Beloved by Toni Morrison

This is a bitter, powerful, yet beautiful novel about slavery in the South of America around the end of Civil War, or in the Reconstruction era. Beloved portrayed a devotional love of a mother towards her children which—when the worst, unthinkable terrifying situation was approaching—lead her to kill her daughter. Wait, do you mean she really killed her own daughter? How can you call that love? What kind of love is that—killing your own child? I know, before getting into the whole story, you will call it insanity, but wait until you finish it, you will understand why I could not condemn Sethe for committing such a cruel thing to her beloved daughter—whom she later did name Beloved.

Sethe had been through a lot of hard times during her slavery. Throughout the novel Morrison took us to see how white people had ill treated their slaves. Not only they tortured their slaves and took away their freedom, Beloved distinctly pictured how they dehumanized the slaves; so much that the slaves were even scared to love; that their definition of freedom was as simple as to be able to love and to have desires.

“To get to a place where you could love anything you chose—not to need permission for desire—well, now, that was freedom.”

The situation of Baby Suggs, when she was freed by her son, is more than sufficient to reflect what the slaves lost their entire lives. Baby Suggs and few of other characters in this book was fortunate to at last had freedom. But what about them who had lived their entire lives as slaves? And once they were free at last, how would they leave the dark past behind and take steps to the future?

And what Sethe must have endured here was so great—and I won’t write it down here explicitly, it was something you need to feel yourself—that she was determined to not let her children through the same path, ever. Morrison takes us to judge Sethe’s choice through other central characters—but mostly through Beloved, the victim.

Beloved is not an easy reading. Morrison takes us back and forth almost without any particular notice; through each character’s memory and point of view, the whole story is slowly and painfully revealed. It’s a bit strange and confusing at first, but you will get more familiar after few chapters.

I have read somewhere on the internet that Morrison based the story on a true account of a slave mother killing her children rather than having them be returned to slavery under the Fugitive Slave Act, so that they wouldn’t suffer being killed in another way. I don’t know whether it’s accurate or not, but one thing is sure: there is no greater thing in the universe, than love. Sethe killed her daughter not because she didn’t love her, but because she had never felt any kind of love most of her own life; and now—when she was finally able to love after so much sufferings—she would never give anybody a chance to take her children and let them suffer as she had.

Ah….I have tried so hard to picture my feeling through this review, but I guess I can never tell you how powerful this book had affected me and made me re-shape my definition of love. I will only close this review with an emotional dialog that will reflect the desperation and powerlessness of the slaves….

“Tell me something, Stamp,” Paul D’s eyes were rheumy.
“Tell me this one thing. How much is a nigger supposed to take? Tell me. How much?”
“All he can, said Stamp Paid. “All he can.”
“Why? Why? Why? Why? WHY?”

:(

Five stars for Beloved. And special thanks to Nishita, whose review made me want to read this book, and to Joon Ann and Listra who were reading this book with me...

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Toni Morrison is an American novelist, editor, and professor. Her novels are known for their epic themes, vivid dialogue, and richly detailed characters. Among her best known novels are The Bluest Eye, Sula, Song of Solomon and Beloved (won Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1988).

Born as Chloe Adelia Wofford in February 18, 1931 from a work class family, Morrison grew up as a fervent reader; Austen and Tolstoy were among her reading list. She married a Harold Morrison in 1958, but divorced in 1964. She wrote a short story about a girl who longed to have blue eyes, and the story later on developed into her first novel: The Bluest Eye (1970), which she wrote while raising two children and teaching at Howard University.

Beloved (1987) was her fourth novel and brought her to success. Not only Pulitzer, it also won American Book Award. In May 2006 The New York Times Book Review named Beloved the best American novel published in the previous twenty-five years. In 1993 Morrison was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. Her citation reads: Toni Morrison, "who in novels characterized by visionary force and poetic import, gives life to an essential aspect of American reality." She is currently the last American to have been awarded the honor. In addition to her novels, Morrison has also co-written books for children with her younger son, Slade Morrison. Toni Morrison is currently a member of the editorial board of The Nation magazine.

