The Afro-American Tradition in Toni Morrison's Beloved

Abstract

This article is a critical study of Beloved, Toni Morrison's latest novel, and winner of the 1987 Pulitzer Price. In it, I penetrate the linguistic wealth and the stylistic variety of the novel, trying to explore the Afroamerican tradition that pervades it. Themes such as slavery, the impact of the community, human relationships and love in all their facets, the search for one's roots, or the strength of the black female are on this occasion treated by Toni Morrison more bravely and openly than ever, and are surrounded by the evocative symbolism of the African folklore. All these ingredients form a magic story, but non the less credible, which is a mixture of deep reflection, historic document and bitter cry of protest.