The idea of "the unspeakable things unspoken" is very important in Beloved. Why do you think Sethe decided to reveal to Paul D that she murdered her children when it is the epitome of an "unspeakable thing" and that it would make Paul D leave her?
In order to survive and avoid pain, Paul D. decides not to love anything too much. Halle dies in part because he loves too much- he is broken when he sees Sethe raped and never makes it to 124. Paul D.'s sacrifice makes him less human in some ways- is it worth it? Is life without emotion life at all?
What is the symbolism/importance of the bed sheet with the orange squares on it?
Why does Toni Morrison use the idea of hunger and appetite consistently to refer to things unrelated to food? Do you think it is to show a "primitive/savage" state of mind, or something more related to how slaves are usually starved (of food/identity/life)?
On page 95, Sethe states, "Freeing yourself was one thing; claiming ownership of that freed self was another." How would you define the word "free" in the context of this novel? In what ways do Sethe, Baby Suggs, and Paul D try to claim ownership of themselves and adjust to their lives on the far side of the Ohio River? Do they succeed? Can they ever truly be free?
Morrison seems to be obsessed with the concept of colors (the orange patch on the quilt, red heart repeated over and over, Denver in the emerald closet, Beloved's black skirts). What is the significance behind the several mentions of color?
Denver and her fixation with perfume, specifically cologne is mentioned a few times. What is the significance of this and the association of perfume with Denver? Amy Denver says to Sethe when she's helping her, "It's gonna hurt, now," said Amy. "Anything dead coming back to life hurts." (42 red cover). It does seem that Morrison wrote these words in order to mean something to the reader, what is the significance of these words? Amy Denver seems to have an impact on the characters for the majority of the book (especially Denver and Sethe), what do those words mean for the rest of the story?
For Sethe, was it worth killing her children to keep them shielded from the life of a slave? In other words, does Sethe regret her actions? Keep in mind, the Civil War might have come around just in time for Sethe's children (especially Beloved) to have minimal involvement with slavery, as the novel takes place in the 1850's. If this was the case, if Beloved hadn't been killed, she would have been freed during/after the Civil War.
The word "blood" is used instead of the word "red" throughout the book. The color red is also a symbol for love. How are these two ideas connected?
ReplyDeleteThe idea of "the unspeakable things unspoken" is very important in Beloved. Why do you think Sethe decided to reveal to Paul D that she murdered her children when it is the epitome of an "unspeakable thing" and that it would make Paul D leave her?
ReplyDeleteIn order to survive and avoid pain, Paul D. decides not to love anything too much. Halle dies in part because he loves too much- he is broken when he sees Sethe raped and never makes it to 124. Paul D.'s sacrifice makes him less human in some ways- is it worth it? Is life without emotion life at all?
ReplyDeleteWhat is the symbolism/importance of the bed sheet with the orange squares on it?
ReplyDeleteWhy does Toni Morrison use the idea of hunger and appetite consistently to refer to things unrelated to food? Do you think it is to show a "primitive/savage" state of mind, or something more related to how slaves are usually starved (of food/identity/life)?
On page 95, Sethe states, "Freeing yourself was one thing; claiming ownership of that freed self was another." How would you define the word "free" in the context of this novel? In what ways do Sethe, Baby Suggs, and Paul D try to claim ownership of themselves and adjust to their lives on the far side of the Ohio River? Do they succeed? Can they ever truly be free?
ReplyDeleteMorrison seems to be obsessed with the concept of colors (the orange patch on the quilt, red heart repeated over and over, Denver in the emerald closet, Beloved's black skirts). What is the significance behind the several mentions of color?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteDenver and her fixation with perfume, specifically cologne is mentioned a few times. What is the significance of this and the association of perfume with Denver?
ReplyDeleteAmy Denver says to Sethe when she's helping her, "It's gonna hurt, now," said Amy. "Anything dead coming back to life hurts." (42 red cover). It does seem that Morrison wrote these words in order to mean something to the reader, what is the significance of these words? Amy Denver seems to have an impact on the characters for the majority of the book (especially Denver and Sethe), what do those words mean for the rest of the story?
For Sethe, was it worth killing her children to keep them shielded from the life of a slave? In other words, does Sethe regret her actions? Keep in mind, the Civil War might have come around just in time for Sethe's children (especially Beloved) to have minimal involvement with slavery, as the novel takes place in the 1850's. If this was the case, if Beloved hadn't been killed, she would have been freed during/after the Civil War.
ReplyDelete