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Beloved by Toni Morrison, published in 1987, is a powerful and haunting novel set in post-Civil War Ohio. The story revolves around Sethe, an escaped enslaved woman, and her haunted past. The ghost of Sethe’s dead daughter, known as Beloved, returns to haunt her, and the novel delves into the impact of slavery on individuals and communities.
- Part One: Chapters 9–11
A summary of Part One: Chapters 9–11 in Toni Morrison's...
- Beloved Part Two
A summary of Part Two: Chapters 24 & 25 in Toni Morrison's...
- Full Book Summary
A short summary of Toni Morrison's Beloved. This free...
- Part Two: Chapters 20–23
A summary of Part Two: Chapters 20–23 in Toni Morrison's...
- Part Three
A summary of Part Three: Chapter 26 in Toni Morrison's...
- Themes
A summary of Themes in Toni Morrison's Beloved. Search all...
- Sethe
A detailed description and in-depth analysis of Sethe in...
- Motifs
Beloved’s epigraph, taken from Romans 9:25, bespeaks the...
- Important Quotes Explained
Explanation of the famous quotes in Beloved, including all...
- Denver
A detailed description and in-depth analysis of Denver in...
- Part One: Chapters 9–11
A summary of Part One: Chapter 1 in Toni Morrison's Beloved. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of Beloved and what it means. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans.
- Part One: Chapter 1
- Part One: Chapters 2 & 3
- Part One: Chapters 4–6
- Part One: Chapters 7 & 8
- Part One: Chapters 9–11
- Part One: Chapters 12–14
- Part One: Chapters 15–18
- Part Two: Chapter 19
- Part Two: Chapters 20–23
- Part Two: Chapters 24 & 25
Sethe and her daughter, Denver, live in a house haunted by the ghost of Sethe’s firstborn daughter. Sethe’s mother-in-law, Baby Suggs, lived with them until her death. Paul D, who was Sethe’s fellow slave at Sweet Home, arrives at the house. When Paul D kisses Sethe’s scars, the house shakes as the ghost lashes out. Paul D chases it away and angers...
After escaping Sweet Home, Sethe gave birth to Denver with the help of a white girl. Denver thinks she sees a baby ghost kneeling next to a praying Sethe. Sethe tells Paul D that after her escape, schoolteacher came to take her and her children back to Sweet Home, which ended with Sethe in jail with Denver. Paul D decides to stay with Sethe. Read a...
Paul D takes Denver and Sethe to a carnival. As they return home, they find a woman who calls herself Beloved, and she sleeps for days straight. Beloved attaches to Sethe, and one day while watching Sethe arrange Denver’s hair, Beloved asks about Sethe’s mother, and Sethe explains how her mother was hanged. Read a full Summary & Analysis of Part On...
Sethe and Paul D talk about why Halle, the father of Sethe’s children, didn’t meet Sethe during the escape as planned. Paul D explains that Halle was shattered after seeing the way schoolteacher and his nephews abused Sethe. Beloved and Denver dance together, and Denver asks Beloved never to mention to Sethe who she really is. Read a full Summary &...
Sethe takes Beloved and Denver to the Clearing, a communal space for healing in the Black community. Sethe calls for the soothing touch of the deceased Baby Suggs, until suddenly she realizes that she is being strangled. When Beloved caresses the bruises on Sethe’s neck, Sethe pushes Beloved away. The narrative switches to the story of Paul D’s pri...
Denver’s attachment to Beloved intensifies. Paul D begins to liken Beloved’s manipulation of him to schoolteacher’s abuse and decides to tell Sethe, but he surprises himself and Sethe by asking her to have a baby with him. Beloved begs Denver to drive Paul D away. Read a full Summary & Analysis of Part One: Chapters 12–14
At Sweet Home, Baby Suggs allowed Halle to buy her freedom. When she arrived in Ohio, she was unable to learn anything about the whereabouts of her lost children. One day schoolteacher and other men arrived at the house to find Sethe holding her bleeding daughter, whose throat she had cut to save her from being enslaved. Stamp Paid grabbed Denver b...
After telling Paul D about Sethe’s crime, Stamp Paid feels guilty when he hears that Paul D has left the house. Sethe takes Beloved and Denver ice-skating, where she hears Beloved humming a song Sethe made up to sing to her children, allowing Sethe to finally recognize Beloved as her resurrected daughter. Read a full Summary & Analysis of Part Two:...
Sethe speaks in a stream-of-consciousness monologue wherein she expresses her desire to help Beloved understand why she killed her. Denver’s monologue follows, in which she says she must protect Beloved from Sethe. In Beloved’s fragmented monologue, she speaks of a time when she was crouched among dead bodies, and she describes thirst, hunger, deat...
Paul D reflects on his past and blames his despair on his previous belief that he could build a life with Sethe. He wonders whether his life since his aborted escape from slavery was worth it. Stamp Paid visits Paul D and tells him that he was present when Sethe tried to kill her children, defending Sethe’s actions as necessary under the condition ...
The best study guide to Beloved on the planet, from the creators of SparkNotes. Get the summaries, analysis, and quotes you need.
Toni Morrison. What Does the Ending Mean? Previous Next. Beloved concludes with a group of women from the local community converging on 124 to ward off the ghost that has been haunting it. After Beloved disappears, Paul D returns to the house intending to make amends.
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