Saturday, June 16, 2007
First Beloved Post
For organizational purposes, please post your first Beloved comment here. I will post a list with your name and the number of posts you have submitted so you don't have to worry about keeping track. For this post, you may choose to comment on symbolism, irony, dehumanization, or simply share your thoughts, questions, and insights as you read. If you want to test out some ideas for your essay, you could discuss the topic you've selected as well. Reminder: 3 weeks left to make your 5 blog posts and read the novel. Complete 1-2 posts this week to stay on track. Taskmaster signing out. (Oops- didn't mean to sound like Ryan Seacrest.)
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About Me
- Mrs. Heartz
- Bedford High School English teacher
277 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 201 – 277 of 277When I first started reading the novel Beloved, I couldn't fathom how horrible of a life Sethe really has. Both of her sons ran away, she kills her third child beloved, and she attempts to kill all of her children so they won't have to go through slavery. To want to kill your own children shows the extreme pain and suffering the slaves had to go through. I agree with Ashley Larrow's comment that the "baby ghost" represents the regrets Sethe has about killing her own daughter. This selfish and rational decision Sethe made comes back to haunt her a plays a huge role in her mental and emotional well being.
Like Haley, when I started reading this book I was somewhat lost. I kept having to reread sections to understand what was going on when they switched to the flashbacks. As I read-on I was thankful for the flashbacks. They usually came-up about the time I had a lot of unanswered questions about the characters’ pasts. The flashbacks really helped make the story more enjoyable for me, I usually don’t read books like this and I was a little skeptical of it. With the flashbacks the book’s format became more like the format of the books I read, which helped me want to read on. With this type of format you never know where the story’s going to end up.
Going back to Mrs. Heartz comment on June 22, I noticed the function and symbolism of the color red shows up on a few occasions symbolizing different things. Red shows up in Amy Denver's red velvet dress symbolizing the hope for a new life within the new baby Denver. Amy Denver was the family's hope in delivering baby Denver into the world. If it weren't for Amy Denver's hope, Sethe would end up not having any daughters. I also noticed that the cover of the book is red, I don't know if that is supposed to be some sort of symbolism. Also at the end of the novel when the roses lined the street for the carnival, the red represents a new hope for the family of Sethe, Denver, and Paul D.
I enjoy how the story's mood is revolved around what the setting of the house 124 is like. The setting is sort of personified as a character with changing personalities. When the setting is in the "dead of the winter," bad things occur and evil spirits seem to come alive. On the flashback describing the huge feast, the house was "rocking with laughter" which sets a joyful and cheer filled mood. When Beloved finally leaves the "haunted" house, it is personified as nobody. The house becomes and old pile of wood the nobody even cares about.
To me character Beloved seems to represent the past come back to haunt the present. When Beloved is around Sethe, Sethe doesn’t seem to suppress her past as much. Sethe in fact likes to open up to Beloved and share stories she’s never shared before. Even though Sethe feels that Beloved has forgiven her for killing her she has the uncontrollable need to explain her actions. Sethe goes on for pages explaining to herself, in preparation for talking to Beloved, about how she killed her only so she wouldn’t have to enter slavery. As well as after Beloved was gone how Sethe wanted to die but couldn’t because of her other children. It seems to me that Sethe is more worried about herself accepting the fact that she killed Beloved then making sure Beloved has forgiven her for her wrongful actions.
My favorite character in Beloved was Sethe. For me she was the most likeable, she doesnt have any of those strange im going to obsess over you sort of feelings for any of the other characters. To me thats kind of sad. She has grown detactched to her feelings and those around her. I can't really imagine what she must have went through to put her to that point. I think this is a point the novel is trying to convey.
I think the that the vision Baby Suggs could not make out because it was to crowded by the towns jelousy, was the school teachers coming to 124. The towns people were angry because of the feast Baby Suggs supplied and thought she was becoming to proud. I was amazed by the fact that Sethe attempted to kill her own children just so they would not be put into slavery, which shows how horrible slavery really was. The mood during the death of her children was sad, depressing, and chaotic. I am assuming that Sethe's two oldest boys ran off because of what their mother had to do to them.
I was very confused on the whole cow raping thing and it distracted me from what was happening in the book a lot, especially when Paul D suggested to make a family I couldn't stop thinking that he raped cows. Was Halle in on the whole cow-raping thing and if so did Sethe know about it and still choose him to marry because he was the best behaving of the men?
