Beloved (novel): Difference between revisions

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{{work}}
{{work}}
{{Infobox book
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'''''Beloved''''' (1987) is a Pulitzer Prize winning [[Novel]] by [[Toni Morrison]].
| title = Beloved
| image = Beloved-cover.jpg
| caption =
| author = Toni Morrison
| central theme =
| elevator pitch =
| genre =
| publication date = September 1987
| wiki URL =
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}}
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'''''Beloved''''' is a 1987 Pulitzer Prize winning [[Novel]] by [[Toni Morrison]].


In 1873, during the aftermath of slavery and [[The American Civil War]], a ghost haunts 124 Bluestone Road. Sethe and her youngest daughter Denver live with the ghost of a vengeful dead baby (Sethe's firstborn daughter) until the arrival of Paul D, an old acquaintance from Sethe's past days as a slave. After Paul D chases away the spirit and situates himself into their lives, it appears as though Sethe finally has a chance at stability and happiness. However, this changes when a beautiful young woman in a pretty hat emerges from nowhere and magics her way into 124.
In 1873, during the aftermath of slavery and [[The American Civil War]], a ghost haunts 124 Bluestone Road. Sethe and her youngest daughter Denver live with the ghost of a vengeful dead baby (Sethe's firstborn daughter) until the arrival of Paul D, an old acquaintance from Sethe's past days as a slave. After Paul D chases away the spirit and situates himself into their lives, it appears as though Sethe finally has a chance at stability and happiness. However, this changes when a beautiful young woman in a pretty hat emerges from nowhere and magics her way into 124.
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Was cited as one of the books instrumental in Morrison winning the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1993.
Was cited as one of the books instrumental in Morrison winning the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1993.


It was made into a film in 1998 starring [[Oprah Winfrey]] and [[Danny Glover]].
It was made into [[Beloved (1998 film)|a 1998 film]] starring [[Oprah Winfrey]] and [[Danny Glover]].

Not to be confused with [[Beloved|any of the other works called "Beloved" or "The Beloved"]].


{{tropelist}}
{{tropelist}}
* [[Ascend to a Higher Plane of Existence]]: Arguably {{spoiler|what happens to Beloved at the end}}.
* [[Ascend to a Higher Plane of Existence]]: Arguably {{spoiler|what happens to Beloved at the end}}.
* [[Blood-Splattered Innocents]]: Oh dear God, Sethe's children.
* [[Blood-Splattered Innocents]]: Oh dear God, Sethe's children.
⚫
* [[Cheshire Cat Grin]]: Beloved's smile in the film is a rather terrifying example.
* [[Clingy Jealous Girl]]: In a non-romantic way, Denver for her mother.
* [[Clingy Jealous Girl]]: In a non-romantic way, Denver for her mother.
* [[Contemplate Our Navels]]: Hoo boy.
* [[Contemplate Our Navels]]: Hoo boy.
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* [[Fan Disservice]]: So much. Sethe getting "milked," Beloved having sex with Paul D...
* [[Fan Disservice]]: So much. Sethe getting "milked," Beloved having sex with Paul D...
* [[Full-Frontal Assault]]: Beloved in the novel's climax.
* [[Full-Frontal Assault]]: Beloved in the novel's climax.
* [[Heroic BSOD]]: Sethe's severe state of lethargy after {{spoiler|Beloved disappears}}.
* [[Heroic BSOD]]: Sethe's severe state of lethargy after {{spoiler|Beloved disappears}}.
** Very similar to what happened to Baby Suggs after Sethe arrived at 124.
** Very similar to what happened to Baby Suggs after Sethe arrived at 124.
* [[I Want My Beloved to Be Happy]]: Gone horribly, HORRIBLY wrong.
* [[I Want My Beloved to Be Happy]]: Gone horribly, ''horribly'' wrong.
* [[Jigsaw Puzzle Plot]]
* [[Jigsaw Puzzle Plot]]
* [[Knight Templar Parent]]: Sethe takes this to its extreme, tragic conclusion.
* [[Knight Templar Parent]]: Sethe takes this to its extreme, tragic conclusion.
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* [[Mama Bear]]: Played ''very'' darkly.
* [[Mama Bear]]: Played ''very'' darkly.
* [[Magic Realism]]: Beloved's original form (the ghost at 124) and later corporeal aspect are supernatural in nature, but never explained. The ''why'' of her return isn't a plot point, with the novel focusing on its effect instead.
* [[Magic Realism]]: Beloved's original form (the ghost at 124) and later corporeal aspect are supernatural in nature, but never explained. The ''why'' of her return isn't a plot point, with the novel focusing on its effect instead.
* [[Mind Screw]]: And HOW. Arguably one of the best examples you'll find in English literature.
* [[Mind Screw]]: And HOW. Arguably one of the best examples you'll find in English literature; the book was mentioned in Toni Morrison's Nobel Prize award.
* [[My Greatest Failure]]: For Oprah; she spent years trying to get the film made and despite hyping it on her show for the bulk of 1998, it flopped at the box office. This is partly because Oprah stayed true to the book's dark tones, which scared off critics.
* [[My Greatest Failure]]: For Oprah; she spent years trying to get the film made and despite hyping it on her show for the bulk of 1998, it flopped at the box office. This is partly because Oprah stayed true to the book's dark tones, which scared off critics.
* [[Parental Abandonment]]: Beloved views her {{spoiler|murder at the hands of her mother}} as Parental Abandonment.
* [[Parental Abandonment]]: Beloved views her {{spoiler|murder at the hands of her mother}} as Parental Abandonment.
* {{spoiler|[[Pater Familicide]]}}: {{spoiler|This is what Sethe tried when the schoolteacher arrived at 124. She succeeded in slitting Beloved's throat, severely injured her two sons, and nearly bashed Denver's brains against the shed wall. Keep in mind that her oldest children were toddlers.}}
* {{spoiler|[[Pater Familicide]]}}: {{spoiler|This is what Sethe tried when the schoolteacher arrived at 124. She succeeded in slitting Beloved's throat, severely injured her two sons, and nearly bashed Denver's brains against the shed wall. Keep in mind that her oldest children were toddlers.}}
* [[Psychopathic Manchild|Psychopathic Womanchild]]: Beloved.
* [[Psychopathic Manchild|Psychopathic Womanchild]]: Beloved.
* [[Rape as Drama]]
* [[Rape as Drama]]
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* [[Title Drop]]: Beloved, and the inscription on Sethe's daughter's tombstone.
* [[Title Drop]]: Beloved, and the inscription on Sethe's daughter's tombstone.
* [[Very Loosely Based on a True Story]]: Sethe was inspired by [http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/entry.php?rec=168 Margaret Garner].
* [[Very Loosely Based on a True Story]]: Sethe was inspired by [http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/entry.php?rec=168 Margaret Garner].

