EXPLORATION TRACK

BELOVED SYLLABUS FEBRUARY 2021 © 2019 BHK LLC. All Rights Reserved. #SmartBrownGirl is a Registered Trademark of BHK LLC. For the Black girls in the forgotten spaces. Bringing together an international community of women of color through reading and dialogue. Beloved Syllabus Authors: Morgan Holloman-Bryant & Dr. Nicole Carter Editor: Chloe "CJ" Jones

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© 2019 BHK LLC. All Rights Reserved. #SmartBrownGirl is a Registered Trademark of BHK LLC. TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction...... 6

Tips for fresh readers...... 7

Tips for returning readers...... 7

Overview & Motifs...... 8

The Discussion...... 9

Part 1...... 9

Part 2...... 15

Part 3...... 19

Final Thoughts...... 25

Further readings/resources...... 27

INTRODUCTION Author History: Born Chloe Anthony Wofford on February 18, 1931, Toni Morrison became a world-renowned activist and critically acclaimed novelist known for her works such as The Bluest Eye, Beloved, and Song of Solomon. The Ohio born writer and cultural critic gained an early appreciation for the art of Black storytelling. During her childhood, her parents embedded within her a deep desire to learn and share Black stories. Whether they were folklore or personal anecdotes, Toni became devoted to these narratives and began to write her own. She attended Howard University in Washington DC, where she earned a Bachelors of Arts degree in English and became a member of the Alpha chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. It was during her time at Howard that she first encountered segregated public buildings and transportation. She found solace

in her Black peers and graduated from the prestigious institution in 1953. Following her time at Howard, she attended Cornell University, earning her master’s degree in American Literature. After this, she returned to Howard University to teach English Literature before eventually leaving to join Random House Publishing as a fiction editor, making her the first Black woman to do so.

During this time, Morrison also married a Jamaican architect by the name of Harold Morrison. The couple welcomed two boys, the youngest being born during their 1964 divorce.

Toni Morrison is widely regarded as one of the most prominent writers of the 20th and 21st centuries due to her unique stylistic practices and unapologetic Black storytelling. Her poignant essays and novels earned her a 1988 Pulitzer Prize for the 1987 release of Beloved and subsequent Nobel Prize in Literature in 1993. She experienced a plethora of “firsts” during her career and is lauded as one of the most powerful Black women storytellers of the generation. Her literature is both haunting and refreshing, and directly mirrors the world around us.

On August 5th of 2019, Toni Morrison passed away in New York City. She was 88 years old.

Content/Trigger Warning: Beloved contains references to sexual trauma, physical abuse, and infanticide. These topics could possibly incite sadness, anger or secondary trauma. Before proceeding, be sure to prepare to navigate these concerns. Also, if triggered, please reach out to a professional and/or loved one for assistance.

Book History: Released in September of 1987, Beloved is a haunting tale that chronicles a story of motherhood, slavery, trauma and familial ties. The novel is derived from the true story of Margaret Garner, an enslaved African woman who has become notorious for murdering her child rather than allowing them to be returned to slavery. She and her family escaped in January of 1856, but were soon apprehended by the U.S. Marshal’s under the Fugitive Slave Act. Margaret murdered her two-year-old daughter Mary during the standoff that occurred with the U.S. Marshal’s and slave catchers. She also wounded her other children as well, as she prepared to kill them and herself. She was unsuccessful in her further attempts as they were quickly apprehended. A year after the novel’s release, it was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, and was eventually adapted into a film of the same name in 1998.

6 READING TIPS TIPS FOR Tips for Fresh Readers RETURNING

READERS 1. You do not have to have profound thoughts right away: Everyone reads and digests at a different pace. Take your time in understanding the text but you do not need to dissect it immediately. Make a note of any points that are 1. Put the book in context: Times have significant to you and move on. changed and so have you. Before rereading, think about who you were, and where you 2. The Set aside 15-20 mins a day to read: Much like power were in life the first time you read the book. nap — a power read — can energize your reading and Think about who was influencing you/your help you focus. You do not need large chunks of time. Set thoughts. (School, friends, family, news etc.) aside 15-20 mins to read a day and make sure you have no distractions during this time. 2. Be Critical: First reads are a time to be open-minded and give the author a lead 3. Reflect on what you read: a) What were the themes way to understand their thoughts. Second and/or major events that had taken place in your selected reads you can be much more critical of readings? The content is equal parts comedic, sharp, and the work and its intentions. So get on your dark.Be aware that the book explores some potentially soapbox boo we got some boxes on reserve triggering issues. too. 4. Take notes: a) Highlight terms, phrases, quotes etc that 3. Focus on Few Chapters at a Time: may immediately grab your attention. For non-fiction (and some fiction) it’s not totally necessary to reread the book 5. Build a personal glossary: If you don’t know a word, chronologically from start to finish. Try circle it, get the definition and reread the section in focusing on themes that you may have context. This may help you come to a new understanding grazed over the first time around and of the text or discover concepts you didn’t notice before. choose a few chapters to lean into at a time. 6. Discuss the book: Healthy discussion on what you already know can entice you to read more and that’s what the #SmartBrownGirl Book Club is here for. Join in on our discussions. Post your questions to the Facebook Group.

