Cliffsnotes Morrison's Beloved (Frommer's)

By Mary Robinson

Book Overview

Classified as historical fiction, and gothic horror story, this novel tells the story of a woman who murders her daughter to protect her from the living hell of slavery. Told in flashbacks, memories,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 076458667X
• ISBN13: 9780764586675
• Release Date: January 2000
• Publisher: Cliff Notes
• Length: 117 Pages
• Weight: 0.34 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.3" x 0.5" x 5.3"

Customer Reviews

Anything but unbelievable and incomprehensible

I wasn't originally going to comment on this book, but after reading the multitude of bizarre responses from other readers I couldn't resist. Comments describing Toni Morrison's poor grasp of the English language, the unorganized, sloppy writing style, and the characters' unbelievable motivations baffled me. And then there was the confused reader from Columbus, Ohio who believes the novel is about devil-worshipping. But what struck me the most was how many teenage readers didn't understand the novel. Guys, you're making us look bad! There is nothing in Beloved that an average reader should have difficulty with; anyone who abandons their expectations and opens their mind to the writing style will thoroughly enjoy such an engrossing novel. The writing style is not sloppy and unorganized, it was a carefully planned randomness, an attempt to imitate the way "rememories" surface in a person's mind. This is how the novel progresses--the characters recall memories in response to the slightest stimuli, thinking of the past daily the way we all do. And it is their pasts which become the characters' motivations in the present, guiding their actions and branching the plot into an ever-expanding chokecherry tree of intrigue. Does the novel wrap up all of its loose ends? No, it doesn't even come close, but that, once again, is a result of the experimental (and successful!) writing style. There is no true end, and no true beginning; like time and memories the novel is fluid. As Toni Morrison herself said, the past is infinite, as is the world of BELOVED.

Toni Morrison's express great emotion in her writings.

Beloved was one of the most outspoken novels I have read in my eighteen years of life. Toni Morrison is a writer of thorough expression and has earn her title as one of the world's best authors. Morrison's writings possess originality, personality, and an incredible sense of reality. She deserves five stars.

Form your own opinion!

At the end of the book PaulD said, "Well, if you want my opinion-" Denver said, "I don't." I think the author is asking to form your own opinion. I think the author is saying that Beloved is slavery and that she is in Sethe's mind. Even after body is free of slavery the mind is not. Also Beloved is about loneliness.

As soon as I figured out how to read the book I was taken in

I was astontished and fasninated by the writings of Toni Morrison. She made every aspect of my whole being come alive with her deep imagery and masterful words. Everyone who needs to be touched by a powerful force needs to read "Beloved"

Coexsistence with guilt cultivates chaos within the soul.

"Beloved" was I think was didactically evil and good spirit that plauged Sethie as an earthly spirit and not in flesh. It was perceived by the other people as real but only because Sethie had made it this way. When Halle comes to visit the house, this is where one of the core themes of the book starts. Sethie can live only with guilt of her lost child. She feels that she doesn't deserve the right to be truly free in life and for her children's sake. Halle becomes a "Diversion" so to speak. He becomes a symbol of freedom for Sethie. Sethie is able to feel love? She is able to vaguely forget or Disremember what has happend to her and condone Halle's love. Halle symbolizes freedom in this book and freedom comes to free Sethie's guilt from bereavement. The spirit appears in some sort of surrealistic form to relapse and plauge Sethie's guilt. Just read the book on my own and this is my own opinion or general jist of what the book was about. I think this woman is spectacularly witty and completely engorges my intellect. I really don't understand a lot of her symbolism that she uses, but I want to learn more. If anyone would like to reply I would love to hear from you thanks.