Should Beloved Be Taught In Schools

Why Beloved Should Still be Taught in School
The concept of having Beloved banned in public schools is just a ludicrous idea and should be removed by the schools that currently enforce it. Although many students may not like reading, the book helped me realize the importance of the things I take for granted after reading the book. Beloved should still be taught in schools because of the major values it teaches including racism, family, and the true meaning of freedom. Beloved helps recognize the true meaning of freedom due to the many past experiences that are played out in the story. An example of freedom in the book is how harsh and cruel schoolteacher was to all of the slaves on the plantation. From Mr. Garner to schoolteacher, the conversion was horrific. Mr. Garner treated his slaves with respect and even gave his slaves last names, something that they had never had before. The chokecherry tree is a significant piece in the story because it
is a collection of scars from all the whippings that Sethe had and is a memory of everything that she wen t through when she was still a slave. All the whippings that she received from schoolteacher align into the shape of a chokecherry tree. A final point of slavery is how Halle worked to buy Baby Suggs her freedom. After many years on the plantation and excruciating pain, Halle thought it was only right to free Baby Suggs from Sweet Home. Another important lesson that the story teaches is the value of family through the events that occur at 124.
For example, the character Paul D is a character that falls in and out of the story. In the beginning of the book, Paul D temporarily stays with Sethe setting the tone that Paul D, Sethe, and Denver could all work together as a family. “The shadows of three people still held hands.” (Morrison 49) As explained in the quote, the three of them held hands via shadow when they went to the carnival and seemed like everything would work out in harmony, all until Beloved was brought into the picture and throws off the balance in the house. The importance of family is also explained when Denver, Beloved, and Sethe develop a relationship upon each other developing the concept of she is “mine”. “You are mine”,( repeated three times by each character)( Morrison217) A final example of love for family is the point in the book when Sethe killed Beloved for her own benefit to protect Beloved from being raised into
slavery. A final example of why Beloved should still be taught in schools is because of the various points of views that it has on racism which is what connects all the characters in the story together. Sethe had been raped, robbed of her milk, and conditions forced her to kill her daughter Beloved. Paul D had been imprisoned in a cube in an all blacks prison after attempted murder, and Stamp Paid was forced to give his wife away to another white man who took his wife away for over a year. One of the racist events that occurs in the book is when Sethe was branded, lashed out, and thought of as a baby mill to her master thus putting her in inhumane conditions where she is treated and worked like an animal. Another incident of racism is when Sethe is at work and a woman is making racist remarks towards Sethe. A final example of racism in the book, is a time with Paul D where he is muzzled and gagged so he cannot speak or make any comments, putting him in poor work conditions and under schoolteacher’s rule, being treated like an animal. The poor memories that Paul D does not want to remember are stored in his “tobacco tin”. All in all,