Tropes from [[Beloved (1998 film)|the 1998 film]] include:
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* [[Cheshire Cat Grin]]: Beloved's smile in the film is a rather terrifying example.


{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}
{{Pulitzer Prize for Fiction}}
[[Category:Historical Fiction Literature]]
{{Top 100 Banned Books 1990s}}
{{Top 100 Banned Books 2000s}}
{{Top 100 Banned Books 2010s}}
{{Reader's Digest 56 Best Horror Books of All Time}}
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[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
[[Category:The Eighties]]
[[Category:The Eighties]]
[[Category:Films of the 1990s]]
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[[Category:Beloved]]
[[Category:The Great American Read]]
[[Category:The Great American Read]]
[[Category:Multiple Works Need Separate Pages]]
[[Category:Historical Fiction Literature]]
[[Category:Literature of the 1980s]]
[[Category:Films Based on Novels]]
[[Category:Literary Works by African-American Authors]]
[[Category:Literary Works by African-American Authors]]
[[Category:Film]]
[[Category:Literature of the 1980s]]

Latest revision as of 23:51, 20 July 2023

Beloved
Written by: Toni Morrison
Central Theme:
Synopsis:
First published: September 1987
v · d · e

Beloved is a 1987 Pulitzer Prize winning Novel by Toni Morrison.

In 1873, during the aftermath of slavery and The American Civil War, a ghost haunts 124 Bluestone Road. Sethe and her youngest daughter Denver live with the ghost of a vengeful dead baby (Sethe's firstborn daughter) until the arrival of Paul D, an old acquaintance from Sethe's past days as a slave. After Paul D chases away the spirit and situates himself into their lives, it appears as though Sethe finally has a chance at stability and happiness. However, this changes when a beautiful young woman in a pretty hat emerges from nowhere and magics her way into 124.

Beloved is not your typical ghost story. It is, however, a complex character study filled to the brim with tragedy, examinations of horrific historical injustices, the pain caused by slavery, the bonds between mothers and daughters, and Mind Screws of epic proportions.

Was cited as one of the books instrumental in Morrison winning the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1993.

It was made into a 1998 film starring Oprah Winfrey and Danny Glover.

Not to be confused with any of the other works called "Beloved" or "The Beloved".

Tropes used in Beloved (novel) include:

Tropes from the 1998 film include:

Retrieved from "https://allthetropes.org/wiki/Beloved_(novel)?oldid=2020186"