Race of the American Novel Project: Beloved/Critical Commentary

I read a peer reviewed text that talks about dehumanization of these slaves in "Beloved" as well of another book called "Bacchae" by Soyinka. This essay goes over comparisons between these two novels on how these novels showed characteristics of dehumanization and why these authors used them in particular ways. For example, in the text it says "The works of the two modern writers and Nobel laureates Morrison and Soyinka unveil the malaise about the past of the African diaspora. They treat slavery as a crime against humanity and dramatize how dreadfully it undermines physical capacity, individuality, and dignity. Elaine Scarry (1985, p. 29) gives voice, in The Body in Pain, to pain and examines the body as a product of inscription"(90). I think it adds a deeper understanding on the motives and messages Toni Morrison is trying to bring to the novel. In this essay they continue to go over different instances where they show the theme of dehumanization. Later in the article it continues to give more and more examples that go along with the theme and showing how horrifying Morison made slavery. So with this article it helped me understand the motives Toni Morrison might of had when writing all these different instances where the novel goes over dehumanization, and I would have to agree with the articles logic. When reading it, it helped me understand more of that motive Morrison had when writing the book and makes me realize how much impact it now has on how I look back on the novel. For example the article goes over this instance " According to Morrison, millions of Africans were caught in the Middle Passage. Those who died were denied burial and mourning. The unburied body is a prime example of the Lacanian real, and Lacan calls the tomb the first human symbol. Morrison (1987) deals with the relation between dead bodies and their tombs, between the real and the symbolic. Beloved, her self, is a walking reminder of the improperly buried"(92). I never thought of this while reading the book but when reading this article it sheds a whole new light and perspective that I didn't see in the novel which makes more sense to me now when I would look back at it. So it made me understand those hidden messages in the novel that I didn't pick up while just reading it and everything they bring up makes sense to me and brings the novel into a new light.


Source: http://www.jstor.org.ezproxy.uwc.edu/stable/25704096?seq=2#page_scan_tab_contents