In the beginning of the book especially when I was having a hard time understanding what the book was about at first I didn't like the flashbacks because I thougt it would make the book even more confusing because I was just figuring out what things could possibly be symbols and there were a bunch in this book. But then in the middle of the book I discovered that the flashbacks were really helpful in finding out what makes the characters do the things they do, and answered a lot of my questions, like why nobody visits 124 with messages and things.
Paul D needs to come back to Sethe. She is going nuts with Beloved around her. At least with Sethe going nuts, Beloved wanting never ending love, and Paul D gone Denver is acually leaving the yard. It shocked me at first because I thought Denver would never leave Beloved side no matter what and now she has. I'm happy that Denver left the house.
When I was first reading about Beloved in the novel she seemed to be the spirit of Sethe’s dead daughter. For one Beloved has the name of what Sethe had put on her daughter’s tombstone. Secondly Beloved 19 years old, the age she would have been if she lived. However as I read I started to notice that Beloved could also possibly be the spirit of Sethe’s mother. Readers know that Sethe’s mother was brought from Africa to America and Beloved has memories that could possibly relate to memories that Sethe’s dead mother may of had on her trip across the ocean. Beloved’s characteristics are also similar to Sethe’s deceased mother such has her different way of speaking, which as readers we’re told that was one of Sethe’s mother’s characteristics.
I've found that the flashbacks throughout the novel have been very confusing to keep track of. Many times there is no clear beginning or end to the flashback. A few times I have become very confused and realized what was occurring in the novel couldn't possibly be happening. I would have to look back and eventually find where the flashback begins. I believe these flashbacks are very important to the novel but they should be more clearly marked in their beginning and end.
I am going to agree with owen on the flashbacks. It seems as though every different chapter I read something else is going on. I think the author is slowly letting us in on every main characters past, she'll talk about Sethes, Paul D's, Denvers etc. It tends to confuse me, but yet keeps the story interesting. Hopefully in the end of the novel the author pulls everything together, so that those bits and pieces from each different chapter goes to make sense.
Reading about the things that happened to Sethe with the whole rape thing gave me an erie feeling. I know how horrible the African Americans were treated during this time but reading that almost brings it more to life. Also, reading the first comments on the symbolism of house 124 really helped me! I was trying to figure that out for a while and I am glad to have read those comments. That really helps me make more sense of things.
I believe the scars on Sethe's back are reminders of her past and the horrors. And i also never thought of Beloved may also represent Sethe's deceased mother. Im not good at this whole interpreting thing. So i probably shouldn't be in honors. But here i am. It bothers me taht it takes Stamp so long just to knock on the door. And when Sethe figures out Beloved is her dead child, its like a turning point in which Sethe decides to forget her horrible past.
I have to agree with Alyssa and Owen. Plenty of times throughout the novel I have been like what? Morrison's transitions to the flashbacks have gotten me quite confused at times but once I kept going I had more of an understanding. I do think those flashbacks were pertinent in understanding what each character went through as well as possible things that actual slaves had gone through. They also make the novel more interesting.
First of all. i love readin CJ's post.
I still dont get why, she killed her daughter. I dont know if im just missing the whole point to this book or not. which is prolly not good. but i just dont get it. she like killed her then wanted to lay in her grave with her. she killed her then slept with some guy just to get her tombstone engraved she could have saved herself from having to sleep with that guy if she would have just not killed her daughter. And Denver is like scared of her mom. Her sons ran away because they didnt want Sethe to go crazy on them and kill them.
Some people have mentioned that the flashbacks that Morrison used to tell the characters pasts were a little confusing and made the novel a little hard to follow and I agree, but I can also see that they did help keep me interested in the novel. My favorite flashback was when Denver was telling Beloved the story of Sethe and Amy. I thought it was interesting how Denver craved so much attention from Beloved, but I can also understand that she was lonely and needed a friend or sister figure in her life.
CJ and the others who said that the book was not all that good were wrong. True the books about slaves are getting a little old, but it still had a good story line (some what). I'm glad that Denver got on with her life and stopped depending on others. Also, that Paul D came back for Sethe and Beloved left. Things such as Denver made a turn around in the end is what I like to read about. I don't like to read about how Denver's mother was a slave and such topics as that. Anyway, the novel was a tough read, but over all I liked the delivery of the story and how it eventually came together in the end (most of it at least). This novel is one of the better ones that I have read.
