Beloved Analysis 4

Throughout Beloved, Toni Morrison employs animalistic imagery to depict both current and former slaves as subhuman. This state of mind is a direct result of their conditioning at the savage hands of their masters. This philosophy is fully revealed after the “Misery” at 124 occurs, when schoolteacher is discussing how slaves should be trained. Schoolteacher proposed Sethe had “gone wild, due to the mishandling of the nephew who’d overbeat her” (176). Here Morrison’s diction suggests animalistic traits, implying Sethe is similar to a domesticated animal that has gone wild. In addition, the word choice of “overbeat” makes apparent schoolteacher’s view that beatings are necessary, yet it is important not to overdo them. Schoolteacher uses more animal imagery and metaphors to depict the importance of taming a slave stating “you’d be feeding them maybe…and the animal would revert-bite your hand clean off” (176). This metaphor shows schoolteacher’s view that you cannot ever lose control of a slave or they will turn on you. Morrison’s use of asyndeton serves to demonstrate the matter of fact and expert way in which schoolteacher talks about subduing slaves. Furthermore, schoolteacher shows his perceived racial superiority when he notes, “see what happened when you overbeat creatures God had given you the responsibility of” (176). This observation shows schoolteacher truly believes blacks are a class of animal, and that he is responsible for both their wellbeing and positive contribution to society.  Morrison implies that without his conditioning, schoolteacher believes blacks will run wild and wreak havoc on  whitepeople’s society.