[all from Wikipedia]

The Scarlet Letter – Summary Chapter XVII – XX

Chapter XVII – The Pastor and His Parishioner

Dimmesdale and Hester met each other in the forest; Hester told him that Chillingworth was his husband who wanted to take avenge, and encouraged him to leave the past and sought for new life elsewhere. Dimmesdale did not have the courage to make it alone, and asked Hester for help, which Hester agreed.

Chapter XVIII – A Flood of Sunshine

Right after their plan of leaving together was settled, Hester put off her scarlet letter which made her beauty shone again at once; and both she and Dimmesdale felt free and delighted, just as the sun suddenly brightly shone. Dimmesdale was afraid Pearl would not love him, but Hester insisted that she would.

“All at once, as with a sudden smile of heaven, forth burst the sunshine, pouring a very flood into the obscure forest, gladdening each green leaf, transmitting the yellow fallen ones to gold, and gleaming adown the gray trunks of the solemn trees.” (p. 173)

[source]

Chapter XIX – The Child at the Brookside

When Pearl returned to the scene from playing with animals and flowers on the other side of the brook, she refused to come to her mother, whom she was not familiar without her scarlet letter; and only after Hester put it back—and her shine of beauty vanished—Pearl came to her. However Pearl refused Dimmesdale’s affectionate kiss on her brow, and washed it at the brook.

Side note:

Hester felt estranged from Pearl when she put off the scarlet letter. Was it because Pearl born from the sin (thus symbolized by the scarlet letter), and when she denied it, she lost her bond with Pearl? Dimmesdale felt it too: “I have a strange fancy, that this brook is the boundary between two worlds, and that thou canst never meet thy Pearl again…” (p. 178)

[source]

Chapter XX – The Minister in a Maze

Out from the forest, Mr. Dimmesdale saw things around him differently; he had wicked thoughts in him now that were eager to burst out, and wondered where it came from or why it happened. He dismissed Chillingworth’s medical service, and casually hinted that he might left the city, then ended the night by re-writing his sermon for the next day’s Election—in his newly awaken passion.

A Letter To Arthur Dimmesdale – The Scarlet Letter

If I was one of Rev. Arthur Dimmesdale’s parishioner in The Scarlet Letter, this is what I would write him….

Dear Rev. Dimmesdale,

I am your humblest parishioner, writing from my humblest heart, as I happened to know the deepest secret you have kept in your heart for the last seven years. I know that what you have done was a sin, no one would disagree that, but I also remember from your sermons, many times you have emphasized that our God is a Merciful God. Thus, when people fall in sin, and they really regret it and ask for repentance, you told us yourself, that God would forgive them. So, why don’t you just do that, instead of torturing your own soul with the realization that people see you as a holy person while you are far from it?

Dear Mr. Dimmesdale, no mankind is free from sin, Jesus was the only Man who have never committed sin. You might not know, but your colleagues are definitely sinners too, including your senior Rev. Wilson. Even St. Peter and St. Paul had also fell in sin in the past, and what Paul had done was as great as—if not greater than—adultery; he murdered a large numbers of Jesus’ followers! But look at what happened to him afterwards, God forgave him, and gave him a bigger task to gain much more souls to be baptist.

If I, your humblest parishioner, may share my humblest opinion of what you should do next—and this I collected from your sermons too, mind you—I think you must stop blaming yourself, it won’t bring you anywhere. You have committed a sin. Ask repentance from God. Leave the past behind. Remember what God had put you in your position for. Finish your job. Move from the parish if you want, but for God’s sake, build your new life and be useful for Him!

But, once again, I’m just a humble parishioner. I did not have the right to make decision for you, dear Mr. Dimmesdale. What I do know is that you should leave the parish, leave Hester Prynne and little Pearl, and especially that wicked Mr. Chillingworth. Ask God for a new spirit to build your new life. I can only pray for the best of you and to God’s plan for you.

