Beloved Symbolism Essay

Toni Morrison effectively provides reasons for the behaviour of her magical realism and gothic horror novel characters via her style of writing and the representation of them. Beloved is mainly written in third-person omniscient. However, Morrison’s novel is written in a constant flux, changes in point of view and narrators. This in course outcomes to repetition used to reveal other perspectives and the importance of key events, as well as to carry out a main symbol or notion. Beloved is filled with symbols in which she represents her characters with, bringing out some colour in them – colour being a main theme.

Point of view in a novel establishes how much the reader engages with the characters. Morrison begins the novel in third-person omniscient, immediately introducing the
The significance of her being the third child is portrayed in the house number, 124, in that the number three is absent. The house itself can be a representation of Beloved, “when 124 was alive” (Page 112) for it is written in context of before her death. The “pool of red undulating light” (Page 10) Paul D sees when he enters the house can be associated with Beloved’s blood after Sethe had cut her throat. Also, the connotations of the colour red reflect danger and evil, such behaviour of Beloved’s when she resurrects can be considered evil. She fixes Paul D to make love to her. Beloved is still a child in that she was only of the age of two when she died, and when she resurrects she behaves “…like a two-year old.” (Page 116) So in her defence, she may have just been curious. However, this may also be interpreted to be an intentional act to create a wedge between Sethe and her new happiness. Beloved’s resurrection in general can be seen as a return for revenge. Beloved also does not deny Sethe’s accusation of her choking Sethe and blames it on “the circle of iron.” (Page