I like how Denver changes throughout the book. At first she is very shy and keeps all of her thoughts to herself. She seems very sad and lonely, especially after Paul D scares away the baby ghost in 124. It was the one friend that she had. Then Beloved comes into the book. Denver immediately changes and takes on the role of taking care of Beloved. She quickly befriends Beloved and finally has someone to be aruond.
Okay, I understand why Paul D left Sethe. However, I don't understand why he said that about her legs. Why did he comment on how many she had? Is he telling her to not worry about her kids so much?
I don't know if jackie harrison has realized why Sethe killed her kids already, but if not, this is why: Sethe was scared that they would be taken into slavery again. She saw the school teacher coming to Baby Suggs house and she didn't want her kids to have the same life that she left. The only way she thought she could protect them is by killing them.
Although all of the neighbors and the entire town shunned her because of it, I think that how Sethe murdered Beloved was brave. She would do that, most likely knowing the response from the community, to save her child from the awful life of slavery. It took me a while to realize that that was the reason she would do something like that. It's sad that while she meant to only lose one child, she ended up losing 2 more because of what happened. I know the two boys were afraid of their mother but I wonder if they understood why she did that?? Who knows.
Beloved is a very interesting and strange character. She comes out of nowhere and only remembers darkness. She is about the same age as sethe’s third child would be. She also seems to have characteristics of a baby; she had soft skin on her hands and feet like a baby. She also slept a lot at first, which babies do a lot right after they are born. Beloved also was very wobbly when she walked. I think Sethe’s killed daughter lived as the “baby ghost”, then came back as Beloved. I think at first Beloved wanted some sort of revenge on Sethe, when she tried to choke Sethe. Then she just wanted to love Sethe as if it were her mom.
I have to say, Denver kind of bugged me at the beginning of the book and I don't even know why she just did. But now I am starting to like her character. It's so sad that she loves her mother out of the fear she might be killed like her sister was, I wish that she could understand why her mother did what she did. I definitely agree with all of the others who said she is a very dynamic character because she changed completely as soon as Beloved came into the book. It was real interesting to see how those "motherly-instincts" kicked in when Beloved arrived and just how much happier she was to have a friend around. She is a real interesting character to read about and I actually sort of like her now.
Although some of the things that happened to the slaves were disturbing and I didn’t really enjoy reading about them. I think reading this book was a good experience. I think that Toni Morrison wrote about a few unnecessary things and could have told the story just as well without them. I really liked how the book used flashbacks to tell the story. In the beginning I didn’t really understand why the characters acted how they did. However by the end I understood the characters much better, and had learned of their past in bits and pieces. I also liked the symbolism (and trying to figure out what everything meant)… 124, trees, and colors all added a lot to the book.
Denver is a very dynamic character. She is at first shy, lonely, and kind of a pain. She goes to her spot surrounded by bushes to be by herself a lot and does not have any friends. She is rude to Paul D. and never seems happy. Once they go to the carnival she begins to become happy. When Beloved comes, she begins to change. She takes care of Beloved. She starts to grow more and helps others around herself.
Although I did like the book I was having trouble understanding it at first. In the beginning I didn't like the flashbacks because they made the book even more confusing. Just as I was figuring out what things could possibly be I was thrown off by the flashbacks. But in the middle of the book I discovered that the flashbacks were actually helpful in finding out what makes the characters do the things that they do. Eventually I realized that the flashbacks answered a lot of my questions. Such as why nobody visits 124 with messages.
I have to agree with most of the people who posted about the tree on Sthe's back. Most are saying that it represents all of the pain and anguish of Sethe past. Sethe is someone who has experienced a tremendous amount of suffering in her lifetime and the tree is a symbol of this.
Another topic which i believe that has been written about and written about in the same way i think, is Baby Suggs being the Jesus like figure. Before 124 was full of death and anguish, Babby Suggs would go out into the forest amongst a group of people, and would bow her head silently and pray. Then she would start preaching and bring men, women, and children to tears because of what she was saying.