--Your humble parishioner—

Gone With The Wind Read Along: UPDATE & REMINDER

Hi guys…how are you all doing with Gone With The Wind so far? Just want to remind you that we are approaching the end of our read along. As I have mentioned before, we would post our reviews simultaneously on Margaret Mitchell’s birthday on November 8^th, 2012. The review page will be opened on that day at 7:30 am (GMT+7). You can add your review post URL in the linky. And….we will have another giveaway hosted by Bzee! Please check out Bzee’s giveaway, because your review posts will automatically be entered to that giveaway.

In the meantime I’d like to remind you too, that my giveaway for update posts is still on. Please add your posts in Update Posts page by latest November 8^th, 2012 at 7:00 am (GMT+7), because after that the linky will be closed. You could still send your update post after that via comment, but will not be eligible to the giveaway.

The Scarlet Letter – Summary Chapter XIII – XVI

Chapter XIII – Another View of Hester

Seven years after Pearl was born, now people saw Hester as a kind and charitable woman who always helped the needs; that the letter ‘A’ on her bosom had a new meaning of ‘Able’. Hester herself has changed from a woman with passion and feeling to one full of thoughts; and seeing Dimmesdale on his last vigil, Hester resolved to rescue him by confronting Roger Chillingworth.

Side note:

A dark question often rose into Hester’s mind with reference to womanhood: “Was existence worth accepting, even to the happiest among them?” –a hint of feminism? (p. 140)

Chapter XIV – Hester and the Physician

Talking to Chillingworth, Hester realized how he had transformed from wise and intellectual man to a fiend; and he refused to let Dimmesdale free. Chillingworth realized his own soul corruption but accepted it as fate, even when Hester threatened that she would reveal the secret.

Chapter XV – Hester and Pearl

Pearl—who was let playing on the seashore—wore seaweeds on her bosom to resemble her mother’s scarlet letter. Pearl kept asking her mother about the meaning of the scarlet letter, and why the minister kept placing his hand over his heart; but Hester did not want to explain the truth, so she lied to Pearl about the scarlet letter.

Side notes:

• At first Hester wanted to tell the truth about the scarlet letter meaning to Pearl to be able to share her burden, however at last she kept it to herself, why?
• By lying about the scarlet letter…. “a guardian spirit, who now forsook her, as recognizing that, in spite of his strict watch over her heart, some new evil had crept into it, or some old one had never been expelled.” (p. 154)

Chapter XVI – A Forest Walk

Hester and Pearl had a walk in the forest to intercept Dimmesdale, to warn him about the danger of Chillingsworth’s company for his soul. Pearl asked her mother about the Black Man, whether he had anything to do with the scarlet letter on her bosom and with the minister’s habit to place his hand on his heart.

My thoughts:

Pearl: “And, Mother, he has his hand over his heart! Is it because, when the minister wrote his name in the book (Black Man’s book), the Black Man set his mark in that place? But why does he not wear it outside his bosom, as thou dost, Mother?” Well, that’s a good observation, child! You should be proud of your mother, who had the courage to admit her wrong doing, and not hiding under a hypocrite mask. (p. 159)

Side note:

What about the scene of Pearl catching the sunshine (and eventually could catch it)? Did it point to Pearl’s innocent vs Hester’s sin? (“Mother, the sunshine does not love you. It runs away and hide itself, because it is afraid of something on your bosom.”) p. 156

The Scarlet Letter – Summary Chapter IX – XII

Chapter IX – The Leech

Roger Chillingworth befriended with young minister Dimmesdale who got paler and weaker day after day; and finally lived together with him in an apartment to investigate the illness, but his real purpose was to dig his deepest secret—according to Chillingworth’s suspicion. Meanwhile, people saw Chillingworth had transformed from a kind hearted physician to an evil leech to Dimmesdale; they wondered whether the clergyman was being haunted by Satan’s emissary in disguise of Chillingworth.

