Beloved by Morrison Essay -- Morrison Beloved Book Review

Beloved by MorrisonBeloved is the tale of an escaped slave, Sethe, who is trying to achieve true freedom. Unfortunately, though she is no longer in servitude to a master, she is chained to her hainted past. Morrison effectively depicts the shattered lives of Sethe, her family, fellow former slaves, and the community through a unique writing style. The narrative does not follow a traditional, linear plot line. The reader discovers the story of Sethe through fragments from the past and present that Morrison reveals and intertwines in a variety of ways. The novel is care a puzzle of many pieces that the reader must put in concert to form a full picture. Through this style, which serves as a metaphor for the broken lives of her characters, Morrison successfully conveys the horrors of slavery and the power of a community.One of Morrisons techniques is to relate the story of Beloved from several different points of view. Most of the book is told from third-person omniscient, with t he viewpoint character constantly changing. For example, in chapter three the perspective switches even during a flashback. At first, the story is told from Sethes viewpoint. Down in the grass, like the snake she believed she was, Sethe opened her m bug outh, and instead of fangs and a split tongue, out shot the truth (39). Then the narrative changes to the perspective of Amy Denver, who helps Sethe escape when she is pregnant. The girl moved her eyes slowly, examining the greenery around her. Thought thered be huckleberries. Look like it. Thats why I come up in here. Didnt expect to find no nigger woman (39). Every character in the book, dead included, tells part of the story. In chapter sixteen, the point of view switches to... ...nt. He has sex with Beloved and when he reaches the inside part he was saying, Red heart. Red heart, over and over again (138).Morrison weaves together the story of characters whose shared past is so devastating they cannot live in the pre sent. By using a writing style as fragmented and trouble as the lives of her characters, Morrison actively involves the reader in piecing together the horrors of slavery. Beloved at times was difficult to read because of the emotional impact of its passages.The character of Ella best describes the battle of their lives when she says, The future was sunset the past something to leave behind. And if it didnt stay behind, well, you might have to stomp it out. Slave life freed life-every day was a test and a trial. aught could be counted on in a world where even when you were a solution you were a problem (302).