Chokecherry Tree In Beloved

On page 93 of Beloved by Tori Morrison (“Sethe guessed…I was a-thinking.’”), Amy Denver unfastens Sethe’s dress to look at what is preventing the pregnant woman from lying comfortably on her back and is surprised to see the gruesome scars, which she then compares to a chokecherry tree. In the novel, Beloved, author Tori Morrison utilizes imagery to compare Sethe’s scars to a chokecherry tree, and portrays an optimistic tone in an attempt to show that the scars are more than reminders of the pain Sethe has suffered through. The surprise at the extent of Sethe’s horrid injuries is evident in Amy Denver’s verbal and non-verbal reactions. However, she focuses on the symbolism the scars represent by calling them different parts of a chokecherry tree so that Sethe can look at them with pride of how much she has grown since the incident, rather than

The visual image that is painted, along with the optimistic tone, describes Sethe’s scars as representations of her strength and growth. Initially, Amy “didn’t speak for a while” after viewing the remnants of Sethe’s punishment, indicating the shock she felt after learning how inhumanely the escaped slave has been treated and yet remains so strong. Instead of focusing on their repulsiveness, Amy positively compares the details of the scars with the different parts of a tree; she starts by saying “[s]ee, here’s the trunk,” with the base of the scars being “red” and “split wide open.” The description of the trunk of a tree paints a strong image as it is damaged, but it still stands tall and firm; it is similar to how Sethe has been through so much, but still maintains a strong mindset to make sure her kids do not have to go through what she has. In addition, Amy continues to analyze the scars by mentioning how the scars are like tree branches with “[t]iny little cherry blossoms.” It is obvious that the effects of slavery will stay with Sethe forever,