Stylistic Techniques in Toni Morrison's “Beloved” In Toni Morrison's novel “Beloved,” the chapters are not only a means to tell the story, but also a tool to convey a deeper meaning. Through the style and craft of her writing, Morrison transports the reader into the world of Sethe, a former slave who is haunted by the memory of her daughter she murdered.
In the opening chapter, Morrison uses fragmented language and repetition to establish a disorienting and haunting atmosphere. The syntax is jumbled and the details of the scene are unclear, leaving the reader to piece together what is happening. For example, she writes, “124 WAS SPITEFUL. Full of a baby’s venom. The women in the house knew it and so did the children. For years each put up with the spite in his own way, but by 1873 Sethe and her daughter Denver were its only victims” (Morrison 3). This passage conveys the chaotic and noisy environment of 124, their home, while also suggesting a sense of impending doom. The use of jumbled syntax creates a sense of confusion and disorientation, which sets the tone for the rest of the novel.
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For example, the “chokecherry tree” that stands in front of 124, Sethe’s home, serves as a powerful symbol of the weight of slavery and the trauma that Sethe has endured. Specifically, Morrison writes “I got a tree on my back and a haint in my house, and nothing in between but the daughter I am holding in my arms.” (18). This passage conveys Sethe’s sense of guilt and the burden that she carries as a result of her past. The chokecherry tree, with its heavy branches and oppressive weight, becomes a powerful symbol of the legacy of slavery and the ongoing trauma that it inflicts on its