English Literature A level Edexcel - Beloved By Toni Morrison - Chapter 1 to 5 summary
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Beloved by Toni Morrison
Institution
PEARSON (PEARSON)
Covering key sections from Denver’s birth to Paul D’s experience in the chain gang, these notes explore the novel’s major themes of trauma, memory, and resilience.
Analyze Morrison’s use of fragmented narrative structure, symbolic motifs such as water, and the emotional depth of charact...
Beloved by Toni Morrison . Part I: chap 1-5. Summary and Analysis.
Introduction: Beloved is a novel about a family trying to survive. They understand the
inevitably of their haunted past attempting to come terms with it and trying to be their own
individuals whilst also being plagued and held down by the traumatic events of history.
The book is a reminder about persistence and strength and desperation of human spirit
and the fact the past is inescapable - it will always catch up. This is why racism is so
deeply rooted in America today and why the legacy still haunts and resonates with people
living there.
Toni Morrison was inspired by the story of Margert Garner where an escaped slave killed
her daughter when she was recaptured as she would rather have her child dead than to go
live a life of enslavement and past. - this story suggests the desperation and horrific
actions of time where one would prefer to kill their child by their own hand than to
experience the slow death and repeated punishment of being enslaved
In the foreword, Toni Morrsion writes ‘ i wanted the reader to be kidnapped’ - just the way
many slaves were ruthlessly thrown place to place, abused and put into a an environment
with its own set of hireaches and rules likewise morrison wants us to be thrown into this
claustrophobic house, into a situation where we can adapt - she wants us to experience
that same penetrating fear and grief done through 124.
Chapter 1:
●
● 124 isn't a luxurious home like at the well suited sweet home plantation it is
wonder by a former escaped slave, this property is the something they can be
proud of as it signifies that they survived and were strong enough to
endeavour through the cruelties they were put through
● Moreover its called a ‘house’ not a home
● ‘124 was spiteful.’’ ‘’full of a baby's venom’’ (PG 3) - captures the situation so
clearly- it was terrifying and bitter. The use of words like "spiteful" and "baby's
venom" alludes to the troubled history and traumatic events that occurred in
the house, particularly related to Sethe's experiences as a former slave. It also
sets the tone of the novel of an ominous atmosphere in the house. 124 isn't
sweet but spiteful, however that's the price they have to pay at least knowing
that they are free now. They chose that ‘spite’ because they chose that freedom
● Morrisons descriptions are pierced very carefully in the novel and are quite
fragmented and humps a lot back in time.
● Morrisions chooses very carefully when to focus on the past and when to
focus on the present. She sometimes lets the readers be entirely consumed by
the past to let the audience to view the cruelty the enslaved were subjected to
BUT sometimes she places us at a distance to show that as readers we cannot
comprehend or understand the horrors that went on even if we try our very
best to.
● 1873 the year when this book was set was 8 years after the end of the civil war.
Memories still haunt the population,
● Baby suggs ‘’ suspended between the nastiness of life and the meanness of
death she couldn't get interested in living life or living it her past had been like
her present intolerable’’ (PG 4)- this is a poignant reflection on the
psychological state of the character expressing Toni Morrison's intentions in
conveying the complex and painful experiences of her characters. ‘’she
couldn't get interested in living life’’ - emotional exhaustion
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