I think Denver is a girl with a lot of mixed emotions. In the begenning of the novel she fights iwth Sethe ebcause of the arrival of Paul D. However as the novel progresses and with the arrival of Beloved she begins to be nicer and starts to praise her mother to Beloved. When Denver tells Beloved about when she was born, Denver was so fond of her mom and what she went through during her days running from Sweet Home and then gving birth to her in the river.
Some of my final thoughts on the book: Toni Morrison did an awesome job at displaying the dehumanization that African Americans faced during this time period. Some of the ways she did this were through the rape of Sethe, Paul D's experiences in jail and some of the actions he was forced to perform, and Sixo's death (being burned over the fire). I can't imagine how awful for slaves it would have been being treated as a "thing" rather than a human being who has thoughts and feelings like everyone else. Also, It was thought provoking how Beloved just drained Sethe toward the end and sad/interesting how they switched places almost. It made me happy to see how Ella wanted to help Sethe even though she felt like Beloved was a punishment to Sethe; it was a relief when Beloved was gone. Finally didn't really hate the book, but at the same time I didn't enjoy reading it because I was confused quite a bit, but on the other hand when I did understand it I thought the storyline was somewhat interesting.
As I began to read Beloved, I realized that Sethe is very stubborn, but has been hurt in her life many times. Her daughter's death was obviously very traumatizing to her. Also, her sons ran away soon after the death of her mother-in-law. Her presence is very sad, and the setting of the book also seems depressing. Denver adds to the sad bearing because she hasn't left the house in so long and has no friends.
I think that Denver is a very strong character in this novel. She is able to overcome the sad aroma of the house. She is very smart, but sensitive. However, she loves the ghost that haunts their house, which is why she doesn't like Paul D., because he got rid of the ghost. When Beloved shows up, she befriends her immediatly. I feel bad for her because she has been isolated and had to deal with her mother's depression for 18 years.
The symbolism in this novel is very evident from the beginning. The color red and trees are some of the most obvious. I think red symbolizes more than one thing. Because of Amy Denver's red dress, I think that red symbolizes optimism for Sethe. Also, when Paul D. says he wants to keep "the rest" in his "tobacco box" where his "red heart" used to be. I think red symbolizes his old personality, the one that was in love with Sethe. His emotions are in the tobacco box, and he wants to talk about them, but has no one to go to. His red heart was his happy heart. Tree symbolism is shown through the chokeberry tree scar on Sethe's back. I think this represents all of the pain and suffering that Sethe has gone through in her life.
The symbolism of trees throughout the novel seemed to catch my attention more than the use of colors by Morrison. Denver's "Emerald Closet" provided a spot for isolation and relaxation for a girl who was so emotionally up-and-down. The scar on Sethe's back was less an isolation/relaxation point and more of a reminder of the hardships she's faced throughout her slave years and is a constant open wound to the past, which Sethe tries her hardest to forget. Also, when Beloved first is introduced, she comes out of the water and lays her head against a tree and after she has risen and has walked a bit, she finds a stump she uses to catch her breath. Though those tree refrences aren't as well recognized as those of the closet or the scar, I feel like Morrison was trying to show that the trees can be important to all the characters in one way or another.
Now at the end of Beloved, Sethe has been my favorite character in this novel. At first, I was sympathetic towards her more than anything - from her scar and the loss of almost all of the ones she's loved to her on-and-off relationship with Denver and her lack of memory. But throughout this novel, much of my feelings have turned to admiration of Sethe's strength. She does not remember her past because she does not want to, no one should have to relive any of the things she has experienced. The murder of her daughter was out of love, though I feel like it could have been handled differently, and protecting her baby from the harsh world coloreds have to live in. She has a lot of courage and I believe her character was an inspiring one in this novel.
I agree with Ashley that Sethe was an inspiring character in the novel. I believe what made her stand out to me was her strength as Ashley stated. Through the times when she was a girl and in slavery to the times when she and her daughter were not getting along. I believe that it was not easy for her to kill her daughter even though it was for the right reasons and that she made it through her life having that as a burden. I believe that she was strong in holding her past inside of her because she didn't want to re-live it but she could have opened up a little more a little sooner so that maybe she would feel like she doesn't have to carry so much of the burden. Anyway I really liked this book and I am glad that we do this blog thing because it helps me understand the book better and look at other people's views.
