When people speak about author Toni Morrison, they usually speak words of praise. Her novels and writings are rich in every aspect of what makes stories beautiful and meaningful. It is one thing to hear these compliments and take for granted that Morrison is as talented as everyone says, however it is another thing to actually read the works, such as “Beloved,” that justify the praise.
As the winner of the 1988 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, “Beloved” tells the story of a woman named Sethe who escaped from slavery and now must live in its aftermath. Set only a handful of years after the Civil War, Sethe is haunted by her past as she struggles to live and work a supposedly normal life. She resides with her daughter, Denver, and grandmother Baby Suggs. Another presence in the house is presumed to be the ghost of the baby Sethe was forced to bury years before.
Sethe is haunted by both the dead or disappeared as well as the living. The ghost of her baby roams the house, and she feels the weight of the absence of her two sons who left and never returned. Denver is a constant reminder of the long and painful pregnancy Sethe endured as she traveled away from slavery. As if these hauntings weren’t enough, a man named Paul D who Sethe knew when she was a slave, arrives at her door. With him, Paul D carries only the memory of his friend Halle, the man Sethe had been married to before her escape and venture north with the children.
Despite the pain of the past, Sethe is able to continue living without much falter in her step until the day when the ghost baby disappears, and a woman introducing herself as Beloved appears and integrates herself into Sethe and Denver’s home. Beloved triggers vivid memories and experiences for Sethe, until it is unclear if Sethe is living in the present or in her ‘rememory.’
The novel is split into three parts, each carrying a slight but distinct shift in tone and story direction as the reader learns more and more about Sethe’s life and suffering through heartbreaking situations that were her reality. Though the story is written in a third person perspective, Morrison allows the reader to feel as though the story is being told from the different perceptions of multiple characters including Sethe, Denver, Paul D and Beloved. Each character is unique, standing alone in his or her personality and view of the world which has been shaped by the past.
Morrison’s writing is brilliantly crafted. It is lyrical with imagery and description, and still accomplishes the task of creating a feeling of the uncanny. At times, the reader feels on edge and uneasy without knowing exactly why, while at other times, a phrase that should feel uncanny is casual and without emphasis. Both methods are extremely effective, and the reader is never bored thanks to the continual movement of emotions and events throughout the novel.
“Beloved” is a powerful story that has the ability to affect readers. The events themselves may be set in a time that we can no longer closely connect to, but the raw emotions presented by Morrison serve as time machines to transport us into the mindset of the characters. As said, it is one thing to hear of this effect, but feeling it is an entirely individual human experience that is available through words thanks to Morrison.
