Essay On Symbolism In Toni Morrison's Beloved
Morrison’s Beloved draws inspiration from the story of Margaret Garner, an escaped slave from Kentucky. Within the novel, many symbols are used to provide the characters with various forms of relief from the horrors of slavery. In Beloved, trees provide a sense of comfort and healing, and help former slaves to cope with their past and present. In the woods, “hidden by post oaks [and] five boxwood bushes” Denver finds her comfort amongst the trees (34). Denver’s “emerald closet” provides her a place of protection amidst the upheaval back at 124 Bluestone with the entrance of Paul D (45). In this encompass of trees, Denver’s imagination creates extravagant ideas in attempt to entertain herself as her “loneliness wore her out” (35). Her loneliness
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After Paul D’s horrifying experience in Alfred, Georgia, where he is subject to sexual acts and other forms of brutal treatment, he eventually finds the help in his escape to freedom with the assistance of the Cherokee tribe. He is advised to “follow the tree flowers” in order to find free North (132). Additionally, at this time, Paul D encounters an aspen “too young to call a sapling”, one that reminds him of another tree, Brother, he once loved back at Sweet Home. This aspen, that is “old, wide, and beckoning”, is subject to potential brutality, yet has a possible new beginning and start to life (260). Thus, the aspen sapling reminds him of himself in a sense. For Paul D, trees become a symbol of a second chance at his life. In order to find freedom, he has to learn to trust the trees and associate them with hope. After overcoming many of the struggles from Sweet Home to Georgia, he understands that “trees [are] inviting; things you could trust and be near” (25). The Brother tree back at Sweet Home gets him through tough times as he could “talk to [the tree] if [he] wanted to”(25). In a similar way, the tree flowers and the aspen are Paul D’s chance to cope with his past and restart his life and end his enslavement. Without the assistance of trees, Paul D may not have had the hope and experience a sort of healing to continue his journey North and escape to
After Paul D’s horrifying experience in Alfred, Georgia, where he is subject to sexual acts and other forms of brutal treatment, he eventually finds the help in his escape to freedom with the assistance of the Cherokee tribe. He is advised to “follow the tree flowers” in order to find free North (132). Additionally, at this time, Paul D encounters an aspen “too young to call a sapling”, one that reminds him of another tree, Brother, he once loved back at Sweet Home. This aspen, that is “old, wide, and beckoning”, is subject to potential brutality, yet has a possible new beginning and start to life (260). Thus, the aspen sapling reminds him of himself in a sense. For Paul D, trees become a symbol of a second chance at his life. In order to find freedom, he has to learn to trust the trees and associate them with hope. After overcoming many of the struggles from Sweet Home to Georgia, he understands that “trees [are] inviting; things you could trust and be near” (25). The Brother tree back at Sweet Home gets him through tough times as he could “talk to [the tree] if [he] wanted to”(25). In a similar way, the tree flowers and the aspen are Paul D’s chance to cope with his past and restart his life and end his enslavement. Without the assistance of trees, Paul D may not have had the hope and experience a sort of healing to continue his journey North and escape to