The Important Role of Water in Toni Morrison’s Beloved...

Water has always been a source of life but many do not take into account its strength and ability to kill. From its cleansing nature, it washes away dirt; from its’ powerful potency it holds total destruction. With its flowing characteristic, water is able to form to any shape and make its’ way around any object. The multiple possibilities water possesses, engages, while takes away the mystery. In Toni Morrison’s novel Beloved, water manipulates many factors causing destruction in the community. The direction it leads Beloved in, takes her from the past into the life of society while altering the notions of the future. The water creates a portal for Beloved taking her through death and life to a sense of belonging because it holds†¦show more content†¦The home Beloved finds renews the past and brings back unwanted memories. The water reclaims the memories of the past. After choking Sethe in the clearing, Beloved looks at herself in the water. â€Å"[Bel oved] turned finally and ran through the woods to the stream. Standing close to its edge she watched her reflection there (101).† , As Beloved gazes at herself through the stream she acknowledges how much Sethe means to her and the love she has for her. However, after the encounter with the famous clearing, Beloved recalls what Sethe did to her and her anger causes an inexplicable physical attack on Sethe. The love Sethe has for Beloved inevitably destroys her while causing her past to come back and haunt her. When Sethe sees Edward Bodwin walking down the street, her fear of her past repeating itself causes her to try to attack him. â€Å"He is coming into her yard and he is coming for her best thing†¦ And if she thinks anything, it is no. No no. Nonono. She flies. The ice pick is not in her hand; it is her hand (262).† The frozen water encapsulates her past. Since the past remains frozen and forever permanent, Beloved’s death captures the essence of Setheà ¢â‚¬â„¢s anger and desire to kill Bodwin. Although the past appears as horrific events, it nevertheless brings Beloved to life. Water is a necessity for life. Beloved’s rebirth holds the entire meaning of life within water. â€Å"A fully dressed woman walked out of the water (50)†. Although Beloved was murdered she continues to liveShow MoreRelated Character of Beloved in Toni Morrisons Beloved Essays2510 Words   |  11 PagesThe Character of Beloved in Toni Morrisons Beloved Perhaps one of the most important issues in Toni Morrisons award-winning novel Beloved is Morrisons intentional diversity of possible interpretations. However the text is looked at and analyzed, it is the variety of these multiple meanings that confounds any simple interpretation and gives the novel the complexity. The debate rages on over many topics, but one issue of central and basic importance to the understanding of the novel is definingRead MoreToni Morrison s Beloved And The Ghosts Of Slavery : Historical Recovery1691 Words   |  7 Pages In the novel Beloved, Toni Morrison develops character Beloved as an allegorical figure to embody slavery’s horrific past and the lasting impact that unresolved past trauma has upon the present. Morrison develops the character Beloved to represent all the unremembered and untold stories of slavery and to further the message that we must maintain a collective memory of slavery in order to pursue a hopeful future. Morrison develops Bel oved as a character through her interactions with other charactersRead More The Red Tent - An Unforgettable Testimony to Women’s Strength and Power3873 Words   |  16 Pagesthe Bible about the character Dinah, and made her story into an unforgettable testimony to women’s strength and power. Overlooking women’s role in Biblical life is easy because there is practically nothing written by or about women. Even though Diamant’s story is fictionalized, there is truth in showing that women did exist, that there was a very important role played by women of that time period, and in showing the power and strength of women in a way that can never be forgotten. Images inspiredRead MoreEudora Welty a Worn Path12166 Words   |  49 Pagesand sacrifices for her grandson. When the narrator tells us at the end of the story that her slow step began on the stairs, going down, it indicates that she is faced with a return journey as arduous as the one she just completed. Time is also important in the story: Phoenix says that she was too old at the Surrender to go to school. If the story takes place in the time it was written, 1941, Phoenix would be anywhere from 80 to 100 years old. This further magnifies the intensity of her journeyRead MoreEudora Welty a Worn Path12173 Words   |  49 Pagesand sacrifices for her grandson. When the narrator tells us at the end of the story that her slow step began on the stairs, going down, it indicates that she is faced with a return journey as arduous as the one she just completed. Time is also important in the story: Phoenix says that she was too old at the Surrender to go to school. If the story takes place in the time it was written, 1941, Phoenix would be anywhere from 80 to 100 years old. This further magnifies the intensity of her journey