Delisha Lindsey

Take a perspective on an issue related to Beloved by Toni Morrison and write an essay in which
you conduct research and reflect on the meaning of the novel as a whole

Everyone talks about the physical pain that African-American slaves endured during the 17th
and 18th century. The long and hard body aching work that slaves were forced to do speaks for
itself. They worked nearly an entire day from the crack of dawn to when the sky was pitch black.
That type of labor nearly or did break the bodies of slaves. Not to mention the constant beatings
and torture that African-Americans were subjected to. The word “beatings” doesn’t even fully
and accurately describe the cruelty. But what about the emotional and mental pain that came
along with slavery? How slavery destroyed their self identity. The mental and emotional
discomfort that slaves suffered from had a greater impact than the pain brought on from the
physical abuse.

Slavery was a “a dehumanizing institution” as said by blog.oup (2). This is absolutely accurate.
Africans were kidnapped from their home country and taken to America. You question how can
a human be forced to believe they are longer human. Since when you look at them, they look
like a human. A body, a face, and unique other features. That is a human at least in our eyes.
As a human, one is entitled to certain rights. Obviously these are called human rights. When
slavery was introduced, all the rights of Africans were taken away. They were no longer seen as
humans or “real people”. They became another man’s property. Exactly like a pet animal. Think
about it, a human placed in chains around the neck, hands, and legs.Thrown in crowded boats
and sold and traded. Slavery successfully dehumanized an entire race. Made them lose their
sense of identity. Actually to correct myself, slavery took their sense of identity.

In “The Vary Sides Sides of Slavery”(3) it expressed, “Slavery stripped individuals of their
identity, their self worth, and their potential to become educated and skillful.” Besides the fact
that the institution of slavery destroyed the self identity of both slaves and former slaves by
stripping away their rights. Slave keepers and the government feared slaves with any type of
education. They were determined to keep slaves uneducated and unaware because they
wanted to feel more superior to a race and to decrease the chances of rebellion. Society feared
that black literacy would become a threat to the slave system. There were tons of laws
prohibiting blacks from gaining an education. In the 18th century there were no schools in the
southern states of America that admitted black children to its free public schools according to
Spartacus Education.(2) The example of not allowing slaves, former slaves and freed blacks to
get even a basic learning tore down their self identify and contributed to the emotional and
mental pain caused by slavery. African Americans were once again forced to remain second
citizens to whites. Many of the white society wanted to make it hard as possible or impossible
for blacks to learn. Not being to learn created mental torture because, blacks were not able to
fulfill their right as humans. But, like stated earlier, African-Americans were not seen as humans,
more so property. Being deprived of an education right obviously left many but not all Blacks
uneducated and therefore not able to compete with whites. This educational element killed their
chance of showcasing their many hidden talents and skills. The emotional and mental impact of
this is directly connected to the claim stated earlier. Society found yet another way to hold back
blacks and stop them from progressing. This process as one can expect devastated blacks and
created emotional distress by being controlled by whites and racist laws even after “slavery
ended”. It’s like they were never going to or never allowed to think on their own, learn on their
own, live on their own without fear of persecution. With multiple systems made against
African-Americans, it made them question themselves, their worth, and ultimately their self
identity.

The novel ​Beloved​ by Toni Morrison brings light to the physical, emotional, and spiritual impacts
of slavery done to African-Americans. The characters in the novel suffered more so emotionally
and spiritually since the time frame takes place when they are freed slaves. The most
dangerous effect of slavery that is seen in ​Beloved​ is its impact on former slaves’ sense of self
identity. How some characters fall into deep depression for years post slavery. The novel shows
many examples of self alienation.

Self alienation is the “process of distancing oneself from one’s own feelings or activities”

Slaves were told they were subhuman and were traded as material and that their worth was
expressed in dollar amount. The characters in​ Beloved ​shows the readers first hand on how
slavery destroyed their self identity. For instance, take a look at the character Paul D. Paul D
becomes very insecure about whether or not he is actually a man. He debates within himself
due to the acts he was forced to do while a slave. He even wonders about his value as a
person. Can you imagine an apple or chair being seen as more worthy than an actual human
life?

Beloved ​is an amazing novel that thoughtfully and accurately base a novel off a true
African-American woman's life and actions. The meaning of this novel is to share awareness to
the post impacts slavery had on African-Americans. To show that just because the institution of
slavery ended, the horrible aspects of slavery lived on in the lives of Blacks. The meaning of the
novel also shows the power and strongness that many African Americans had in order to grow
and better themselves after living in trauma for decades. This is done by the author ending the
novel with the characters having new beginnings and realizing their self worth. Finally getting
the happy and accepting ending that black people deserved. How the black community rose
together to comfort each other in a time of need. The meaning of ​Beloved​ has such a huge
significance for black communities today. Today with so much going on in life and society and
how the system is still up against black people and colored people in general, we fail to come
together and help one another. It is unfortunate that instead of working together as we should, in
the black community we fight each other. Instead of fighting those against us. Like in the novel,
the community isolates themselves from Sethe but a group of black women come to her aid
when she needed help with getting rid of Beloved. That scene makes me wish our community
was like this in reality. That no matter what our differences are, we stay united as one. ​Beloved
does a great job at presenting a story that pushes our thinking and reflect on ourselves and our
communities. ​Beloved​ reminds us of the cruelties of slavery that society tries to bury and cover
up. That slavery and its effects on black people will never be forgotten no matter how many
years ago it occurred.

Citations

“Frederick Douglas.” ​Untitled Document,​ msu.edu/~mill2028/douglas.html.

Simkin, John. ​Spartacus Educational​, Spartacus Educational,

spartacus-educational.com/USASeducation.htm.

“Slavery: A Dehumanizing Institution.” ​OUPblog​, 12 Jan. 2016,

blog.oup.com/2006/02/slavery_a_dehum/.