The Presentation of Magical Realism in Beloved by Toni Morrison
How Beloved Show Characteristics of Magical Realism
Technically, magical realism is considered a temporary and geographically specific type of writing that emerged in Latin America in the mid-20th century. Magical realism is a blend of fantasy mixed with quotidian reality and used to address specific issues that affect society. The issues addressed feature prominently through various characters. In the novel, Beloved, there are different characters that play a role of extreme importance in the novel. There are different elements that play in the novel, and these include supernatural elements taking control of humans, such as the return of Sethe’s dead daughter. There is a lot to discuss in the novel, but the main focus of this paper is to discuss different characters and their role, the use of symbolism, and the setting of the novel.
- Characters
A character is a person in a work of art who tells the story. Many of the characters tell the story of their lives by playing different parts in a movie or any work of art. The most loved or special character in a work of arts is usually known as the main character or the protagonist (Dewi and Putra, 2014). In the novel Beloved by Toni Morrison, there are several characters, each depicting a different role. Both the characters exercise their roles efficiently to bring out the main themes in the novel. The main character in the novel is Sethe and two children
- Sethe
Sethe is the main protagonist in the novel and is a proud independent woman who is really devoted to taking care of her children. Although Sethe does not really know her real mother, her motherly instincts make her an outstanding character in the novel. She escapes from slavery ad currently lives in the house named 124. She is haunted by the memories of her killing her firstborn daughter by the name of Beloved. Despite the fact that she never knew her mother, seethe takes care of her children and will not allow anyone to hurt them. Her motherly instincts are depicted throughout the novel showing how close and caring she was.
(ii) She is unwilling to let her children pass through the pain ad trauma she went through during slavery. She attempts to murder them in the process of protecting them as a mother, which later haunts her. She is a sad woman as she spends her entire life regretting the act she did in the past. Although Sethe tries to repress these memories, her actions are in vain since she is continuously haunted by the memories of her daughter Beloved. The woman also lives with the sad memories of what she experienced during slavery. The scars are an indication that Sethe went through a hard life.
- b) Denver
(i) She is the youngest daughter of Sethe and the only one living in the house. Denver has the most dynamic character in the novel. Though young, she manages to look for a better through different ways. With the increasing malevolence from her dead sister, the young woman overcomes her fears and decides to seek help from the black community. She watches her sister demonic features in a girl named Beloved, which then changes her to a new person. She becomes stronger and independent, which makes her seek help from the community.
(ii) After leaving the house, she decides to look for work and even a college to enroll in, which makes her more independent. In the final chapters of the book, Denver fights not only for her rights but also for the well-being of her mother, breaking the cycle of isolation in the house 124. The novel portrays her as the most intelligent ad sensitive since she takes care of not only herself but also those around her.
- c) Paul D
(i) The man who takes care of Sethe before going his way and coming back later. He has also passed through the brutality and painful life of slavery. He suppresses his painful memories and, in his mind, thinks that the only way to avoid being hurt is by not attaching oneself to anything. He, at one point, lives with Sethe and becomes an object of jealousy between Denver and Beloved. He is also in love with Sethe and gives her a shoulder to cry on (Dewi and Putra, 2014).
(ii) He comes to terms with his past after uniting with Sethe. He has self-esteem issues as most of the time; he doubts his source of manhood and his life in general. He retains his slave name, which gives him all the bad memories of his life living in the chain gang. Due to his continuing thinking about his past, it is said that his heart is kept in a tobacco tin.
- Settings
It refers to the time or period in which a work of art takes place. In the novel Beloved, the setting dates back in 1873, where the characters live in hose 124. They are haunted by memories that date back in time, which is also another setting. The novel has different types of settings, as explained below.
- a) Time
(i) The time in which the novel is set alternates as the author uses flashbacks. Most people have bitter memories of the past, and the author has to alternate between the past and present. For instance, the current setting was in 1873, but the author has to go a few years back to give a clear understanding of characters like Paul D. and Sethe. Through these flashbacks, the reader is able to understand the storyline and the author’s message. A time between years is necessary so that each character is able to portray their past and present.
