Beloved: The Novel Beloved: The Novel By : Toni MorrisonBy : Toni Morrison

Presentation By: Presentation By: Sheena MondsSheena Monds

Edited by: Dr. Picart and Donna Edited by: Dr. Picart and Donna GallagherGallagher

Key Terms and ThemesKey Terms and Themes

ScarringScarringMotherhoodMotherhoodSlavery’s effects on the individual and Slavery’s effects on the individual and

familyfamilyThe Role of MemoryThe Role of MemoryStorytellingStorytellingThe Role of DanceThe Role of DancePersonification of BelovedPersonification of BelovedMagical Realism and the SupernaturalMagical Realism and the Supernatural

Background and Overview:Background and Overview: BelovedBeloved, a book set in Ohio shortly after , a book set in Ohio shortly after

the Civil War, tells the story of Sethe and the Civil War, tells the story of Sethe and her struggle--not only escape slavery, her struggle--not only escape slavery, but also to escape her past. Sethe's but also to escape her past. Sethe's character is loosely based on the story of character is loosely based on the story of Margaret Garner, a woman who Margaret Garner, a woman who arranged for her children to be smuggled arranged for her children to be smuggled away from the plantation where she was away from the plantation where she was enslaved, then escaped her captors. enslaved, then escaped her captors. However, Garner made headlines in However, Garner made headlines in 1856 when the owner of her plantation 1856 when the owner of her plantation pursued her in hiding. Rather than pursued her in hiding. Rather than submitting herself, and more importantly submitting herself, and more importantly her children, to the unimaginable her children, to the unimaginable cruelties of slavery once more, Garner cruelties of slavery once more, Garner took her four children to the woodshed took her four children to the woodshed and killed them. Like Garner, Sethe also and killed them. Like Garner, Sethe also attempts to kill her children in the attempts to kill her children in the woodshed, one fateful day when her woodshed, one fateful day when her former owner finally catches up with her former owner finally catches up with her and comes to take them all back to the and comes to take them all back to the plantation. Sethe, however, succeeds plantation. Sethe, however, succeeds only in killing her three-year-old only in killing her three-year-old daughter, Beloved. Years later, Beloved daughter, Beloved. Years later, Beloved will revisit her, and Sethe will have to will revisit her, and Sethe will have to come to terms with her haunting, careful come to terms with her haunting, careful reconstruct her own "rememory," and reconstruct her own "rememory," and confront the painful memory of her past. confront the painful memory of her past.

Morrison’s StyleMorrison’s Style Fragmentation:- Fragmentation:-

Magical RealismMagical Realism

In her novels, she focuses on In her novels, she focuses on the experience of black the experience of black Americans, particularly Americans, particularly emphasizing black women's emphasizing black women's experience in an unjust experience in an unjust society and the search for society and the search for cultural identity. She uses cultural identity. She uses fantasy and mythic elements fantasy and mythic elements along with realistic depiction along with realistic depiction of racial, gender and class of racial, gender and class conflict. conflict.

Significance of Scarring Significance of Scarring

What is the significance of scarring?What is the significance of scarring?

Scarring as IdentificationScarring as Identification

How are scars used as identification? How are scars used as identification?

Scarring as Self Definition Scarring as Self Definition

How is scarring used as self How is scarring used as self definition?definition?

Scarring as CommunicationScarring as Communication

How is scarring used as How is scarring used as Communication?Communication?

The Supernatural & Magical The Supernatural & Magical RealismRealism

Definitions of Magical Realism:Definitions of Magical Realism:

Discussion QuestionDiscussion Question

Based on the previous definition of Based on the previous definition of Magical Realism, in what ways could Magical Realism, in what ways could Toni Morrison’s novel be defined as a Toni Morrison’s novel be defined as a Magical Realist text? Use specific Magical Realist text? Use specific examples.examples.

there is a contemporaneous quality there is a contemporaneous quality to time past and time present as well to time past and time present as well as a sense that the lines between as a sense that the lines between reality and fiction, truth and memory reality and fiction, truth and memory have become inextricably blurred". have become inextricably blurred".

Slavery: Destruction of Slavery: Destruction of IdentityIdentity

Alienation of the SelfAlienation of the Self Effects of Possession on Effects of Possession on

the human psyche.the human psyche. Slaves as commodities: Slaves as commodities:

Questions of Value and Questions of Value and Self worthSelf worth

Slaves as complicit in Slaves as complicit in their own oppression.their own oppression.

Examples: Paul D., Examples: Paul D., Sethe, Baby Suggs, Sethe, Baby Suggs, Stamp Paid, Denver, and Stamp Paid, Denver, and Beloved.Beloved.

Slavery: Destruction of the Slavery: Destruction of the Family Family

Give some examples of how slavery Give some examples of how slavery destroys the family?destroys the family?

Beloved: A Personification of the Beloved: A Personification of the PastPast

Beloved: A haunt of Slavery Beloved: A haunt of Slavery

Beloved & DanceBeloved & Dance

Discussion Question:Discussion Question:

In your opinion, what purpose does In your opinion, what purpose does dancing serve in the novel?dancing serve in the novel?

Possible Suggestions to consider:Possible Suggestions to consider:A form of releaseA form of releaseA form of expressionA form of expressionA form of storytellingA form of storytellingA form of communication A form of communication