In Toni Morrison's commencement speech to Wellesley's class of 2004, she spoke about the value of storytelling. This line is particularly powerful:
"I am a teller of stories and therefore an optimist, a believer in the ethical bend of the human heart, a believer in the mind’s disgust with fraud and its appetite for truth, a believer in the ferocity of beauty."
Morrison's style of writing lends faith in human nature and demonstrates the ferocity of beauty. I feel 100% comfortable letting myself fall into her world and trust her view of life, because it is presented in a way that is firm in it's truth about life's uncertainties, but optimistic in it's promotion of the beauty in individual stories.
In Beloved, Toni Morrison develops each character by focusing less on dialogue, and more on the background of each character through their experiences/stories. This allows her to jump from person to person without losing the fluidity that is so present in her writing. She skillfully invites clear images that last until the next one overlaps and takes over, letting each story flow in a satisfying way that still allows density. Beloved is a nice transition from Heart of Darkness, because it holds a great deal of history, but feels more close to home.
I completely agree, I have loved being in the world of Beloved, surrounded by Toni Morrison's eloquent style. I love the quote you included, and I feel that it's the truest statement that Toni Morrison could make on herself.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree, I have loved being in the world of Beloved, surrounded by Toni Morrison's eloquent style. I love the quote you included, and I feel that it's the truest statement that Toni Morrison could make on herself.
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