This novel touched me on the inside. If you know, you know.

Once I’m done giving myself a pat on the back for finishing this absolute beast of a novel (It took me two months), I’ll explain my above statement. 

Winner of the 1988 Pulitzer prize for fiction and finalist for the 1987 National Book Award, “Beloved” is truly a literary feat– not only because of Morrison’s masterful prose but also for its deeply haunting story and fearless portrayal of American slavery.

The pure devastation and sorrow permeating through this novel is not purely fiction. Based on the story of Margaret Garner, “Beloved” blends the tragedy of slavery’s impact with fictional elements to create a story meant to entertain and educate. 

Rather than romanticizing early America through white lenses, “Beloved” narrates the harrowing story of slavery in America, offering readers an important discovery of pain, hope, and torture along with love.

Morrison examines the effects of slavery through the eyes of Sethe, a formerly enslaved woman who lives with her daughter, Denver, and her mother-in-law, Baby Suggs. Their house is haunted by the baby-ghost of Sethe’s eldest daughter, who was buried nameless under a tombstone that read, “beloved.”

Soon after the arrival of Paul D,  a former slave from Sweet Home plantation, where Sethe worked and lived, a mysterious girl who calls herself “Beloved,” infiltrates Sethe’s home.

At its core, “Beloved” is a meditation on memory. Morrison’s vivid and horrifying descriptions of the abuse Sethe and other characters suffered at the hands of slavery, as told through intentionally fragmented and confusing recollections, perfectly describe the personal and lasting effects slavery had on both individuals and families.

While the jumps between time, location, and perspective can be confusing, the style is employed to better display the muddling effects traumatic experiences can have on our memory. 

Once you get used to the writing style, it’s easier to follow along, and you can start to appreciate its role in the novel’s genius.

Sethe’s mind is not only haunted by her memories of Sweet Home but also by an unspeakable trauma that happened years after her escape. It is revealed that Sethe’s daughter died because Sethe slit her throat before her former slave master could take her and her family back to the plantation. 

This twist is executed perfectly; my hair was literally standing up as Sethe relived the moment. Filled with similar plot elements like the revelation that the strange young woman, Beloved, is Sethe’s dead daughter come back to life, and her creepy behaviour towards Sethe and Denver, a lot of the time, “Beloved” reads like a gothic horror.

Not only does Morrison’s approach make the book immensely entertaining to readers, as it’s filled with spooky details and page-turning chapters, but it also speaks to the fact that slavery is a horror in itself. Morrison’s decision to tell the story of American slavery through a classic ghost tale reveals the haunting quality that slavery and trauma have on its victims.

While Sethe’s decision may have been immoral or insane, even through this choice, Morrison masterfully portrays the destructiveness slavery exerts on love. 

Both Sethe and Paul D describe slavery as living an “unliveable life” as they are afforded no ownership over themselves and the people they care about. 

In a heartbreaking passage narrated by Paul D, he describes having to “love small” as being enslaved; you cannot afford to love something as “big” as a woman or a child, things like that can easily be taken from you.

Thus, Sethe’s relationship with motherhood is strained. She recalls her own mother’s impersonal relationship with her children, many of whom were born out of rape by white enslavers. Sethe was never allowed to love her children to a full capacity. With her freedom, she finally gets that, and when it’s about to be taken away again, she must retaliate. 

This is also shown through Sethe’s submissive behaviour towards Beloved once she starts living in the house. Feeling guilty for murdering her and wanting the experience of being an adequate, loving mother, Sethe lets Beloved, as a representation of her past, consume her. 

Ranked one of the most difficult books to read because of its advanced writing style and dark concepts, it would certainly be easy to give up on “Beloved.” However, let me compare Morrison’s prose to a pomegranate. While it does take a lot of work to peel it and painfully extract the fruit, once you put in the effort, you’re rewarded with the sweet seeds of your labour.

While “Beloved” bleakly depicts all forms of love and joy being constantly crushed by slavery, it also exemplifies its enduring power through Sethe’s relationships with Denver, Baby Suggs, Paul D, and her community. This speaks to the true story of the rich culture and community enslaved people built despite their circumstances. Thus, Morrison leaves us with the hope that if love can exist in all its brutal, ugly, and violent forms, it must exist in some good ones too.