Beloved Analysis

Drew Dischmann

AP Lang/Comp

25 March 2013

                       

            In Beloved the descriptive nature in which Toni Morrison describes her characters is an essential and intricate part of this puzzling novel. On the banks of a river near 124, a new character, Beloved, is introduced in the novel. Morrison harps on Beloved’s mental and physical condition as a way in which Beloved can be further introduced to both other characters such as Sethe and Denver but also to form the spiritual aspect of Beloveds character. After drinking numerous cups of water and answering a few questions, Beloved dozes off “in the middle of Sethe’s welcome”(64). Once Paul D, Denver, and Sethe realize she must need more rest Beloved “opened her eyes to slits”(64”). Upon struggling to walk on her “soft, new feet” she eventually makes it Baby Sugg’s bed where she “collapsed”(64). This description offers insight into the development of one of Morrison’s complex characters. Beloved is also drastically tired and worn out as she can only open her eyes to “slits” but through Morrison’s imagery and intricate adjectives Beloved is also relatively work-free as she has “soft, new feet” – unlike all of those living in 124. Morrison also shows the overwhelmed and physically incapable side to Beloved as instead of simply lying down or lounging into bed, Beloved “collapsed” showing her unstable and truly worn-out mental state contrasted by a seemingly facile physically state as shown in her perfect skin and un-worked hands and feet. Through description Morrison is ultimately able to develop her characters into more complex and unique characters in her novel, Beloved.