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Example research essay topic: Freed Slaves Slave Owners - 1,516 words

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Beloved is a novel set in Ohio several years after the Civil War. The book focuses on characters that struggle fruitlessly to keep their painful recollections of the past at bay. The whole story revolves around issues of race, gender, the black community, and the supernatural. The focus of this paper is going to be on how these things were affected by the emancipation of the slaves and the reconstruction period, the time in which the story is placed. The story concentrates on events arising from the Fugitive Slave Act, it describes the unspeakable consequences of an escape from slavery for Sethe, her children and Paul D. The story line begins many years after Sethe's break for freedom, and it gradually persuades the reader to accept the haunting of 124 Bluestone Road by a two year old child, killed by her mother Sethe: Full of babys venom.

The women in the house knew it and so did the children by 1873 Sethe and her daughter Denver were its only victims (Page 1). The novel is divided into three parts. The parts open with statements as to indicate the progress of the haunting, from the ghost to the materialized spirit to the final freeing of both the spirit and Sethe: Part I: 124 WAS SPITEFUL (Page 1); Part II: 124 WAS LOUD (Page 169); Part III: 124 WAS QUIET (Page 239). These parts reflect the progressive reconciliation of a betrayed child and her desperate mother. Overall symbolizing the gradual acceptance of freedom and the enormous work and continuous struggle that would last for the next 100 years. The dynamics of the story attempt to distance the reader from direct exposure to the extremes of the real horror contained in the storyline.

The novel moves around from place to place, from the past to the present. This style of writing is necessary to understand the psychological and emotional state of the characters. Reading this story is a lot like hearing a story being told. Events that occurred during and after Sethe's freedom are slowly placed together as the novel goes on. Sethe needs to remember her past in order to rebuild her identity: Some things just stay. I used to think it was my re memory.

You know. Some things you forget. Other things you never do. But its not.

Places, places, are still there. If a house burns down its gone, but the place -- the picture of it -- stays, and not just in re memory, but out there in the world (Page 35). These types of memories help Sethe to keep her senses. Without these memories to keep things in perspective she would surely go insane.

Morrison moves around to each character giving each a chance to express their perception of events to the reader, Baby Suggs portrayal of her grandchild's murder is a great example. Baby Suggs had got the boys inside and was bathing their heads, rubbing their hands, lifting their lids, whispering, Beg your pardon, I beg your pardon, the whole time (Page 152). Within this horror, the insensitivity of her landlord is shown when Baby Suggs is approached by her landlords kids regarding fixing some shoes. Baby Suggs She took the shoes from him saying, I beg your pardon. Lord, I beg your pardon. I sure do (Page 153).

Paul Ds memories of sweet home are remembered to confront his and Sethe's past. Paul D smiled then, remembering the bedding dress. Sethe was thirteen when she came to Sweet Home and already iron-eyed (Page 10). These various voices act as witnesses to Sethe's experiences and showing how black women had no control over their husbands, children or own bodies. Racial issues are one of the main issues in this novel. The story revolves around the life of a former slave and her attempts to get on with her life as best as she can considering what the white slave owners have put her through.

The cruelties of the slaves by the slave owners in this story are probably conservative compared to what happened in most cases. This novel is about emotions and perceptions of African Americans and the burden of sorrow that they have inherited from being treated like animals. The violation begins at the moment of capture, when the native Africans were forcefully taken from their homes and moved to a new place all the way across the Atlantic. She told Sethe that her mother and Nan were together from the sea. Both were taken up many times by the crew (Page 62). Sethe's mother threw away the children of the abusers, exercising her choice to kill, as her daughter will do herself later.

One did it for hate and the other for love, but for both the choice to kill was the ultimate act of protection. She threw them all away but you You she gave the name of the black man. She put her arms around him. The others she did not put her arms around. Never.

Never (Page 62). For Sethe the escape from slavery intensified her bonds with her children. For the first time she felt that she could love her children unreservedly and had a vision of true freedom. Look like I loved em more after I got here. Or maybe I couldnt love em in Kentucky because they wasnt mine to love A place where you could love anything you choose not to need permission for desire well now that was freedom (Page 162).

The emancipation caused Sethe to feel confident about loving her children because she knew now that she would not lose them to slave owners. This is one of the few things that changed in Sethe's life because of the emancipation of her people. The racism and hatred for the former slaves were still expressed by the former slave owners even though the Reconstruction had started. Gender issues are also dominant in this novel. Three of the four main characters are female. The novel not only tells the story of an ex-slave but of a womans life.

The bulk of the story deals with a mother (Sethe), her daughter (Denver), and a female stranger (Beloved). The African-American spirituality reflected in the novel by Baby Suggs character indicates the responsibility African-American women have in developing the community. Baby Suggs also questions the racial inferiority implied by slavery and stresses a better life on earth. For the women of the story they had to deal with not only being thought of as inferior to the white man but also being inferior to the male gender. The emphasis of community is also expressed in this book. Denver had never left 124 Bluestone Road and never encountered white people until forced to seek help from her community where she recognizes the danger that Beloved posed to Sethe.

She grows in some ways by treating her mother and Beloved as children. When she is in the house of Bodwin a pro anti-slavery activist she sees a small statue of a black boy kneeling with his mouth open to be used as a moneybox. Painted across the pedestal he knelt on were the words At yo service (Page 255). Denver realizes that getting help from this man who owns this ornament is contributing to racism and her freedom is only possible with the help of the black community.

During the Reconstruction Period the freed slaves were not respected by anyone. Even though the union fought to free them they were not wanted by the union once they realized what a burden millions of people would be on the economy. They knew that there were African-Americans who needed jobs in order to make money to feed their families. These jobs were once held by whites that now had to share them with blacks. This caused a strain on the whites as well as the blacks. This made the union whites resent the blacks.

The former slave owners were also at a loss because of the Emancipation. Now they had no one to help tend their fields except for blacks that they now had to pay to do the work. This caused many of the plantation owners to find new lines of work. The end of this novel emphasizes the importance of the community and the individuals search for self that characterizes the survival of the freed slaves. Sethe is destroyed by her memories until the community steps in and saves her. The black community and their unity is an essential factor to help the healing of some two hundred years of slavery and another one hundred plus years of political abuse.

In conclusion Beloved is a novel that represents the hopes and aspirations of black America. Special emphasis has been placed on black women. These women have struggled and will continue to struggle under a double burden: That of racial prejudice and that of a male centered society. Without each other the black community would not be where it is today. Although they have come a long way since the Emancipation they still have more to conquer. Bibliography:


Free research essays on topics related to: reconstruction period, african americans, baby suggs, slave owners, freed slaves

Research essay sample on Freed Slaves Slave Owners

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