[source]

Chapter X – The Leech and His Patient

Roger Chillingworth concluded that Dimmesdale’s ill was not bodily but spiritually, and offered to examine his soul, which made Dimmesdale angry; however their friendship had remained unbroken. Few days later when Dimmesdale was asleep, Chillingworth put aside the clergyman’s vest, then went away in an evil ecstasy as if the Satan has won a soul.

My thoughts:

What was that that he might have found in the clergyman’s bosom that he always kept closed?

Chapter XI – The Interior of A Heart

Chillingworth's mind playing games resulted on the clergyman’s soul suffering from his guilt; he wanted to confess to his people but scared to do it, while the people thought the topic of sin in his sermons were heavenly. Dimmesdale began to feel scared at Chillingworth but did not know why, and was having delusion about Pearl pointing her finger to his heart; then one night he had an idea of how to end his anguish, and left home at once.

My thoughts:

We tend to judge a person from his outside appearance, for example, we always assuming that clergymen are more holy than us, just because of their robes. Dimmesdale and Hester Pryne shared the same sin, but people condemned Hester because she wore the scarlet letter on her bossom, while Dimmesdale hid behind his ‘holy’ robe. Priests are God’s representative on earth, their task is to lead us to God, but it doesn’t mean they are better than us; they are—just like us—not immune to sin.

Chapter XII – The Minister’s Vigil

Dimmesdale went straight to the scaffold where Hester had stood in shame years before, to die on it; Hester and Pearl who had passed by, joined him, when suddenly the light of meteor shone and illuminated them on the eyes of Chillingforth, who finally took Dimmesdale home. Meanwhile, a great red letter ‘A’ appeared in the sky—a projection of the meteor—that Dimmesdale took as a signal of his guilt, while people took it as ‘Angel’ which pointed to a dead Governor at the same night.

My thoughts:

People used to believe things as how they want to believe. A glare of red line that resembles a letter ‘A’ could be seen as different things, depends on each point of view.

Mr. Utterson in The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde: Character Thursday (34)

This time I will not pick the main character from this Robert Louis Stevenson’s gothic story. Dr. Jekyll’s (or Mr. Hyde’s) personalities had been explained quite clearly in the story itself, left almost nothing to analyze. Instead, I will pick Mr. Utterson—the lawyer, one of Dr. Jekyll’s trusted friends. Mr. Utterson’s personalities were more intriguing, for me, than Dr. Jekyll’s; the first passage of the story was about him.

Mr. Utterson was pictured as a “cold, scanty and embarrassed in discourse, backward in sentiment, and dreary; yet he is somehow loveable”. See a bit of contradiction here? Other than that, Mr. Utterson was austere with him self, strict to a humble and simple life style; yet he had an approved tolerance for others in their misdeeds. These, I guess, were human’s typical dual side in their personality, the kind and the evil, the good and the bad. As we realize our bad side, we try hard to suppress it by pushing on healthy habits. That was a good practice, but sometimes…under certain circumstances (good taste wine in the case of Mr. Utterson), we loosen our strict discipline and let us wonder a bit on our wild side.

Mr. Utterson & Mr. Hyde

It’s interesting what Mr. Utterson has said about himself, “I incline to Cain’s heresy… I let my brother go to the devil in his own way.” As if Stevenson put the opening situation for the strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde here. It indeed one of human’s weaknesses (from the beginning with Adam & Eve), to see our limits in the battle between good and bad. We know that if we nurture our bad side, the bad side will take over our life control. The question is, to which point we could let our selves until we cross that line of our bad side?  We like to play on this, just like what Mr. Utterson did, although he perhaps didn’t play on himself but on others (by ‘letting his brother go to the devil in his own way).

An interesting character of Mr. Utterson, and fortunately, he never got too far from the limit, until the end of the story.

That is my Character Thursday of this week, an analysis of book character of my choice, who is yours?... Just put your post URL in the linky below. Do you like to join us in discussing characters from books you read? See the details of Character Thursday first.