7. Author Background: When approaching a text that you’re unfamiliar with, it may be beneficial to do some quick background research on the author, as it can help provide insight on what the text may be discussing. Look up Nigerian specific words and objects used in the text as this will enhance your understanding.

7 Overview & Motifs

Morrison relies heavily on poetics and symbolism to enrich her narratives. Throughout your reading, pay attention to how symbolism foreshadows key events and how allegorical character arcs structure the story.

Primary Themes Secondary Themes Characters:

• Motherhood (Mother/ • Names • Sethe Daughter Relationships) • Freedom • Denver • Storytelling & Identity • Nature, environment • Baby Suggs (Jenny Whitlow) • Effects of Chattel Slavery • Water • Halle Suggs • Community & Home • Feet, movement • Paul D • Family • Grief, mourning • Beloved • Memory & Rememory • Imagery • Stamp Paid • Sexual assault • Whitegirl Amy (Amy Denver) • Womanhood • Schoolteacher • “Madness” • Buglar and Howard • Vashti • Mr. Garner • Lillian Garner • Sixo • Patsy • Paul A Garner • Ma’am • Nan • Paul F Garner • Whitlow • Hi Man • Mr. & Mrs. Buddy • Ella • Janey Wagon • Lady Jones • Reverend Pike • Sawyer A • Edward Bowdin • Miss Bodwin • Nelson Lord

8 THE DISCUSSION Part 1: Epigraph and Chapters 1-18

Part 1 is comprised of eighteen sections and begins years after slavery has been abolished. Sethe, the main character, resides in house number 124 in Ohio with her young daughter Denver and the ghost of her other daughter, Beloved.

One of the epigraphs at the beginning of the novel reads: I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. Romans 9:25 • How does Morrison’s inclusion of this biblical passage referencing God’s discretion to save and show mercy to those who are “not his/her/their” people shape the opening of this chapter?

Consider the following quotes: “124 WAS SPITEFUL. Full of a baby's venom. The women in the house knew it and so did the children. For years each put up with the spite in his own way, but by 1873 Sethe and her daughter Denver were its only victims.” (p. 7)

“Not a house in the country ain’t packed to its rafters with some dead Negro’s grief.”(p. 13) • How does the description of 124 Bluestone Rd. in Chapter 1 set the tone for the start of the novel? What is the importance of homespace in this section? Similarly, what is the importance of family in this section?

9 Consider the following quote: “...Sethe and Denver decided to end the persecution by calling forth the ghost that tried them so. Perhaps a conversation, they thought, an exchange of views or something would help. So they held hands and said, "Come on. Come on. You may as well just come on...The sideboard took a step forward but nothing else did.” (p. 9-10) • Sethe and Denver attempt to speak with the ghost, introducing the prevalence of a super natural entity into the novel. • How does Sethe initially grapple with this realization?

What information are we given about the ghost, the source(s) of her discontent and her relationship to both Sethe & Denver in the opening chapter?

10 Consider the following quote: “After I left you, those boys came in there and took my milk...That's what they came in there for. Held me down and took it. I told Mrs. Garner on em. She had that lump and couldn't speak but her eyes rolled out tears. Them boys found out I told on em. Schoolteacher made one open up my back, and when it closed it made a tree. It grows there still.” (p. 42) • A major theme within the novel is the role of memory- its importance, power and limitations. How do Sethe’s memories about Sweet Home help to develop the theme of memory?

Why do you believe Sethe emphasizes her breast milk being stolen when recalling her traumatic rape experience? In what way is stealing of breast milk an act of violence?

