Write on the Theme of Memory in “Beloved.”

Answer

Write on the theme of memory in “Beloved.” 

In Toni Morrison’s (1931-2019) “Beloved,” (1987) the theme of memory plays a crucial role in connecting the past and the present. The novel shows that memories, especially painful ones, are not easily forgotten and can haunt individuals long after traumatic events have occurred.

The Haunting Presence of Memory: Memory is deeply tied to the characters’ struggles and traumas in the novel. Sethe’s life is dominated by memories of her time at Sweet Home plantation. The most traumatic moment was when she killed her daughter to save her from a life of slavery. This act, although in the past, haunts Sethe daily and manifests through the ghost of Beloved. For example, when Beloved’s ghost arrives at 124, her presence immediately triggers Sethe’s recollections of her painful history. Beloved’s questions force Sethe to relive events she would rather forget, such as the abuse she endured at Sweet Home and the loss of her children. Sethe says,

Some things just stay. I used to think it was my rememory…. Places, places are still there.

The Inescapable Past: The novel suggests that memory can be destructive if it prevents moving forward. Paul D says that instead of a heart, he has a “tobacco tin” in his chest, where he keeps all of his painful memories and emotions.

It was some time before he could put… the taste of iron,… one by one, into the tobacco tin lodged in his chest.

This image of “tobacco tin” symbolizes his need to repress memories and hold back emotions, just as Sethe and other slaves have had to do in order to survive. Otherwise, attempting to confront the horrible realities of slavery can completely overwhelm a person, as happens to Halle and other slaves who go mad.

In short, the past remains alive in the present for the characters in the novel. Forgetting these traumatic memories becomes essential for healing.