Beloved (Pulitzer Prize Winner) by Toni Morrison
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Historical Horror
I cannot overstate how surprised I was by this book. I was expecting historical fiction. What I got was horror. Historical horror... Whatever the genre, Toni Morrison is true to form here and pulls no punches. After Sethe escapes from slavery, she does what she considers humane and kills her own child rather than let her grow up in the horror of slavery. But this act and the spirit of the child haunts her for years to come. When a mysterious woman calling herself Beloved arrives at the home of Sethe and her daughter Denver, Sethe must confront her painful memories and the guilt surrounding her actions. The non-linear storytelling here offers the reader glimpses into Sethe's past, gradually piecing together the complexities of Sethe's past, her trauma, and the impact of slavery on her life and identity. The characters in this book are really well-developed. Each has their own history, trauma, and voice. The book isn't super long, but it is very rich in its characters. Not long after starting this book, I did pause to watch the film. I think I did like the book better, but the movie really helped me to visualize some of the parts of the book that were more fantastical. The film came out in 1998 and starred Oprah Winfrey as Sethe, Danny Glover as Paul D, and Thandie Newton as Beloved. It was directed by Jonathan Demme (of The Silence of the Lambs fame). Overall, I gave the book 4 out of 5 stars. It's a wonderful, terrifying, heartbreaking story told by a master storyteller.
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This is a well deserved classic.
I’m still deep in the post-read processing stage, but Beloved hits hard. Due to the writing style and non-linear timeline I was constantly kept on my toes. This is a well deserved classic. It is rich with themes and messages that can be enriching to readers many times over. This is one of that rare instances where I think becoming familiar with the general story prior to reading would be helpful. Black in Blues did a very brief overview of some of the elements and that was immensely helpful to have in the back of my mind.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
I never read anything like this....
Toni Morrison's "Beloved" is a profound and haunting exploration of the complexities of memory, trauma, and the enduring scars of slavery. Set in the aftermath of the Civil War, the novel follows Sethe, a formerly enslaved woman haunted by her past and the ghost of her deceased daughter, whom she named Beloved. Morrison's writing is richly layered, weaving together the personal and collective histories of African American experiences. The narrative structure, which shifts between past and present, immerses the reader in Sethe's turbulent memories, revealing the horrors she endured and the choices she made in a desperate attempt to protect her children from the brutality of slavery.
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Astonishing
As inversion of Morrison's riveting line, "this is not a story to pass on," written in irony, Beloved is most definitely a story to pass on. Evoking the power and lasting damage of slavery, Beloved is the story of slavery in America, often in prose poetry. It is of utmost importance that this novel be read and remembered. The fact it does not receive 5 stars from everyone is more telling about the reviewers than the work.
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Themes and quotes
Here are four major themes of the book along with illustrative quotes: Identity and self-discovery: The characters in the novel struggle to understand who they are and how they fit into the world, as they come to terms with their pasts and their present circumstances. "This is not a story to pass on." (Chapter 1) The power of memory and history: The novel delves into the importance of remembering and acknowledging the past, and the impact it has on the present and future. "It was not a story to pass on." (Chapter 1) Trauma and its lasting impact: The author deals with the aftermath of slavery, and the characters all carry the psychological and emotional scars of their experiences. "The only thing you have to do for me is just remember. Remember what we come out of. And why we came." (Chapter 39) Love and family: The novel explores the deep bonds of love and loyalty that exist within families, and how they can both sustain and destroy people. "She was Beloved and she was mine. She had come back to me. My heart was bruised, but it was a comfort to have her there with me. I used to think it was my job to protect her. But she was the one who was protecting me." (Chapter 61)
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Magical Realism by the Master
Powerful themes include the reproductive burden on women, especially during war and slavery: Sethe chooses to protect her daughter from slavery by putting her in a “safe place.” The strength of women: Baby Ghost haunts 124 Bluestone Road. The boys run away, but the women, Sethe, Denver, and Baby Suggs are strong enough to bear the haunting.
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One of the Greatest
On this, my fourth time reading Beloved, I still marvel at Morrison’s artistry. Among the greatest novels of all time, it so powerfully depicts the horror, the pain, and the shame of slavery. If you consider yourself a student of literature or American history, you need to read Beloved. Repeatedly.
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Gut wrenching
What would you do to free your children from enslavement?
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