For Wednesday, September 3rd, please read up to page 165. Answer any one of the following sets of questions (or feel free to diverge and discuss something else that takes your attention). Please have your blog posted by Wednesday, Sept. 3rd. Also, be sure to come into next class having identified at least one motif (look up the term if you weren’t here at the beginning of last class when we discussed it); have at least three passages marked to discuss for next class.
1. Many have suggested that Beloved focuses most strongly on themes of memory and history; find a passage or two that exemplifies the ways in which these memories and/or history are embodied. In other words, how do memories and/or histories surface, not just through thought, but on or through the body itself? How does the body become a sort of script or narrative that carries with it (and becomes the storyteller of) certain memories or histories? Be sure to point to a specific passage or certain events and explain.
2. Explain your understanding of what horrors and/or major events have taken place (in the past). How does Morrison help the reader to understand the history that has come before the opening (present narrative) moment within the text? What passages from the text provide these historical clues or narrative markers?
3. Choose one character and describe your understanding of that character’s background, personality, and/or purpose within the story. Describe that character as if you are writing us all an email and telling us about someone you just met or spent some time with. Try not to think too hard about what you write, at first, but rather just let yourself describe what comes naturally (or would if you were writing to your best friend about this person you just met). It’ll be interesting to see what sticks in your mind — what your general impressions are of this character. After you’ve done this, however, go back through the text and see what passages, quotes, or specific textual moments help reinforce those general impressions, and build those into your blog response (give evidence from text).
4. In what ways is the opening of the film Beloved different from the opening of the book? Why do you think different choices were made? In what ways did the film even further highlight certain moments?
Be sure you post your comments by 7:00 a.m. on Wednesday, September 3rd. Feel free, too, to write in response to someone else’s comment (if you see things differently, for example, or if you locate another passage within the text that helps to exemplify that person’s point). I want this blog to be as interactive as possible.
