States of Consciousness in Morrison’s Beloved

Perhaps society’s most eluding concepts are those of the various states of consciousness. As an intangible entity whose understanding requires a mentality far superior to that of mankind, each state of consciousness has been the subject of countless speculations and interpretations. In the novel Beloved, Toni Morrison explores and offers an entirely new image of a level of consciousness reached by Beloved after death and during a type of reincarnation. Morrison’s frequent use of flashbacks, unique aspects of her style, and her adept use of characterization all effectively create a mood and setting of the afterlife into which her readers are inevitably immersed.

According to definition, "A flashback is a section of a literary work that interrupts a sequence of events to relate an event from an earlier time." (The English Tradition, p. 1400) Although technically correct, utilization of the harsh word "interrupt" in the definition mistakenly conjures up a belief that flashbacks are not a good technique. While some authors misuse flashbacks in a confusing way, other authors wield them as an effective method to paint backgrounds behind their story line foregrounds. Morrison’s novel Beloved can nearly be described as a novel-sized flashback with some story line thrown in, due to her maximized use of this literary technique. Where the seldom-seen realms of consciousness are concerned, however, only one of Morrison’s many flashbacks steps conspicuously forward as a prime example: Beloved’s death and reincarnation. This flashback appears third in a series of four parallel, chapter-size flashbacks. In this manner Morrison is able to offer three separate point of views on the same situation: The love triangle between Sethe and her two daughters, Denver and Beloved. This particular flashback is unique, however, as it offers the supernatural view of Beloved throughout her process of returning to unite with Sethe.

Essentially, an author’s style is the backbone of his narrative. Some may argue that the plot, setting, or characters are more highly valued, but style can encompass them all. A unique style like that of Morrison can add excitement and suspense to a story; drawing and captivating a reader. Morrison’s style is incredibly illustrated in Beloved’s flashback. The diction and syntax (word choice and arrangement thereof, respectively) create a dark, desolate, yet hopeful mood in the reader through unbelievable imagery, description, repetition, and figurative language. "...his mouth smells sweet but his eyes are locked..." (Beloved, p. 210) This excerpt is one of many vivid, tone-setting images Morrison utilizes to suggest and guide her reader’s emotions and reactions. If this flashback were interpreted literally, it would translate into a nonsensical jumble of words and ideas. As figurative language, however, it was not meant to be interpreted literally; rather, Morrison intends it to be emotionally intense yet satisfying to the imagination by stating the various ideas in unusual ways.

Obviously, characterization is a crucial aspect of any narrative as it is the act of creating and developing a character. Both directly and indirectly, Morrison provides Beloved an exceptional character background before retelling Beloved’s after-death experiences in her own words. The flashback itself is composed entirely of seemingly ludicrous fragments, which, when read by themselves, create an image of Beloved as a incomprehensible anomaly of society. These fragments are comprehensible, meaningful, and excusable, however, due to earlier characterizations of Beloved. "They believed the fever had caused her memory to fail just as it kept her slow-moving. A young woman, about nineteen or twenty, and slender, she moved like a heavier one or an older one, holding on to furniture, resting her head in the palm of her hand as though it was too heavy for a neck alone." (Beloved, pp. 55-56) This early physical description of her is accentuated by many of the cryptic questions she initially asks Sethe, before she becomes comfortable with colloquial English. "Where your diamonds?" (Beloved, p. 58) "Your woman she never fix up your hair?" (Beloved, p. 60) "Tell me your earrings." (Beloved, p. 63)

As difficult as it is to portray a vantage point from within another state of consciousness, Morrison attempts and succeeds in this endeavor. Her point-of-view-anchored flashback form becomes the foundation for this portrayal of the afterlife, and her unique style underscores the state of consciousness through the use of figurative language and imagery. The otherwise meaningless flashback is then justified by the characterization of the point-of-view holder earlier in and throughout the novel. This highly evolved system proved incredibly effective in the task for which it was meant, and leaves the reader feeling as though he has personally experienced this particular state of consciousness first-hand.