First Thoughts on *Beloved*

 

To be honest, I didn’t really enjoy the first sixty pages of the book. It’s still too early to say if I will later come to like to book, but Toni Morrison’s writing is definitely one to get used to. The story line is a bit difficult to follow since it constantly jumps from past to present. Since the story line is choppy, I’m still not very familiar with the characters. I’m confused about the roles of all the people mentioned at Sweet Home. I’m sure the place was abusive, but there are times when I think the home wasn’t as harsh to slaves as other farms/plantations. Mrs. Garner gave Sethe crystal earrings for her wedding gift, but then again, Sethe was brutally whipped at Sweet Home.

I also wonder what the relationship between Paul D. and Sethe is. I thought they were friends, but he just suddenly appeared and started developing an interest in her. I guess it’s purely out of a possessive nature since Sethe’s husband, Halle, is gone. After sleeping with her, however, he doesn’t find her attractive anymore now that he has had her. It seems like he is staying at Sethe’s house from now on, so I wonder where the relationship will go from there, since Sethe doesn’t really have mutual feelings for Paul D.