Toni Morrison's Beloved

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Within Toni Morrison's Beloved the character represent different themes and ideas that are expressed in the book. Beloved is the story of a woman, named Sethe, who struggles with her past when her daughter she killed get reincarnate back into her life. This characters name is Beloved as the major theme she represents is the past. Sethe also has another daughter, Denver, who represents the future. These two themes weave in and out of this book. Although Denver and Beloved are both within the present, they represent the represent what the past holds and what the future will give. Chapter 26 represents a crossroads between the past and future. Denver is growing into a woman and taking control over her life by going out for a job and trying …show more content…

She would have to leave the yard; step off the edge of the world, leave the two behind and go ask somebody for help. Who would it be? Who could she stand in front of who wouldn’t shame her on learning that her mother sat around like a rag doll, broke down, finally, from trying to take care of and make up for” (Morrison 286). This quote signifies the recognition that Denver has to move away from the past and focus on the future. Denver has developed an independent sense of self when she realizes that to get what you want you have to go out and get it. “It only worked with three” represents the past, present, and future. Without Beloved, Sethe, and Denver being all together their is not a balance between the present and future. However the three can’t always stay together. Beloved and Sethe never cared what was the next day because they are part of the past and present, while Denver is the future. Sethe is trying to make up for the past, and reverse it to be with her child. However the past is irreversible. One can only move forward in a positive way in order to reconcile the past. Denver represents the way African Americans can move forward in a positive way as a people from slavery through employment and lifting them selves up as a race through positivity. Similar to Denver’s situation that by bettering

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