Around the mid-end of the book, Denver starts to realize that Sethe could eventually come to harm her because she killed her first baby. She looks at all the things they have endured while Beloved has been with them, from the "haunting" of the house before Paul D came, to when she arrived back from her journey. She realized Beloved was her sister, and she never wanted that to change, so she would do whatever it took to keep them together.
After completing the novel I look back and notice that though the flasbacks were confusing at times, they were extremely helpful in decoding the plot and reasons for certain characters' traits. I also notice the motif of using trees to accentuate descriptions and to help to tell the story such as Denver's boxwood "house". The description of Sethe's back as having a Chokecherry tree also follows this pattern. The dying roses on the way to the carnival and mention of trees as a meetingplace for slaves also continues this trend. I have not really figured out a deeper meaning yet but I just noticed that plants are used a lot to make descriptions of events more vivid.
Even though I felt really bad about what happened to Sethe in the novel, I am more sympathetic towards Denver. This is because Denver is in a way neglected by Sethe. Sethe has built a wall around herself and when Denver tries to get her out of it, Sethe doesn't tell her the full story, just bits and pieces. I also feel really bad that she doesn't have friends because of what happened with Sethe and Beloved because that wasn't her fault.
I believe that Denver is the ultimate role model in this novel. Denver is intelligent, shy, and she always figures out a way to survive. She may fear the rest of the world and be emotionally hardened because of the years she has spent alone, but looking at her family who wouldn't have these problems? Throughout the novel, as a reader I noticed how much Denver matured from everything to her sincerity to her sense of purpose in the world. I thought it was pretty neat to see a character change for the better thoughout the novel.
At first I was surprised that Denver didn't like Paul D. I thought that since she had such little contact with other people and no friends and whatnot that another person to talk to would make her feel better about being alone. But then I realized that she was jealous of Paul D in a way because he was getting all the attention which is what Denver wanted. I also think that she felt even more alone when Paul D came because he took her mom away from her which made her feel like the firstborn child when the mom has more kids-alone and unwanted sortof. I think that is why she appreciated Beloved coming and why she was so happy when they met.
It seems like throughout this story Denver seems to stand for something other than Sethe's daughter, to me Denver seems to symbolize hope. Sethe has had a very rough life, not to mention two runaway children & one dead one. The only child that she had that survived or stayed with Sethe is Denver. Denver is very close to her mother, and without her it doesn't seem that Sethe would have many reasons to go on. Throughout the story Denver has seemed to be Sethes only hope for the future. Sethe pushed through her almost impossible pregnancy, & through having that baby Sethe gained the most important thing to her, her only exhistant child, and her sense of hope.
A agree with Kiersten wells that Toni Morrison does a great job of showing the Dehumanization of the African American slaves. Although some of the scenes, such as the rape, are extremely vivid, they helped me to further understand how bad the slavery really was. I also thought it was cool how people made comments about the symbolism of the address 124. I never even thought about that, but it makes complete sense. Overall I thought Beloved was an interesting book, and this blog helped me understand many of the confusing aspects of the storyline.
I thought that the novel itself, like how it was written was imporant in understanding what Morrison was trying to convey. The pages that were previously brought up (248-252) were unpunctuated but were important because the reader can see was going through Sethe's mind and still be able to understand from one thought or memory to the next, at least the second time I read it. Also throughout the novel the use of the long sentances added more details which I originally thought would make it a more difficult read but I really appreciated them because they helped to fill in some of the blanks I had.
toni morrison vividly portrays the type of lonliness the slaves endured in "Sweet Home" when she explains how important it was to them when sethe came to live on the plantation. for example, sixo traveled many miles to see a woman only for an hour because he was so lonely without any woman, besides sethe, working in the fields.
In the beginning of the novel, Sethe, who we learn to be a former slave, lives in a home that is haunted by her daughter, Beloved, who she killed. The address of her house is 124 Bluestone Road, a number that represents a numerous motifs. In the first chapter, Paul D, another survivor of the Sweet Home slave farm where Sethe lived, shows up at Sethe's house. When Sethe and Paul begin talking about their experiences at Sweet Home, Sethe confides in him how she saved her children but before she could escape two white boys whipped her and stole the milk for her baby. Later on she delivered her fourth daughter, but she died from having her throat cut.
