Dehumanization Of Sethe In Beloved

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The novel Beloved by Toni Morrison explores many themes that embody the hardships slaves endured throughout their lives. Morrison uses characterization to portray the thoughts and experiences of Sethe, an oppressed slave. Throughout the novel Sethe encounters many tragic events of physical abuse and verbal attacks, this leads to the development of Sethe’s character in the novel. Morrison conveys the mistreatment and dehumanization of Sethe through flashbacks that occurred before she became a freed slave at 124.
Sethe is not the exception to the millions of slaves who were beaten for unjustified motives. Sethe’s flashback to her at Sweet Home implies her psychological and emotional distress.
“I’ve never seen it and never will. But that’s what she said it looked like. A chokecherry tree. Trunk, branches, and even leaves. Tiny little chokecherry leaves. But that was eighteen years ago. Could have cherries too now for all I know… ‘I had milk,’ she said. ‘I was pregnant with Denver but I had milk for my baby girl. I hadn’t stopped nursing her when I set her on ahead with Howard and Buglar.’” (18) Morrison creates this visual imagery of a tree on Sethe’s back to demonstrate the use of inhumane methods of punishment used by white men that cause Sethe a lot of pain and is difficult to forget.
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The unconventional account of trees, a recurring motif throughout the novel has various meanings, for Sethe a chokecherry tree is engraved on her back to represent her memory when she was dehumanized and deprived of her natural rights. Providing milk for her children was the the only thing she was able to guarantee to the nurture of her children without being punished. Although, Morrison’s tone in this passage accounts for something greater that impacts the life of Sethe by how her future is shaped at 124. The engraved tree on Sethe’s back is symbolic for the punishment of scarring. Sethe is punished for speaking out, so she is physically abused by Schoolteacher. “Them boy found out I told on em. Schoolteacher made one open on my back and when it closed it made a tree” (20). Schoolteacher’s behavior in the novel dehumanizes the slaves to the point where they are no longer human beings. Morrison uses figurative language to create this visual imagery that Schoolteacher’s actions are not justified and will not be able to leave Sethe’s memory. There is not a part of her that she does not hate due to the physical torture that has happened to her. Sethe’s flashbacks from Sweet Home have an effect on the her future when she is free from her horrendous past. She always remembers being socially deprived when Schoolteacher presented her with animal characteristics. Not being able to someway be move on from “You got two feet, Sethe, not four,” he said, and right then a forest sprang up between them; trackless and quiet.” Morrison, conveys her novel with figurative language and motifs that portray much more Schoolteacher’s words account many events in her life where she is told she associated with an animal rather than a human being. “I am full God damn it of two boys with mossy teeth, one sucking on my breast the other holding me down, their book-reading teacher watching

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