(ii) The author also shows the setting of a short period of time. Apart from the setting that shows the difference between times in years, the author also uses a short time. For instance, in the life of Denver, there are different settings. During the time that she lives in house 124 and after she decides to join the community. The two instances show time in different ways, but both explain the difference in time setting. Paul D also has three different time settings in the movie. During the time when he was a slave, during the period where he lived with Sethe, and after he had left the house. The three settings give three times which Paul D lived (Rosensfit, 2015).
- b) Slavery and civilization
(i) Another setting in the movie was during the time of slavery and civilization. This was the period in which many Africans were fighting for their rights and wanted slavery to be abolished. The movie uses this setting to show how the country was divided, and there was chaos and, at some point, bloodshed. Many slaves were fighting for their freedom, and there was racial discrimination, among other things. This was the time when people like Sethe had escape and what they had to do to stay away from slavery.
(ii) Many non-whites also wanted civilization. They had to run from their masters to look for greener pastures outside their states. The author uses this setting to show how Sethe had to escape the cruel hands of her master to look for freedom in another state. The setting is different from that of time since the reader creates a different picture when the main character tries to save her children from the hands of the brutal masters.
- c) House 124
(i) The setting in house 124 is different from other settings. The arrangement of the house and the incidences that happen inside the house depict a different picture in the lives of the characters. The setting in the house is also of the 19th century, and everything that happens depicts the time (Rosensfit, 2015).
(ii) In the house, the setting is also different, especially with the appearance of Beloved claiming to be the daughter of Sethe. The author portrays the activity in the house to be different and scary, making everything so different things. When the members of the house are haunted by Beloved, the setting changes bringing another new imagination.
- Symbols
It is the use of words to represent an idea. In the novel Beloved, Morrison has used symbols to represent different ideas and experiences of the characters.
- a) Trees
(i) Trees are used in the novel to symbolize both good and evil. Firstly they are a means for the death of Sethe’s mother, who hanged herself on a tree. Sixo, a slave who was tied on a tree and hanged, and among other slaves whose names are not mentioned. The tree on Sethe’s back represents whipping among other evils of slavery (Pei-pei, 2010).
(ii) They are also a source of comfort, as seen in how the author explains. Denver finds solitude when she retreats to her emerald closet of boxwood trees. Paul D also finds comfort in the tree when he follows the flowering trees to the north during his escape. The trees, as used in the novel, symbolizes energy from which different characters find comfort and freedom and also convey traumatic memories of different characters. The beauty of the trees is a reminder of the kind of independence that the characters get at last.
- b) Water
(i) Water is used in the novel to symbolize escape. Both Paul D and the gang uses flooded water as a reprieve route to escape. Sethe also crosses the Ohio River, which symbolizes her escape to slavery. Denver, as a character, is born along the river after what the author says mothers after water breaks.
(ii) Sethe breaks water again and sees her dead daughter beloved symbolizing her freedom that she achieves after long bad memories. Beloved also emerges from the river symbolizing her freedom from the confines of death.
- c) Color
(i) Colors represent different things in each character’s life. Red symbolizes pain, evil, and death. When Paul D walks inside the house 124, he is welcomed by red strikes of light, which makes him ask what sort of evil Sethe is keeping (Pei-pei, 2010).
(ii) Baby Suggs contemplates about blue and yellow colors being the colors of peace in her life.
References
Dewi, C., & Putra, D. A. (2014). An analysis of flouting maxims in Toni Morrison’s “Beloved”(1987). Literary Criticism Journal, 1(2), 123-135.
Pei-pei, W. A. N. G. (2010). Profound Symbols in Beloved. Overseas English, (11), 112.
Rosensfit, G. R. (2015). Beloved (MAXNotes Literature Guides). Research & Education, Assoc.