Patterns in Mapping Morrison's Novels

My hypothesis for creating the "Beloved" and "The Bluest Eye" maps below was that there would be an obvious pattern moving northern from individual's cities of origin. The movement from the maps are similar in that all journeys labeled start in the southern United States and moved upward toward the North and the Midwest. The significance behind this movement is that it historically mimics the Great Migration of African-Americans during the 1910s to the 1930s. Although the reasons for the migration weren't explicitly stated within Morrison's novels, the primary motives for moving northward (and in some cases westward) were to escape the slavery mindset and southern racism, the rise of industrialization and the creation of more jobs, and northern states were more sympathetic towards black and offered them more rights such as an education.

The novel "Beloved" is the most conscious of the Great Migration. Paul D's journey is the most scattered regarding the places he's traveled, but in the novel he's the most aware of the freedom associated with the North. When he's leaving the Cherokees, he calls the North "Free North. Magical North. Welcoming, benevolent North (Beloved, 132)." The North becomes his most desirous place to live because it offers him a sense of escape from his role as a slave in the South. Additionally, Paul D shows his knowledge of the industrialization and job opportunities in Ohio stating that although the grain businesses was booming elsewhere, "Cincinnati was still the pig port in the minds of the Ohioans (181)," and in the winter "Cincinnati reassumed its status of slaughter and riverboat capital (182)." I would like to note that in her novels, it was only men who actually participated in industrialized jobs while women usually kept house or sold their domestic work elsewhere.

The use of the Ohio River in "Beloved" is historically significant because it was the dividing line between free states and slaves states. Denver's birth on the banks of the Ohio is symbolic figuratively and literally. In one case, her freedom is debatable because she's born to a slave woman and therefore is claimable as a possession of her mother's master. On the other hand, her birth on the liminal space dividing the free land from slave land could be argued as allowing her to transgress past slavery.

Recitatif Survey Results

It's been four days since I posted the "Recitatif" survey, and here are the results so far.


1. In "Recitatif," how do you racially place the character Roberta?

• Roberta is a black character- 2 votes
• Roberta is a white character- 1 vote
• Can't decided because she can fall under both categories- 2 votes
• Distinguishing her racially is insignificant to the story

2. How would you racially place Twyla?

• Twyla is a black character- 1 votes
• Twyla is a white character- 2 votes
• Can't decide because she can fit into both categories- 2 votes
• Distinguishing her race is insignificant to the story-

3. "'Recitatif' was an experiment in the removal of all racial codes from a narrative," writes Toni Morrison in her Preface to Playing in the Dark: Whiteness and the Literary Imagination. Do you believe she accomplished ridding the short story of racial signifiers?

• Yes, there are no racial signifiers mentioned throughout "Recitatif." - 2 votes
• No, racial signifiers are present all through the story- 2 vote
• She tried to remove mentions of race, but failed- 1 votes
• Don't know-

4. How would you racially place the character Maggie?

• Maggie is black- 1 votes
• Maggie is white-
• Maggie is neither black or white-
• There's not enough information on Maggie to distinguish her- 4 votes
• Don't know-

5. What character of the short story do you sympathize with the most?

• Twyla- 2 votes
• Roberta-
• Maggie- 3 votes
• Twyla's dancing mother-
• Roberta's dancing mother-

Mapping out "Beloved"

Click Map to View a Larger Image

*Disclaimer: The setting of the novel wasn't part of Cincinnati during the time period it was written in, but now it would fall within its boundaries.
**Also, my mapping of Sweet Home is based upon the town of Minnowville which Sethe states was where her midwife came from, and is near the plantation.


The red is Sethe's journey. She's born in either SC or LA, but I chose LA for this map. Then, she is transferred to the Sweet Home plantation. When she escapes Sweet Home, she gives birth to Denver on the bank of the Ohio River and makes her way to Cincinnati, OH to Baby Suggs' house.