Even after completely reading the novel I still don't know what "A hot thing," which is repeated through pages 248-252 means. I also had some other loose ended questions. I thought it was pretty good. It was a quick read but I had problems overlooking some parts. I disagree with previous comments on how the book was boring and had the same elements as other books about slaves, I actually really wanted to read and finish the book.
a reoccurring symbol i've found in the novel is a tree. In the novel, Sethe explains the beauty of the trees and how one would never guess that such horrors took place in Sweet Home because of the comforting trees. Sethe also runs away from Sweet Home through a forest. Lastly, Sethe mentions the scars on her back from the whipping she endured make the image of a tree, yet Paul D finds them nothing but scars, which show that Sethe uses trees as comfort for the painful memories of her past.
In the third chapter, Denver recalls the story of her birth, and how Sethe told her that she almost died, but she was saved by a run-away white servant girl named Amy Denver. Sethe's memories of her own mother are vague because they were distant from one another and she called her mother simply Ma'am.
Denver is the lonliest of all the characters in the novel. Early in the book, she even mentions to her mom and Paul D that she has no friends and that no boys talk to her. constantly the quote, "wears her out," is wrote about Denver, from her mother's own painful memories of Sweet Home and the effect that has on Denver. Denver feels neglected by her mother because of the memories that take over the home, such as Beloved.
I think that the girl named Beloved that shows up on Sethe's doorstep is a symbol of Sethe's deceased daughter. This girl is the same age as Sethe's daughter if she were alive. The desricption of the girl's baby-soft complexion and her constant thirst symbolize a newborn baby. Also, Sethe's loss of bladder control indicate the beginnings of birth.
When Beloved came into the book, I was confused for a little bit wondering about the name. I remember the tombstone of the child that was killed being called Beloved. Then I just settled that they were two different people. I now think after reading that they are the same person. Beloved says to Denver that she lived on a bridge. I think that Sethe must of though she was dead, so she had a tombstone created, but in fact Beloved wasn't. Denver then says to Beloved not to tell Sethe who she is, which makes me further believe that Beloved the "dead child" is Beloved that character who enters the novel later.
A piece in the novel that really struck me was when Denver tells the story of her mother running away from Sweet Home and meets Amy Denver, who massages her feet and walks with her while Sethe crawls on her bloody knees to the lean-to house. Amy soothes Sethe by talking about the Velvet she wants in Boston, drawing Sethe's attention away from the horrors of Sweet Home and the the pain she is going through. Sethe also mentions the 'antelope' quiets down and does not kick during the meeting with Amy. Amy and Sethe are also similiar because they had no choice in the work they were forced to do.
Overall, I have observed that this book is a great example of dehumanization. What slaves had to go through was awful and this book helps us realize our mistakes we have made. The struggles of the Sweet Home slaves show how much they put up with. I know that Sethe loved her baby so much that she was willing to kill it so she wouldn't have to live a long, tough life of slavery. It would take a lot of courage to do this, but I think Sethe acted too rashly and regretted it a lot later. However, this again goes to show what slaves had to go through in their lives.
I think part of the reason Denver did not like Paul D. at first is the fact that he wasn't the father she never met. Denver felt excluded because her mother and Paul D. have a shared past that involved her father. In that aspect I think Denver is justified in not liking Paul D.
I like the fact that the book was written using different narrators to get different points across. But because it was always changing, it made some parts confusing for me. Overall I kind of liked the book even though some parts were questionable.
There was one part of the book that really struck me the most; that Sethe chose to kill her children in order to pre-emptively stop their horrible life in slavery. This was a good example of somebody doing a horrible deed in order to prevent even worse things from happening. Sethe could not be faulted for commiting the horrible act of killing her children, because she was choosing what she believed to be the lesser of the two evils. This matches the universal idea that death is better than bondage.
I think colors represent lost emotions in this novel. For example, when Baby Suggs was about to die, she asks for "colors", or things that will make her feel happy again. I think that red represents hope for Sethe. Also, she notices the orange squares in a quilt. She likes those better than the others, and I think they also represent hope. All in all, I was really confused by this storyline with the flashbacks and all. But, these blogs helped me understand better.
I think that one of the novel's main themes is love, and how women can endure endless pain because of love for their children. It is remarkable the amount of pain Sethe endured to protect her children. When I first read that Sethe had killed her child I didn't think she was a caring mother, but when I found out she was actually trying to protect her child I thought of how much strenghth Sethe must of had. To kill her baby that she nearly died for while giving birth to her shows the true courage that Sethe's character possesses.
