoted to Sethe. It is a devotion that borders on obsession. Beloved cannot
take her eyes off Sethe: She follows her around, waits for her to come down in
the morning and walks to meet her on the way home at night.

     Sethe, flattered by the attention, opens up. Her willingness to relive
her memories, her pleasure in the retelling and the acknowledgement (to
herself) that some of them are painfully inexplicable-like the memory of Nan
and the language she would never know-signify movement in her ability to come
to terms with the past. This is an important step in her growth as a human
being.

     The emphasis is on Beloved, however, and Morrison makes a point of
emphasizing the fact that she is different. First, in voice: "They still had
not got used to the gravelly voice and the song that seemed to lie in it. Just
outside music it lay with a cadence not like theirs." Then in language: Her
first question, "Your woman never fix up your hair?" has to be interpreted by
Sethe. Woman means mother.

     Also in this chapter, Denver's self-absorption is given further sway in
her hatred of the stories her mother tells and her wish for Beloved to hate
them, too.

Theme.

     Obsession becomes a motif as Beloved begins her slow captivation of
Sethe. Closely connected with this movement is the theme of mother-daughter
conflict. Sethe's memory settles on something she recalls about her mother and
therefore her past. Beloved's questions are designed to make those
connections, and they come out of a need to understand and reconcile the past
with the present. Memory, thus, becomes cathartic.

     We shall see later on that a resolution of the mother-daughter conflict
cannot occur without some reconciliation with the past.

Realism.

     The structure of plantation life for many blacks during slavery is the
major point of historical detail addressed in this chapter. We learn: (1) that
while slave marriages had no standing in law, the commitment between two
people was no less valid than had the marriages been sanctioned legally; (2)
that work in the fields extended for long periods of time, even at night if
the moon were high; (3) that slaves lived in community settings, and because
of the requirements of work, responsibilities like nursing and child care were
distributed to others; and (4) that black women were often sexually exploited
by white men, and the products of these unions sometimes faced an ostracism
from the rest of the slave community.

     We also learn that the slaves were treated like animals and often
branded.

Simile.

     Two very telling similes used in the first paragraph seem to explain or
foreshadow certain elements in the novel. The first is a comparison of Beloved
to a familiar spirit or demon hovering around Sethe. The second is the image
of their shadows "clashed and crossed on the ceiling like black swords."
Clearly, Morrison is weaving within the text the threads of mystery and
suspense that keep us reading. It is wordplay at its finest.

