Summer Symbolism In Toni Morrison's Beloved

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Beloved: Summer Symbol Toni Morrison's Beloved makes one ponder the essence of life and death. It is a novel that can challenge the brain, and change an opinion about the supernatural. One of the biggest symbols throughout the novel would be colors. Colors such as pink, red, and orange are mentioned on numerous occasions throughout the novel. Living in a world filled with mostly black and white, color is craved. Approximately ten years after reaching freedom, Sethe is forced to watch her mother-in-law fade away. Baby Suggs is bed ridden in a room full of nothing but dull browns and grays, and maybe a little white. The only thing she enjoys is seeing the world outside with what color is possible, and the quilt laying on her bed. Although the quilt is quite boring too, there is two patches of orange that stand out. Those two …show more content…

Although living her life in black and white for the longest time, she clearly remembers the headstone with the named "Beloved" engraved in pink. Morrison recalls "Every dawn she saw the dawn, but never acknowledged or remarked its color. There was something wrong with that. It was as though one day she saw red baby blood, another day the pink gravestone chips, and that was the last of it" (39). No matter what she does, the recollection of what she did is always in her mind, sometimes even clouding her judgment. Just like everyone in this world, Sethe has those days of sorrow where she just feels the need to punish herself for what she has done wrong. The most controversial color of Beloved would be red. When Sethe runs away, pregnant and ready to pop out a child, she meets Amy Denver. Amy was on the way to buy red, or technically 'carmine', velvet from Boston. At the time, Sethe sees Amy and her red velvet as a savior. If that girl had not been there, Sethe would have been left alone in a field, and probably would have

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