11 Consider the following quotes and others about Paul D: “Not even trying, he had become the kind of man who could walk into a house and make the women cry. Because with him, in his presence, they could. There was something blessed in his manner... Women saw him and wanted to weep--to tell him that their chest hurt and their knees did too. Strong women and wise saw him and told him things they only told each other” (p.43)

“Risky, thought Paul D, very risky. For a used-to-be-slave woman to love anything that much was dangerous, especially if it was her children she had settled on to love. The best thing, he knew, was to love just a little bit; everything, just a little bit, so when they broke its back, or shoved it in a croaker sack, well, maybe you'd have a little love left over for the next one.” (p. 108) • How does the arrival of Paul D. at 124 set the plot into motion? • What does he represent for Sethe and Denver?

Paul D believes that it is dangerous for Sethe to love anything or anyone as much as she loves Denver. What do you make of Sethe and Paul D’s argument after Denver left the table?

12 Many of the characters seem to struggle with understanding Beloved as a supernatural figure. Why do you think this is? How do you understand Beloved’s presence as a reader?

“A man ain’t nothing but a man,” said Baby Suggs. “But a son? Well now, that’s somebody.” • What point do you think Morrison is making here? What do we learn about Baby Sugg’s history which provides further context for this quotation?

13 When Sethe decides to choose Halle, she announces her intention to Mrs. Garner. • Consider Mrs. Garner’s response and discuss the significance of her response.

How does Morrison reveal that Amy- despite her basic “decency”- holds the racist attitudes of other white people?

What is the role of community in this section of the novel?

14 Part 2: Chapters 19-25

In Part 2, concerns about Sethe’s and Denver’s isolation are a point of contention and concern. Community members are offended by Sethe, and at the same time, Sethe feels abandoned by them. Sethe becomes even more concerned with Beloved and withdrawn into maintaining a life at 124. In this section, we also learn about Sethe’s memories at Sweet Home during which Schoolteacher beat slaves for thinking for themselves and treated them like animals. Sethe recalls the sexual violence and death perpetrated against Black mothers during slavery, and explains her reasons for killing Beloved. The role of daughters and sisterhood is also explored through the chapters in this section along with the intergenerational nature of trauma. • How does Sethe’s obsession with Beloved escalate in this section of the novel?

How does Schoolteacher epitomize the dehumanizing qualities of chattel slavery?

15 What does Schoolteacher represent in Sethe's memory of Sweet Home? How does this differ from Mr. Garner?

What is the role and impact of history and memory in Sethe’s life?

16 Beloved recalls histories of the middle passage, slavery and delivers a tantalizing monologue that gives more insight into both her and her mother, Sethe. Legacies of the middle passage permeate the story as Beloved, now an ancestor and her mother link present and future, instantiating that contemporary Blackness is linked to the horrors of the chattel slavery. • How does Beloved’s memory give a voice to hopes & desires of other enslaved Black people?

Why does Sethe choose to indulge certain histories with Beloved?

17 “Beloved, she my daughter. She mine.... She had to be safe and I put her where she would be. But my love was tough and she back now. I knew she would be.... I won’t never let her go.” • How does this quotation from part two encapsulate Sethe’s struggle throughout the novel?

What does this quotation offer to your understanding of Sethe and Denver’s relationship?

18 Throughout the novel, during flashbacks and during narrations about Denver, we learn the importance of an education in the lives of women in this community. Lady Jones attempts to help Denver along with others obtain an education. We learn later that Lady Jones becomes an important part of Sethe’s and Denver’s survival. • Did you understand the significance of why as a young girl, Denver ended her lessons in reading and writing with Lady Jones and subsequently couldn’t hear anything for two years?

How does Denver’s experiences with deafness help her connect with her sister, Beloved?

Consider the different roles of the community in betraying and protecting 124. What larger issue might Morrison be suggesting about community and family?

19 Part 3: Chapters 26-28

In the final section of Beloved, Morrison demonstrates how the past can serve as a site of destruction when one's life is centered around it. Beloved thrives upon the fascination and devotion that fuels both Sethe and Denver’s commitment to her. Meanwhile, their worlds seem to unravel. Upon Beloved’s departure, Paul D. eventually returns, and attempts to nurture Sethe back to health. • What do you make of Sethe’s parenting style at this point in the novel?

Conflict between Sethe and Beloved increases during this final section of the novel with much of Sethe’s energy and focus going solely to Beloved and thereby causing Denver to suffer. • How does Sethe respond once she recognizes the true nature of Beloved? And, how does this response differ from earlier in the novel?

