A Garden of Trees
By: Kimberly Loveless
The image I choose correlates with an event that happens in
the beginning of the novel. It’s a
simple moment, but to me, one of the most powerful moments that really explains
not only the physical scarring but also the psychological scars slavery left
behind. Sethe explains to Paul D how she got the scars on her back. She tells
Paul D that she has never seen them, and has no desire to. It’s a powerful message of how even
after all those years the pain she had to endure still haunts her. Even more,
the physical marks of slavery will forever be with her.
Within the first chapter of Beloved,
we see the importance of history and remembering. The traumatic experiences
that Sethe has gone through have shaped her present and future. It’s easy to
say that there is a danger in forgetting but there’s a danger in remembering
too much. However, for the victims of slavery, these events will stay with them
forever. Escaping the “ghosts” of their past is near impossible when the
reminisce of the pain surrounds them.
The main reason why I created this image was because of the reference of
Sethe’s scars being like a tree. It’s an interesting image because every tree
is different. In nature, trees play an important role. They play a vital part
in our ecosystem. Morrison’s use of a “tree” to symbolize the individual
struggles each slave went through is perfect. I believe it perfectly captures
how there is a shared history, but no two stories could be the same. The scars
left on Sethe’s back display the dehumanizing nature of slavery.
In this case, Sethe’s scars are important because they have affected her
being. Her physical scars tell a story, they have become history written on her
back for everyone to see. The pain of slavery lives with Sethe forever.
Kimberly, i really enjoyed your artifact and its relation to the novel. I think another important aspect of a tree are the roots. Roots are dug deep, and are very strong. I think Morrison chose this particular image intentional. The tree on Sethe's back, as you said, can represent the burdens of her past. She carries that weight with her, and she will forever. What is striking is the fact that the scar runs deeper than what Paul D witnesses. The scar is in a shape of a tree, and the roots are dug deep into her skin. This is why she cannot escape the torment of her past. This could also explain why her and Paul D always mention Sweet Home, and seem to never let go of that as a conversational topic. Despite them always talking about it - it is the good memories that they refer to, and this could be their way of trying to bury the past (if you will). At the same time, i believe that the tree could also be playing with the image of a family tree. Perhaps something along the lines of each branch linking to a bad memory instead of a family member. Overall, i think this is a great image, and artifact. It is very important to the novel.
ReplyDeleteKimberly,
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad that you brought up how trees, in nature, are vitally important. Trees are an excellent symbol of motherhood for so many reasons: their sheltering leaves, their life-sustaining oxygen and even fruit production. Throughout the novel, characters find comfort or direction thanks to trees; when Paul D escapes from Georgia, one of the Cherokee men tells him to "follow the tree flowers" (132) and Denver escapes from her troubles to her emerald closet in the woods.
Kenneth wrote about my first thoughts on the tree image, which involved it being a representation of family, growth, and strength. The roots of a tree, much like the foundation of a house (I'm seeing similarities between our artifacts here) are supposed to be made to withstand vast amounts of time. As the era of slavery wore on, the seeds of history took root and grew into oaken memories that refused to be ignored in their enormity.
The majesty of mother nature is meant to offset the brutality of human nature. Kenneth also mentioned the roots of Sethe's tree being dug deep into her skin and you emphasized that the scars on her back are twin to the psychological damage done by slavery. As Sethe considers the gorgeous "lacy groves" of the plantation she ran from, she also recalls "boys hanging from the most beautiful sycamores in the world" (7), a thought which brings her shame because the vivid image of the trees overwhelms her memory and pushes the disturbing past further from her mind. The dichotomy of life and death intertwined into one symbol is quite profound and I agree with you that it was an excellent artistic decision on Morrison's part.
The tree represents humanity's stubborn tendency to only see what it wants to see, to see what is comforting and beautiful. But we shouldn't be focusing on the flowers or the leaves; we need to remember the boys in the sycamores. The leaves of our past should make us want to scream, too.
I just remembered the image of Sixo being tied to the tree and lit on fire while shouting "Seven-O! Seven-O!" because his lover managed to get away with his child in her womb (266-7). The joy he feels in that moment is powerful because, like Sethe, he knows that his legacy will live on only in his children.
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