The Nature Of Morrisons Work

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

Symbolism is often used by authors to enhance their literary work to give it more depth and richness to its meaning. Beloved, by Toni Morrison focuses around slavery and the tragic lives of ex-slaves. In Morrison's Beloved, she uses many different types of literary devices to develop her story. One particular literary device that Morrison uses throughout the novel is symbolism. She uses several recurring symbols within the novel to enhance the story's meaning. Several recurring symbols used in the novel are the color red, Paul D's "tin tobacco box", and water. Each of these frequent symbols have multiple meanings, which enhances the nature of Morrison's work.

The color red is one of the several recurring symbol in the novel throughout Beloved. Even though the meanings of the color red differs, each meanings aid to enhance the nature of the novel. The color red appears many time within the novel; whether it was through Amy Denver's red velvet, the red roses, or Mister the red rooster. When Sethe encounters Amy Denver, she was heading to Boston in search for carmine red velvet. Red velvet symbolizes hope and a new beginning. To Amy red velvet symbolizes happiness as if nothing can go wrong, she hope that someday she will find red velvet for a dress that would bring her happiness. Another meaning to the color red are the red roses which appears in the scene when Sethe, Denver, & Paul D were going to the carnival. The red roses symbolizes a new beginning for the 3 of them, a new life together as a family. The last color red lies within Mister the red rooster. The red rooster symbolizes freedom which was what Paul D was deprived of. In the novel, Paul D compares himself to Mister stating that the red rooster has more freedom to roam around than he can. The symbol of the color red conveys a vital part in the natural nature of enhancing the meaning of the work through multiple meanings.

Water, another recurring symbol in Beloved symbolizes freedom and rebirth. Water symbolizes the meaning of evil and death. The Ohio River is the river in which Stamp Paid carries all of the slaves to the path of freedom. Stamp Paid crosses the river to lead Sethe to Amy Denver. In order to obtain free Sethe had to cross the river where she gave birth to Denver. Water also symbolizes rebirth, when Beloved emerged from the water it represents resurrections. Beloved was born again into the new world where she was once taken from. When Sethe sees Beloved she had an urge to urinate, a feeling as if her water was going to break, "and the minute she saw the dress and shoes sitting in the front yard, she broke water" (156). This signifies that when she sees Beloved it felt as if she was giving birth again. Another meaning that water symbolizes is evil and death. When Beloved arrives into 124 Bluestone Road, she kept on asking for water over and over. That action of hers seem to convey a message foretelling an evil act about to happen. That scene could also convey a message of Beloved's thirst for Sethe's attention and love. This recurring symbol plays an important part in the nature of developing the meaning of Morrison's novel.

The last recurring symbol in the novel is Paul D's "tin tobacco box." Paul D's "tin tobacco box" is what he refers his heart to. Paul D locks his emotions away in this box to prevent any further psychological damage to happen to himself. The reason being for Paul D to lock his emotions away was because of everything he had encounter when he was at the Sweet Home and when he was in prison in Alfred, Georgia, "It was some time before he could put Alfred, Georgia, Sixo, schoolteacher, his brothers, Sethe, Mister, the taste of iron, the sight of butter, the smell of hickory, notebook paper, one by one, into the tobacco tin lodged in his chest. By the time he got to 124 nothing in this world could pry it open" (133). Morrison described Paul D's "box" to be "rusted" over completely by the time he arrives at 124. By alienating himself from the others and his emotions, Paul D prevented himself from any other emotional damages. After sleeping with Beloved, Paul D repeats, "Red heart. Red heart. Red heart" (138). His "tin tobacco box" breaks open. Paul D was afraid to love, but towards the end of the novel it was seen that Paul D's "tin tobacco box" was beginning to open itself up. The nature of the "tin tobacco box" enhance the meaning of the work itself, showing that it takes struggle to love again.

Morrison used many symbols in Beloved to enhance her novel. Each of the symbols had their own multiple meanings. The recurring symbols that plays a vital role in enhancing the meaning are the color red, water, and Paul D's "tin tobacco box." Each of these frequent symbols have multiple meanings, which enhances the nature of Morrison's work. Without these recurring symbols, the novel would have not been brought to live in the reader's mind.