The green is Paul D's journey. It begins at Sweet Home where he lives with his brothers. He has the longest journey then being taken to Virginia to a black prison camp, then escaping to Alfred, GA. From Alfred, he walks all the way down to Savannah, GA and crosses the Arkansas River. Next, he arrives in Wilmington, DE where he lives with the weaver woman. Then, he moves on to Ohio, and finally finds and stays at Sethe's house in Cincinnati, OH.

The purple represents Babt Suggs' journey. It begins in the territory of Caroline, which I chose to interpreted as South Carolina. She's then bought and taken to Sweet Home. After that, her freedom is bought by Halle and she's brought to live in a house in Cinicinnati, OH.

The orange is Stamp Paid's journey. Stamp's born in Mississippi, and leaves it via the Mississippi River to go to Memphis, TN. From there he walks to Cumberland, TN. And finally resides in Cincinnati, OH.

Mapping Out "The Bluest Eye"

Click Map to View a Larger Image

Here's my first map of "The Bluest Eye." I'd like to thank my roommate, John Patrick Perez, otherwise this map out not have been possible or would have been unbelievably ugly. I added a small key to the map to show the main journeys taking place, but I'll further explain them below.

The red line is Cholly's journey. It begins in Gerogia where he is born and raised. Next, he travels to Macon, GA to find his father. Then, he goes to Kentucky where he meets Pauline. Finally, ending up in Lorain, Ohio where the novel is set.

The purple line is Pauline's journey. She's born in Alabama, and then her family travel to Kentucky where she meets Cholly. From there, they move to Lorain, Ohio.

The orange represents Soaphead Church. His journey really begins in Dunedin, Florida. He claims it as part of the Caribbean in the novel, so I'm not too positive it was the right location or not. I began his journey from Chicago, IL where he was first able to obtain a job. From there, he moved to Lorain, OH.

Macon, GA- Cholly Breedlove's father's home
China and Poland- Characters in the novel, and two of the prime locations of WW2.
Toledo, OH- Hometown of Maureen Peal
Clarksville, TN- The place where the homeowner of Aunt Jimmy's house lives.

City locations where self-loathing, over domestic black women like Geraldine are bought up;

• Mobile, AL
• Aiken, SC
• Meridian, MS
• Newport News, VA
• Marietta, GA
• Baton Rouge, LA
  

Adaptation to "Sula"

I found this short clip adaptation to Morrison's novel, "Sula," and I think it hits the book right on. At least in my perception of it. It begins when Sula returns to the Bottom, and visits Nel at her home. And ends when Jude returns home and tells the women about his day at work.

The cinematography is very simple, but the execution of the actors is flawless. I haven't been able to find any other adaptations like this of Morrison's other works. Has anyone else run into anything other short film adaptations of her novels? I'm not looking for whole movies based on one of her books, but just small clips reenacting scenes from her novel. I would love the links if you have them!

P.S. Is it just me or does the still frame from the clip above remind you of the cover of Erykah Badu's Worldwide Underground?

"The Bluest Eye" Character List

I've just started editing the current character list of "The Bluest Eye." Unlike the one I made for "Beloved," there was already one started on Wiki although it only originally listed seven of the characters in the whole novel. Lazy Wikiheads.

I'm a little annoyed that the formats for both lists are not standardized, AND whoever created the character list for "The Bluest Eye" didn't alphabetize the list, but overall both lists are legible so I can't really complain. If I find the list annoying enough (which I probably will), I'll most likely alphabetize it sooner rather than later. Promise.


P.S. Does anyone else think Oprah's book club sticker looks like a giant cat eye starting out at you from the book?

Connecting Genealogies in Morrison's Novels

An explanation of character genealogies is a common schematic is most of Morrison's novels. In her first novel, "The Bluest Eye," the lines of genealogy were simple. All the characters were part of an obvious family unit. Claudia, Frieda, and their mother were the MacTeer family. Cholly, Pauline, Sam, and Pecola were the Breedloves. Even apart from blood lineages, there were family-like groups such as the whores China, Poland, and the Maginot Line who resided together. In this sense, genealogy is used primarily as a social distinguisher. The community of Lorain, OH identified each other through family ties. The MacTeers were looked upon as respectable and hardworking, and were easily socialized with others in town. The Breedloves were seen as an "ugly" group of people, and were ostracized from society. And the whores fell under a liminal line, where they were accepted but held no agency within the community.