20 Denver & Sethe begin to suffer from starvation and fatigue due to the ongoing conflict with Beloved. As food supplies within the house run low, Sethe is also fired from her job due to her unreliable work presence. She sacrifices her food portion for Beloved who begins to gain weight as Sethe rapidly loses. Sethe and Beloved also seem to switch roles with Sethe taking upon a childlike stance while Beloved hovers over her like a mother. Once Sethe begins to assert herself, Beloved reacts violently, inciting several fights between the two. While Sethe points out how much she’s suffered for her children, Beloved counters with a reminder of how her death came to be. In this section, we also learn that Denver reintegrated into the community--the same community that shunned Sethe and her family years before. They now help both Denver and Sethe with the direction of Ella. • Why is Denver’s decision to seek help and reintegrate into the community impactful?

What is the role, if any, of community and care as the novel comes to an end?

21 Throughout the novel, Sethe is described as crazy, which seems to be brought on by the sacrifices she has made, the violence she has endured, and the steadiness of her memories. • How do these depictions perhaps relate to the minimization or complete dismissal of women’s mental health concerns throughout history?

How do these depictions relate to the failure to understand the role of post-traumatic stress syndrome in the lives of Black mothers?

Overall, what commentary do you believe Morrison to be making on the struggle of Black mothers?

22 Once Paul D. returns to find Sethe mumbling and alone in the same bed that Baby Sugg died in, he attempts to get her to move forward away from the pain of her past. After she proclaims she has lost her best thing (Beloved), he shares, “Sethe...me and you, we got more yesterday than anybody. We need some kind of tomorrow.” He continues, “You your best thing, Sethe. You are.” (p. 589) • How does Paul D. view the past and the future based upon these statements?

How might those views have helped Sethe if she were sane?

23 Finally, how does Paul D. attempt to problematize the belief that motherhood is self-sacrificing and unconditional?

Reflect on a personal relationship with your mother, grandmother or other maternal figure. In addition, reflect on the role of daughters in Black families. • Are there any similarities to the experiences of Sethe, Denver, and Beloved’s relationship?

24 Final Thoughts

In regards to Sethe’s decision to murder Beloved, Toni Morrison was quoted saying that “'it was the right thing to do, but she had no right to do it.”

Considering the heinous circumstances of chattel slavery and the plight of Black mothers during this period, what do you think led to her decision to murder her child? What does her decision offer to the pre- sent-day conversation on Black motherhood?

Beloved is written in a non-linear style. It is considered historical fiction. It explores slavery and emancipation in the North instead of the South. It is a mixture of anonymous narration and character narrative. It is filled with flashbacks and current details. Why do you believe Morrison chose this method of storytelling?

A common theme in “slave narratives” is the importance of names and the act of naming. Popular narratives where this is also seen include Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs and Frederick Douglass’ autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. How does the issue of names, naming relate to Beloved? What is the importance of names as it pertains to family history?

If you’re familiar with “slave narratives,” think of ways that Morrison reworks this particular literary tradition with the structure and content of Beloved.

Given the focus on memory and remembering throughout the novel, what is your understanding of the final quotation, “This is not a story to pass on…”? How does it complicate traditions of using written and oral narratives to keep a record of our pasts?

25 Notes

26 FURTHER READINGS/RESOURCES

Additional content & videos that relate to the reading.

Books Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison, The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston In Search of Our Mothers Gardens by Alice Walker Toni Morrison and Motherhood: A Politics of the Heart by Andrea O’Reilly Playing in the Dark by: Toni Morrison

Films/Videos Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am www.tonimorrisonfilm.com Toni Morrison: Beloved https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RP6umkgMRq4 Toni Morrison and Angela Davis Talk ‘Beloved’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHbjbwNuu-Q Toni Morrison Interview on Beloved https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jxN3oTSD34&t=187s Toni Morrison on capturing a mother's 'compulsion' to nurture in 'Beloved' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLQ6ipVRfrE

Syllabi Authors’ Bio Morgan Holloman-Bryant is a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis, where she earned a degree in African/African-American Studies. She’s a writer and cultural commentator, with her interests focusing primarily on the intersection of Black girlhood, pop culture and history. She’s also a full-time mom of two girls. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter @themorganjael.

Dr. Nicole Carter is the Director of the Wright State University Women’s Center. She is also faculty in the Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program, and African and African American Studies. Her focus includes the construction of knowledge by Black women, ancestral healing narratives and practices, the intersectional experiences of women in university settings, persistence, and retention of women in higher education, and the creation of counter-spaces for women students of color and women students in STEMM. She is a native Detroiter, an entrepreneur, and artist. Follow her on Instagram @drnicoleaprilcarter.

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