Beloved

1
Beloved

• by Toni Morrison

2
Major Motifs and Literary Devices to Consider

• Memory
• Love (especially Sethes and Baby Suggs notions)
• Freedom
• Memory -- as a tool for learning (the ghost
  water)
• Identify specific Literary Devices repetition,
  imagery flashbacks

3
Memory Confronting the Past

• Define memory
• What are the benefits of memory? Remembering?
  What is the down side?
• Identify three passages where memory has played
  a part in the unfolding plot
• Why are Sethes memories hard to understand?
  What does Morrison want us to feel and
  experience?
• Baby Suggs memory (1)

4
Love

• Lets take a look at the theme of love
• When we talk about love, what do we mean?
• How does Sethe embody love? What does Morrison
  want us to experience here?

• Think about Margaret Garner and what she did with
  her children
• Did she act in a loving manner?
• Did SETHE act in a loving manner? (1)

5
Flashbacks/Memory

• Milk (1)
• Beloveds funeral (1)
• Paul D dropped (2)
• Dialogue (1)
• Baby Suggs (2)
• Rememory - (3)
• Secrets (3)
• Sweet Home (6)

• Notice how Sethes memories/flashbacks are
  haunting her
• She seems to forget the past or at least numb it
  until Paul D re-enters her life
• Songs/Singing - (3)

6
Repetition

• Spite (1)
• Howard Buglar (1)
• How loose the silk (2)
• Brother (2)

• Discussion of the past (3)
• Choosing (4)

7
Imagery, Foreshadowing Description

• When Paul D enters 124 -- color, setting
• Description of Paul D through Sethes eyes (1)
• Denvers neglect isolation (1)
• Sethes chokecherry tree (1)
• Brother - (2)
• Motif of H20
• (3)

8
Writers Analysis of American History Society

• Disenfranchisement of the Black Family
• Repetition -- spite (3), color (4), Baby Suggs
  death (4)
• Going to a carnival (4). Discuss the reputation
  of carnivals -- Why do people want to go to
  carnivals?

9
Relationships

• Sethe and Denver
• Sethe and Baby Suggs
• Sethe and Paul D
• Paul D and Denver
• Sethe and Halle (having children)

• Note Morrisons style of writing
• What do you make of the first four chapters of
  the novel?
• Discuss Morrisons definition of love