Examples Of Juxtaposition In Beloved

While people pass from this life into the afterlife their lives reside in the memories of their loved ones. The novel Beloved by Toni Morrison follows Sethe- a mother, Baby Suggs, a depressed grandmother, and a doomed household. The narrative is based on the timeframes of pre and post civil war, following the story of a mother escaping from a life of slavery. During her escape, she murders her own child who is assumed to haunt the 124 house. This scene is opened in a discussion of the cold and bland state of Ohio, where the characters reside. This passage describes the misery of losing a child, a home of darkness, and death. This excerpt depicts a family stuck within a possessed house, highlighting their life struggles. Toni Morrison exemplifies

Morrison explains, “Since she knew death was anything but forgetfulness, she used the little energy left her for pondering color” (4). This scene introduces Baby Suggs previous to her death. As she is looking for these pops of color she says, “ Bring a little lavender in, if you got any. Pink, if you don’t” (4). Through both quotes Morrison highlights the contrast in Suggs' hope for color, an opportunity to bring her surroundings to life, in a time where she is lifeless. When this comparison is presented it highlights the dying soul of Baby Suggs, while bringing forth the youthfulness from her past. This can be connected to the passage where she refers to her dead children in her past life. This can be visualized in the conversation she has with Sethe after she attempts to convince Suggs to move away from the 124 house. Baby suggs goes on to say, “My first-born. All I can remember of her is how she loved the burned bottom of bread. Can you beat that? Eight children and that’s all I remember” (5). When she explains this to Sethe, she responds, “That’s all you let yourself to remember” with clear frustration for Baby Suggs complaints (5). With this juxtaposition, Morrison shows the ignorance of Baby Suggs. Without these quotes, Suggs’ refusal to remember her past would be unclear. Although she shares a singular memory of her children’s poor lives, she keeps in

As this excerpt begins, the dreary weather of Ohio is referenced. After introducing Sethe and her daughter, Denver, Morrison writes, “Together they waged a perfunctory battle against the outrageous behavior of that place; against turned-over slop jars, smacks on the behind, and gusts of sour air” (4). The actions of the 124 house serve as an opportunity to illuminate the rage of Sethe’s deceased daughter. Through this personification, Morrison provides an example of the liveliness of the home. With this, she is able to suggest that the house faces emotions as if it were human. This produces the idea that the actions of the house are due to the ghost of Sethe’s daughter. Additionally, Morrison writes, “The sideboard took a step forward but nothing else did” (4). The house at this point is now moving as if it were a person, showing its liveliness. Morrision’s use of personification helps to create a character for the house itself, adding more to the development of the passage. These parts of the excerpt allow the dead daughter of Sethe to form a prominent character role in the passage, creating a cognitive dissonance in the mind of each character. Beloved is a narrative which covers heavy topics: the loss of loved ones, slavery, independence, and the guilt of the past. Morrsion’s use of literary techniques including juxtaposition, personification and characterization