<<

TheBluest

. Morrison has Morrison . The Bluest Eye,

A Mercy and

s thesis on the works of Virginia Virginia of works the on thesis s ’ and honorary degrees, also also degrees, honorary and

Love

known novels are are novels known -

Toni Morrison Toni novel first her writing began s and Author Background Beloved, Jazz, Beloved,

1960’ literary accolades literary

HowardUniversity and Cornell University, USA ChloeArdelia FebruaryWoffordon 1931, 18, in Lorain, Ohio Augustat2019,5, Montefiore MedicalCentre, York New Song of Solomon, Song

which was published in 1970. in was which published

first African American woman to be selected for the award. the for selected be to woman American African first Source: biography.com Morrison taught English at Howard University and worked at Random Random at worked and University Howard at English taught Morrison two had Morrison Harold architect husband and She editor. as an House at the group writing a Morrisonjoined 1964. in separated sons and early the in University Eye and 1989 in University Princeton at professor a became Morrison to contributions her of recognition In works. great toproduce continued the her making Literature, in Prize Nobel 1993 the received she field, her Ramah and ofGeorge children offour eldest second the was Morrison parents her credited later She worker. domestic a and welder, a Wofford, the with along folklore and music reading, of love a her in instilling with a English with in majored Morrison perspective. and clarity of qualities Master her completed and minor Classics Faulkner. William and Woolf and editor novelist, winning Prize Pulitzer and Nobel a is Morrison Toni exquisite themes, epic their for known are novels Her professor. central are who characters American African detailed richly and language best her Among narratives. their to Sula, of plethora a earned 2012. in Freedom of Medal Presidential the receiving Born: Born: Educated: Died:

Book Groups @ Blue Mountains Library

- world world -

year Danny Danny -

, Thandie Newton and Newton Thandie , Beloved Book Summary she has no lines in her palms, for example, example, for palms, her in lines no she has

Oprah Winfrey Oprah - , Australia edition,The Australia Guardian, biography.com

(1987) explores love and the supernatural. Inspired by real by Inspired supernatural. and the love explores (1987)

For this spellbinding work, Morrison won several literary awards, awards, literary several won Morrison work, spellbinding this For was book the later, years Ten Fiction. for Prize Pulitzer 1988 the including starring movie a into turned Glover. Sources: Smiley, Jane dislocations of the civil war and its aftermath. Sethe and Denver live in an in live Denver and Sethe aftermath. its and war civil of the dislocations of Sethe's one D, Paul of arrival the until ghost the with truce uneasy the exorcises Paul Kentucky. in plantation former her on slaves fellow years is 20 She up. shows stranger female mysterious a then but ghost, unmarked strangely and old calls She travelling. hard of signs no show clothing and feet her and in. her take to happy are Denver and Sethe and ", "Beloved herself figure Margaret Garner, main character Sethe, a former slave, is haunted haunted is slave, former a Sethe, character main Garner, Margaret figure enslaved. become them see than rather children her kill to decision her by hand. her at died daughter infant her but survived, children ofher Three 18 her with is living thirties, late inher Sethe, opens, novel the As is it because avoid the neighbours that a house in Denver, daughter, old wrenching first the after right 1870s, early is the time The haunted. Beloved

Book Groups @ Blue Mountains Library

this is not a this is not “

Continued overleaf Continued

what drives her departure? departure? her drives what

Beloved

Discussion Questions Discussion Questions alienation? - are her actions rational or irrational? or rational actions her are —

5. What does the narrator mean by the warning at the end: the at warning the by mean narrator the does 5. What not? right...or he on."Is pass to story 3. What does Beloved's appearance represent? What about her herabout What represent? appearance Beloved's does 3. What disappear finally she does Why behaviour? her? for named book's title is the why And when children her regarding made Sethe choice the about 4. Talk her Can Home. Sweet to all back them take to arrives Schoolteacher justified be actions the self. Consider, especially, Paul and how he can't determine whether whether determine can't he how and Paul especially, Consider, self. the other the do How else's. someone or his are hears he screams the self reflect characters and betraying in community of roles the different the 2. Discuss be Morrison might issue larger What 124. at house the protecting community? about here suggesting 1. Consider the extent to which slavery dehumanizes individuals by by individuals dehumanizes slavery which to extent the 1. Consider of conceive to ability their destroying oftheir identity, them stripping

