Reason # 5 for Sethe's Struggle

To add to Sethe's struggle, when she was escaping from the plantation she lost her husband. She has no idea at this point what has happened to him. She doesnt even know if he is alive.

Men vs. Women in Struggle

Paul D doesnt seem to struggle as much as Sethe, partly because he doesnt have to deal with as many hardships as she does, but he still does have hardships that he seems to be able to deal with. I wonder if Morrison is trying to convey that men are able to deal with their hardships more than women. Do you think this is possible?

Could Morrison Be Trying to Make a Statment??

After further reading, I decided that I have developed another quesion:I wonder if Morrison is saying that when one doesnt recall those terrible memories that they have they will be able to get over their hardships and end their life of struggle. I wonder this because Sethe is constantly reminded of her terrible memories and it is hard for her to get over them. Each thing that she recalls from the past translates more hardships that she also experienced in the past to the reader. On the other hand Paul D doesnt really recount his terrible memories and he seems to be stronger than Sethe. What do you think?

Denver's Struggle

Denver, who is Sethe's living daughter, also has a constant struggle of the returning of the ghost of her sister. She also deals with the hardship of having no friends. She is a very lonely child, in fact her only friend she says is the ghost that everyone else is afraid of.

Sethe's Sons Struggles

Sethe's sons struggle with the constant reminding of the death of their eldest sister, whose ghost wanders around the house. They have to deal with this so much that it forces them to run away, which imposes yet another hardship on their mother, who has to worry about their safety and well-being constantly.

Method # 4 to Sethe's Happiness

Beloved is also a way for Sethe to escape her past. They become very close after meeting when arriving and leaving the carnival. This is the only positive way that Sethe can relive her past. She is open to retelling stories of the past to Beloved, because Beloved enjoys it.

Method # 3 to Sethe's Happiness

Character Paul D. is also a way for Sethe to overcome her hardships. She is happy when she is around him. He tells her that he will always be there for her, no matter what. He cares for her which helps her to distance herself from her terrible past. He also helps to get Sethe and Denver into good standing in the community. He helps them to be seen in a positive light and gets the community to see different from the negative things that are connected to Sethe and Denver based on their history.

Method # 2 to Sethe's Happiness

It also seems that Sethe has a lot of hope that drives her. She was able to leave that plantation, pregnant and still make it to freedom. She left on her on will and the power of God. She trusted her hope to get her to safety.

Method # 1 to Sethe's Happiness

Sethe's major method to withdrawing her memory from reliving her hardships is through love. Sethe uses the strong love that she has for her daughter Denver to surpress her feelings of sadness and desperation. Love is something that is introduced to be able to cure anything. If Sethe did not have anyone to love, she probably would have never decided to take that risk in fleeing the plantation, which by doing so would promise her a free life.

Reason # 4 for Sethe's Struggle

The reader also learns that Sethe also struggles from the death of her mother. Her mother was hung and when she tried to run to her her mother's friend Nan grabbed her. Sethe doesnt like to remember this memory.

Reason # 3 for Sethe's Struggle

Another hardship to add to Sethe is the beating that she recieved. She was beat and robbed of her baby's milk. She has terrible scars on her breasts as a result to this beating by these cruel men.

Reason # 2 For Sethe's Struggle

The fact that she has ran away from the plantation and was seperated from her husband, she fears ever running away from anyplace again. Sethe has a lot of mental and emotional pain that she has to deal with. I wonder if she will ever overcome it?

Reason # 1 for Sethe's Struggle

When more about the past is revealed to the reader we find out that Sethe too, was a slave, another stuggle that she had to face. Her baby daughter's throat was sliced and that resulted in her death. It is also revealed that the book gets its title from the funeral of Sethe's baby daughter. The preacher referred to the child as "Dearly Beloved." After this Sethe had to sleep with a man to pay for the engraving on her daughter's tombstone, which is "Beloved." Sethe has a lot of struggle so far...

Sethe's Happiness

In the post titled, "Sethe's Struggle", all the struggles that she encounters are introduced. In this section who she overcomes these struggles will be discussed, or ways that prevent her from reliving those struggles and hardships.

Still I Rise

http://youtube.com/watch?v=rvk39aMjmy0&feature=related

This is Maya Angelou's Still I Rise. I believe that this is important to see in relation to my blog because although all these struggles arise throughout Black people for some reason they all... Still Rise.

Tribute to the Black Struggle

http://youtube.com/watch?v=4fwW44QvSwQ

This video is a tribute to the everlasting, long struggle of Blacks.

...And Children Too!!

In all of my other examples Black children have never been referenced to having a struggle as well. Well, in this novel the children also struggle. This shows that it is not only Black adults that have to deal with the harsh and cruel past of their ancestors but also the children whose innocence isnt enough to protect them from the struggle of being Black.

Men Struggle Too!

My focus before was on the struggle of women, but Black men also struggle too. In this book, the men are enslaved on a plantation. If that is not worse enough they have to sleep with calves and dream of rape in order to relieve their sexual frustration. Being slaves they are unable to have the freedom to love a woman the way they want to and they are forced to result to unhumanlike methods in order to suffice their biological needs.

Sethe's Struggle

Another character, Sethe is introduced with a struggle as well. She has to live with the haunting of the ghost of her dead firstborn baby daughter. I am going to be developing this struggle that Sethe has to encounter and see the things that she does in order to overcome it.

Is it Destiny?

In the first chapter of the book, the struggle that dated to the beginning of all African-Americans is referenced:slavery. It is announced that Baby Suggs is in a state of depression due to exhaustion from slavery and the death of all her children. Not only does Baby Suggs have to deal with the fact that she was born into slavery, something that cannot be changed because she is black, but she also has to deal with the death of ALL of her children. It seems that even from just reading this part that if it is not one thing it is another. I am getting the idea that it is destined for Blacks to stuggle in this book, almost like a curse that is inescapable.

New Book!!

I decided to switch to another book...Beloved by Toni Morrison. I will go back to White Teeth later. I just want to see if I can find for to develop my ideas based on my essential question. I will now be able to compare and contrast events that happen throughout both books. =)