ILMIY VA PROFESSIONAL TA’LIM JARAYONIDA MULOQOT, FAN VA MADANIYATLAR
INTEGRATSIYASI
132
Samarkand State Institute of Foreign Languages
THE GENRE OF MAGIC REALISM IN TONY MORISSON’S NOVEL “BELOVED”
Rakhimova Marguba
Doctoral student and English teacher of SamSIFL
Abstract.
In Tony Morrison’s novel Beloved, magic realism acts as a counter to the
dominant and destructive Euro-centric narratives of a society, which silences the voices of the
oppressed. The ghost-figure Beloved works as an intensification of "magic' and a representation
of the 'past' and 'trauma' in the novel. The present study delves into how magic realism highlights
and then resolves trauma, otherwise repressed in the mind of the protagonist.
Key words:
magic realism, trauma, plot, personage, novelist, dominant.
Magical realism which originated as a Latin-American and Caribbean narrative strategy
focuses on the handling of trauma generated by the politics and power dynamics of colonized
societies and the resulting divisions. It works as a bridge between various binaries like the
dominant and the depressed and the center and the margins. It is a tool used by writers like Toni
Morrison to highlight the loss of voice and identity when faced with terrible trauma, in the
context of the horrific experiences of slavery faced by many African-Americans.
Toni Morrison is a Nobel Prize- and Pulitzer Prize- winning American novelist. Among
her best known novels are The Bluest Eye, Song of Solomon and Beloved. The 1987 novel,
"Beloved", won the Pulitzer Prize and led to Nobel Prize for Literature.
Beloved is based on fact, which makes it all that much more horrifying. Morrison's
inspiration for the story was Margaret Garner, who killed her two-year-old daughter in 1856, to
keep her from being returned to slavery. Before she could kill the rest of her children and herself,
slave catchers pried the knife from her fingers. On the backbone of this gruesome story,
Morrison builds Beloved, a novel of a baby who haunts the mother who killed her [3].
The style of narration
The story unfolds through a constantly changing lens, giving voice to a wide array of
characters, including the dead and those barely clinging to life. Each character offers their unique
perspective, contributing to the overall narrative. For example, Paul D and Sethe’s individual
flashbacks intertwine in Chapter 2, creating a merged memory. Furthermore, the narrative briefly
adopts the perspectives of four white individuals, exposing the deeply ingrained biases of men
who view enslaved people with callous disregard, considering them akin to domesticated beasts.
This range of viewpoints creates a complex, multifaceted view that depicts individuals linked,
through past traumas or present realities, into a unified community.
Most readers will immediately notice the unconventional structure of “Beloved”. Eschewing a
linear narrative, the novel weaves together different time periods, from the horrors of the slave
ship to the relative safety of Sweet Home, all impacting the present. The past is revealed through
flashbacks, stories, and direct narration, often blurring the lines between then and now with a
striking use of present tense. The novel is built from fragments, challenging the reader to
assemble the shattered pieces. This deliberate juxtaposition of past and present emphasizes the
past's continuing power. By forcing active participation, Morrison prompts readers to
thoughtfully consider the meaning and worth of each fragment. Her artistry, particularly her use
of verse and stream of consciousness when most effective, is breathtaking. Recognizing that
simple storytelling cannot fully express human feeling, she captures those feelings in landmark
passages of modern literature.
The elements of magical realism in the novel
In Morrison's Beloved, the title character is not a typical spectral figure. Despite being
interpreted as a re-embodiment of Sethe's deceased daughter, Beloved is presented as a person of
flesh and blood. While the novel becomes increasingly mystical and mysterious after her arrival,
she isn't the source of this supernatural feeling. Instead, elements like the number given to the
house, 124, and Sethe's relationship with it create a foreboding, dense atmosphere. 124 is
ILMIY VA PROFESSIONAL TA’LIM JARAYONIDA MULOQOT, FAN VA MADANIYATLAR
INTEGRATSIYASI
133
Samarkand State Institute of Foreign Languages
portrayed as more than just a location; it functions as an active participant in the novel's drama.
Phrases and dialogues like 'when 124 was alive..., '124 was quiet', ' I just hope you'Il pardon my
house ' makes 124 come to life. It is more likely to be a counterpart to the ghost-figure, evident
through various incidents and appearances like "white staircase climbed toward the blue-and-
white wallpaper of the second floor" [6].
The novel also features a strong and compelling focus on "colors," evident in descriptions
and the characters' fascination. As Baby Suggs nears the end of her life, she becomes
preoccupied with colors. The phrases "colored people" and "colored ladies" are frequently
repeated throughout the narrative. This may be interpreted as Morrison's subtle yet powerful
commentary on the prejudice faced by Black individuals due to the color of their skin. Through
these elements, Morrison presents the story with a seemingly ordinary, yet deeply meaningful,
approach as a "narrative of the Black experience in colonial America." Her work examines the
impact of colonization on the culture and the psychological state of Africans, not only on an
individual level but also on a broader cultural scale. The colonizers not only exploited the
economic resources of these countries but also imposed ideological dominance. Consequently,
the novel navigates the complex interplay between the importance of "community" and the
autonomy of "personality" [7].
Conclusion
Toni Morrison's Beloved acts as a voice for the unheard and the silenced. The character
Beloved not only acts as a reminder for the characters of the novel but also as a mouthpiece for
the whole history of slavery and the blacks. Authors like Morrison bring together the real and the
imagined in a bizarre combination of the duo-real world. Though considered as a masterpiece in
the realm of magical realism, it still seeks to question its utility in the process of healing. The
work not only talks about the past struggles and violence but also paves way for a better, united
and equal world in which every single voice holds the same trust and respect.
References
1. Abdullah, Md Abu Shahid. "Speaking the Unspoken: Rewriting Identity Loss and
Memory of Slavery Through Magical Realism in Toni Morrison's Beloved." English Language
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2. Deyab, Mohammad Shaaban Ahmad. "Cultural Hauntings in Toni Morrison's Beloved
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3. Evangeline Priscilla.B. Book review on Tony Morisson’s Beloved. Vellore Institute of
Technology.(2015)
4. House, Elizabeth B. "Toni Morrison's Ghost: The Beloved is Not Beloved." Studies in
American Fiction X VII.1 (1990): 17-26.
5. Huber, Irmtraud. Ethical Magic: Traumatic Magic Realism in Toni Morrison's Beloved.
University of Pittsburgh. 2010
6. Morrison, Tony.Beloved.New York: knopf, 1987. Print
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