I think that color is an evident motif throughout the novel. For example, during Baby Suggs' last days alive she craved lavender and the orange squares that brightened the stark room where she laid. The color red is also used to symbolize Beloved, when she is described as being "bathed in red blood", and "wrenching open the cloistered red heart within Paul D."
The end of the book to me is unexpected. At the beginning Sethe is the strong one bewteen herself and Denver. Denver is the one who is weak and even fears leaving the house. But by the end of the novel Denver has to work to support her mother who has gone mildly insane and cannot provide. This ending is unexpected because I would have beleived the events of the book would have left Sethe stronger.
I believe the horrors of slavery are to blame for Sethe killing her baby girl. What Sethe did was not uncommon mothers who faced such horrors. There evidence shown that some slave mothers and mothers in the Holocaust killed their children. I don't think Sethe is to blame for the girl's death. Being a slave drove Sethe mad enough to believe death would be easier to endure than the terrors of slavery.
While i was reading the book i did think it was confusing, especially the first couple chapters when i wan't yet familar with the characters. i do think though that this was done intenntially, as it seems that feeling of not excatly knowing came reaccurinly as i was reading. It is an intresting motif to confuse the readers. I was suprised through the end of the wook where the readers got to experience the diffrent presepectives of many characters.
While i was reding this book i was constantly reassuring myself that this was only a story, trying to imagine people actually feeling this pain. But slavery happened. i've never really gotten into te whole slavery topic but now i do relize that it must have been devestating for generations of people. i can understand how i haven't been familar with any slave stories because it was probly hard for slaves to get their voices heard into the mainstream without persecution.
ok, almost done. even though im not done with the book yet im so suprised how everything turned out. i am truly inspired by denver how she could put her disfunctional family aside to think about problems about herself and not her mother and beloved.
I must say, this novel has been amazing to read. My favorite character would have to be Sethe, because she tolerated so much and lived as best of a life that she could afford. She raised Denver who turned into a better person than the snotty brat I first thought of her in the beginning. If I ask myself what if I could have done what she did, I doubt that I could. What she did took strength physically and emotionally, and the drive to persevere through terrible times. This book was a great read, and I can't wait till "Invisible Man."
Since I just got the book the other day and just got excepted into the class last week I'm only at page 75. From what I've read though this book seems to have a hazy storyline and a sexual reference every other page
The entire book lacked order until around Part III where the chronological chaos settled down. Also the characters didn't have much defining their personalities and dialogue from each other or even from the narration making it difficult to determine who was talking or being talked about
I feel very bad for Sethe because of everything that she had to go through. She had a daughter die young and both of her sons left by the time they were 13. Her husband never met with her like he said he would and she has no idea where he is. She is forced to raise a daughter all by herself and none of her neighbors will come anywhere near I24.
Denver seems very alone and depressed. I think that this is made worse when Paul D shows up. Then when Beloved comes she has someone to keep her company. When Beloved pushes Paul D away though, Denver is by herself again. I think that Denver needs to just leave the yard, even though she is afraid. She needs to go out into the world and experience life on her own.
I found reading about how cruel the schoolteacher was very disturbing. I cant believe that he told his student to give Sethe character traits like an animal. It was not right at all how he treated the slaves. Mr. Garner was atleast kind to them and didnt think of them as just a profit. The schoolteacher however only cared about what he could get out of the slaves. He thought that it was stupid of Mr.Garner not to use Sethe for mating and let the slaves carry guns.
Throughout this novel color is a very important motif. The author uses many references to color to display feelings and/or emotions. An example of this is when Baby Suggs says that she likes the colors blue and yellow because they are kind. Stamp feels that she never made it to thinking of the color red because of her history with that color. In the novel red is used to symbolize feelings of pain,sorrow, and even hatred.
While reading this novel there have been times where ive had to stop and remind myself that this is just a book. Some of the events that took place seemed so real and made me feel as if i was there. After telling myself that this is just a book i would then have to tell myself that even though this is just a book, slavery was real. People actually suffered through the pain and sorrow exemplified in this book. Thinking about how cruel people were to others just because of the color of their skin is sickening. To sit back and think about everything that Sethe, Paul D, Baby Suggs, and all of the other slaves went through in the novel causes you to open your eyes and see how our society has changed since then.
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