Suffering In Toni Morrison's Beloved

Have you ever felt like your past was holding you from achieving and being successful in the future? Denver, in Toni Morrison’s novel, Beloved, felt as though her past was affecting her life, which she was very much isolated and keeping to herself. Before Beloved arrived at 124, all was once calm, but now Denver and Beloved formed a relationship in which Denver belives she is somehow Sethe’s child that she murdered in the past. Beloved and Denver relationship is not a healthy one, but since Beloved has this hold over Sethe which is very childlike, Denver is able to grow up herself and find help for her family which helps create her independent identity. Beloved represents pain and suffering much like the effects of the American Civil War and

Now that Beloved is here, she is able to gain new insight about her family’s past and sufferings that they encountered. Beloved is taking Sethe away from the community by having her lose her job and even away from Paul D, who is no longer at the house. Beloved and Sethe become to have this great bond between both of them, which Denver is left out of. Seeing her mother become weaker and exhausted from the troubles of Beloved, Denver knew she had to do something, to the point that “she would have to leave the yard; step off the edge of the world, leave the two behind and go ask somebody for help” (Morrison 286). Denver is going out of isolation to help her mother is an act of becoming more independent. Denver is now playing the mother role in protecting Sethe and finding food. Denver went to Lady Jones in hope for a job so that she could work to bring food home. Lady Jones tells Denver that she only need to ask for help and that church’s committee will provide them food until her mother is better. As Denver reaches out to her community, her community support her no matter how much 124 was broken inside. Denver believed that Beloved was trying to make Sethe pay for the handsaw and killing of her own child (Morrison 295). As Beloved leaves 124, the home can somewhat restore the peace that was once

Most slaves did not know their real parents or were even separated from their parent. Slaves were often times told that they were subhuman or not human at all. Beloved of course, is seen as this subhuman or “ghost” like figure to the characters in the novel. Although Denver never lived during the slavery times, the past haunts her, forcing her into isolation. Denver was close to Baby Suggs, who Denver could trust and feel comfortable with, but after her death, Denver feels lonely and empty inside. The effect of the war did leave many people feeling empty inside from the dehumanization to the beatings. Once Beloved arrives, Denver feels connected to her and this emptiness is now filled. Once Beloved becomes comfortable in 124, and draining the energy in the house, Denver realizes that Beloved can embody the pain and suffering that they could never escape. Beloved represents pain and hardships from the past, and Denver is trying to escape those conditions which makes her stronger in the fact that she will do anything to get her mother the help she needs, which is evident when Denver leaves 124 and isolation and goes out into the community. This can symbolize a slave trying to escape his slave master and find help for his family so that they can be rid of the pain and