Book Groups @ Blue Mountains Library

website

LitLovers

website,

Beloved

BookCompanion Discussion Questions (continued) Discussion Questions

Sources: Durham County Library, 9. At first glance, Sethe appears to be the meaty, central character. But it But character. central meaty, be the to appears Sethe glance, first 9. At the throughout runs enslaved once those for of identity question The 10. 7. How does this novel compare to other novels about slavery and its and slavery about other novels to compare novel this does 7. How a puzzle, jigsaw giant is a of slavery effects ofthe story epic 8. Morrison's 6. What would this story be like if Sethe and her kids weren't African African weren't kids her and Sethe if like be story this would 6. What novel. To survive, most of the characters are compelled or are forced to to forced are or compelled are characters ofthe most survive, To novel. slave the Whitlow, Jenny once Suggs was Baby names. their change Lu herself calls Sethe even Paid, Stamp man free the becomes Joshua identity for search Sethe's does How Home. Sweet escapes she when true find her ever Sethe Does Beloved? survive to struggle her parallel self? is daughter Denver who travels the furthest from start to finish. How does How finish. to start from furthest the who travels Denver is daughter ofher circumstances the do how And novel? the in ofage come Denver fate? ultimate her predict birth effects? styles. and episodes narrators, of mosaic a and space, oftime jumble line? plot conventional coherent, ofa absence the by is gained What American? Could the story even exist? even the story Could American?

Book Groups @ Blue Mountains Library

l l

a

h t i w

will put will put e

eminent eminent - c n a

l a Continued overleaf b

Beloved n i

t

u b

, y l

h raiser.

g - u o r o h t

t i

t Reviews Beloved i o l p

x e

d n a

m r o f

l e v o n

e h t The Guardian, Australia editionThe Australia Guardian,

is written in an antiminimalist prose that is by turns rich, graceful, turns by that is prose in an antiminimalist written is is 's fifth novel, and another triumph. Indeed, Ms. Indeed, triumph. andanother novel, fifth Morrison's is Toni is one of the few American novels that take every natural el- every thattake novels American few the of is one f

o

t n e m Margaret Atwood, course, is that they start believing in their own superiority and justifying justifying and superiority own their in believing start they is that course, the cult of a make they that is effect second The it. by actions their of the first the that coincidence no It's subjugate. they of those inferiority a is Pride, stem, to supposed were others all the which from sins, deadly alsoaccused. is, incidentally, Sethe ofwhich sin Beloved point. the to much very and colloquial sinuous, lyrical, rough, eccentric, Morrison's versatility and technical and emotional range appear to know to appear range emotional and technical and versatility Morrison's pre as a stature her about doubts any were there If bounds. no generation, other any or own her of novelist, American hair it's a or , words three In rest. to them behave people most ofhow paradigm a as us to presented ...is Slavery of effect, first The people. other over power absolute given are they when the other elements. The result is that it is dense but not long, dramatic long,not dramatic but itis dense is that result The elements. other the reassuring, but shocking universal, and particular not melodramatic, but novel, the of tradition to the connected closely time same the at but new world. ofthe sense areader's or change mould to likely and Smiley,Jane Beloved Beloved e

Book Groups @ Blue Mountains Library . And yes, yes, And … Beloved

is a true classic, one that that one classic, true is a

Beloved Beloved

t imagine, or even how we as a country country as a we how even or imagine, t ’

Reviews (continued) Reviews

blog

website is a book not to be missed, as it is truly a work of art, and while it art, a of and as while work truly is it missed, be to not is abook website

ve all heard the horror stories of the injustice slavery was. was. slavery injustice of the stories horror the all heard ve ’ inspires conversation and feeling. and conversation inspires luvtoread but incredibly enlightening. incredibly but readingturtleduck Beloved everyone that book a be not may it and uncomfortable, people make may ... ofslavery. trauma the about read important is an it stomach, can wrenching. heart and painful, Stunning, Morrison made me think about slavery in a way I never thought of before. ofbefore. thought never I way a in slavery about think me made Morrison We ofthem none but horror, a was, it as life slave all portray they in did Morrison way the it of effects lasting the demonstrated those for is it how inescapable about thought really I time first the For utterly are ties family how or it, from flee to enough lucky who were wouldn you way in destroyed horrifying itwas thought I history. ofour as part today it treat to choose into words. But the words that Morrison uses are powerful, and she she and powerful, are uses Morrison that words the But words. into the in work ofher more reading will be I read. I have other no like writes letting and this one with sitting just will be I now, for but future, near very have to is fabulous it and one, this for audio the reads in. Morrison sink it ear. your in her bookswithjams A lot of this story is just so heartbreaking and painful that it cannot be put be itcannot that painful and soheartbreaking is just story ofthis A lot

Book Groups @ Blue Mountains Library