Lessons From "Beloved"

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses how in Toni Morrison's novel "Beloved", the ghost character of Beloved relays not only the horrors of slavery but also many universal lessons - specifically that it is important to let go of the past and focus on the present and future, that acceptance without thought can be dangerous, that short-term gain leads to long term consequences and, finally, that revenge can be very real. The paper also looks at how these lessons are usually imposed upon the character of Sethe, and how it is ironic that not only is she the victim of the ghost, but she is also the ghost's creator.

From the Paper:

"Another lesson developed through Sethe's ignorance is the problem of acceptance based solely on emotion or greed and not on thought or reason. When the strange girl Beloved appears, Sethe accepts the girl into her house without question, despite the strange circumstances. Denver also refuses to think it through logically and acts simply out of emotion. Paul D is suspicious, having seen Beloved "pick up the rocker with one hand" (Morrison 56). But Sethe outright tells him "[you] didn't [see that]" (Morrison 56), and Denver lies about seeing it. Both Sethe and Denver side with the ghost when they know far more about the credibility of Paul D than they do Beloved. A universal parallel, one using the issues in the novel, would be the early acceptance of slavery by the African community. For money and safety the Africans on the West Coast began selling men from rival tribes into slavery, without the slightest hesitation to think about the consequences."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Morrison, Toni. Beloved. Toronto: Penguin Books Canada Ltd., 1998

More papers on Lessons From "Beloved":

• Comparison Essay # 108856 : "From Father to Son"
• Analytical Essay # 123737 : "Lessons From Kellogg's and Dell"
• Book Review # 98635 : "Form and Function According to Stan Davis in "Lessons from the Future"

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