Morrison's presentation of genealogies changed in their use in other novels. In "Sula," it was still used to distinguish families of the Bottom. However, instead of keeping them territorial to just families, she allowed intersections to be made between characters; specifically melting the characters of Sula and Nel into one. In "Beloved," again they were used differently. Instead of distinguishing and separating, genealogies were used to unify families (and individuals) to one another due to their common history regarding slavery. In "Jazz," all the characters from the past and present were somehow connected through the use of genealogies. And in her latest novel "A Mercy," genealogies are unavailable or so broken up that characters are forced to create and establish their own familial ties.

Using these examples, one could argue they parallel Morrison's philosophy regarding families during the publication time of each novel. At first, viewing the family as a concrete entity, differing from the others and identifying itself through these differences. Then, she establishes interfamilial connections through individuals or through the family as a whole. It is in this setting that a community can become united by shared experiences or common histories. And finally, Morrison reaches the understanding that the concept of a "family" is not so concrete and/or limited. Creating, in "A Mercy," her most untraditional family comprised of four women of no relation, living together on the Vaark's property.

Beloved Character List

I just compiled what is the most complete Beloved character list online at the moment. I've actually checked all the major character sheets online (Sparknotes, Cliffnotes, Morrison Blogs, other Morrison databases, etc.), and found them rather lacking. Since I am computer illiterate, I have posted it online through a Wikipedia page titled Beloved (novel) characters and have linked it with the Beloved (novel) wiki page as well. Pretty rad, huh?

In fact, I challenge anyone to find a character in the novel that isn't on the list. I'll buy you a drink on me if you do. Seriously.

"Recitatif" Response Survey

Click Here to Take The "Recitatif" Survey

I plan on posting the results as another blog relatively soon. Hopefully by Wednesday at the earliest, but I'll likely wait until there's a decent amount of responses.

Black Star's Theives in the Night

Black Star is made up of artists Mos Def and Talib Kweli, who are both well know in the hip hop community for their politically charged music. I've added this song because the chorus directly references the last paragraph(s) of Morrison's "The Bluest Eye."

AND the YouTube video I chose actually explains the activism and agenda behind the song. It's kind of hard to read at times, but it's pretty cool.

The lines of the chorus are as follows;

(Mos Def) Not stong
(Talib Kweli) Only aggressive
(MD) Not free
(TK) We only licensed
(MD) Not compassionate, only polite
(TK) Now who the nicest?
(MD) Not good but well behaved
(TK) Chasin' after death so we can call ourselves brave
(MD) Still livin' like mental slaves
(Both) Hidin' like theives in the night from life
Illusions of oasis makin' you look twice
Hidin' like theives in the night from life
Illusions of oasis makin' you look twice

What's This Blog About?

First off, I'd like to state that I am in no way, shape or form a Toni Morrison scholar. I have read a decent amount of her work, and more criticism than I would have liked but I have no claim to be all knowing on the subject of her or all her works- although I am very opinionated. The reason for creating this blog is to offer a very informal database on her novels, short stories, and other literary works for the enjoyment and useful of others interesting in her and her work. It's also part of a school project, although I want to somehow keep it going afterwards.

In theory, I want this page to be Wiki-like in that I'm open to the idea of others writing their thoughts, opinions, and any type of information not just in the form of comments but in posting blogs directly on the site as well. I don't want this blog to be too serious, but I still want it to be informative and credible. If you'd like to contribute and share ideas via this blog, just shoot me and e-mail with your ideas and I'm more than willing to share the blog space. I'm horrible with long-term commitments like this so the more people involved in the site, the better.

That's my intro the database. Again, if you want to get involved feel free to let me know!


MorrisonScholar@live.com