Toni Morrison's language

I've been struck by the beauty of Morrison's language and the vividness of her descriptions in this story. I find myself often underlining interesting phrasing or imagery.  There have also been a number of times when I have had to stop and re-read text because the horror of some of the situations facing the characters has stunned me.  Choose one instance of either beauty or horror and offer a detailed close reading of the scene.  Consider the proximity of the two (are they separate? closely linked?) and the effect that this kind of writing has on us as  readers.

Beloved beginning

I'm going to piggy back on Mesa's most recent post, seeking connection between the various works read.  I'd like you to take some time to comment on what common threads you are seeing already between Beloved and some of the other books we have studied.  In what ways does Morrison echo some of the other authors?  In what ways does she give us some different perspectives? Feel free to consider both the content and the style of her writing.

Family Dynamics in T.O.D.

I found the family dynamics in this book very interesting. In the other books we have read, mostly we have seen tradition families and marriages. Now we are getting a glimpse at an unconventional family whose motives are yet to be revealed. The Judge's new wife Fay happens to be younger than his own daughter, Laurel, which makes me think that there is more than true love to their relationship. Also, it surprised me that her nasty treatment of Laurel went unnoticed by the judge, or otherwise ignored. I would still like to learn more about Laurel's relationship with her father, even after he has died. What is strange to me is that so far Laurel has made her mother out to be a great person, and although she died, I wonder what caused Judge McKelva to marry someone who is seemingly very different from his dead wife. What do you think of the story so far? Any insights into the relationships between all the characters?

All Good Things Must Come to an End

Now that we have started our last book as an entire class (have fun on senior projects you guys!), I think it is important to look at the series of books we have read as a whole collection and what they have in common. We stumbled through Faulkner's erratic chronology, found humor in O'Connor's sardonic wit, and found Percy's stream-of-consciousness style endearing in the character of Binx. Now we will study Eudora Welty's style and her perception of the South. So here is my question- why these four (or five for juniors) books? What does Lucas, a slave on a farm, have in common with Binx, the nephew of an extremely entitled family in New Orleans, or with the Guziac family, immigrants from Poland? What connects these books so that they transcend time, race, gender, etc, and how do they embody the list of stereotypes we made at the beginning of the year? Finally, what was your favorite book and why? From what I have read, I think The Optimist's Daughter is going to be my favorite!

Style vs. Content

To me, The Moviegoer presents a paradox. The themes of the story have a philosophical, and sometimes dark nature. In the strong theme of existentialism, Binx is continuously searching for the meaning of human life - he strives to understand how people may live sincerely in a seemingly dishonest and artificial world. He wishes never to be "sunk in the everydayness" of life" and his greatest fear is to be invisible in a habitual society. Binx finds comfort in going to the movies because for him, a movie reinsures reality, it is "certification"... He explains, "Nowadays when a person lives somewhere, in a neighborhood, the place is not certified for him. More than likely he will live there sadly and the emptiness which is inside him will expand until it evacuates the entire neighborhood. But if he sees a movie which shows his ver neighborhood, it becomes possible for him to live, for a time at least, as a person who is Somewhere and not Anywhere" (63). Kate is a similar character; she, too, searches for revelations in life, but each time she thinks she has found one, she soon sinks into a phase of grave depression. Well, here is the paradox: this deep analysis of human life and existence is portrayed through Percy's light and almost poetic prose. What significance does this contrast of style and content hold?

The Moviegoer seems to be a very dull and mundan journey through the life of an ordinary man with no real meaning. But, the book shows the transformation of "a model tenant and a model citizen [who takes] pleasure in doing all that is expected" (8) into a man who does not want to be seen as plain and average "macaroni" (122). Early in the story there is a description of a living room, "the living room is bright, but it is not snug. The windows are open to the ceiling and the gray sky comes pouring in" (22). At first, as with his life, Binx sees it as bright and full with windows reaching high but as he looks around "it is not snug." There is a contrast that is created, something that seemed so great at first begins to become more and more undesirable.

The Moviegoer's Challenge

Having now started to read pages 64-86 of the nationally acclaimed The MOVIEGOER, I noticed some characters made some philosophical questioning that challenged the so called "norm" everyone seems to follow. The first time is when Binx is at the theater. Before Binx watches a movie he speaks to a manager to learn about the theater or something about the people who operate it. But he also comes to a conclusion about why he does it. It is for selfish reasons and he isn't afraid to admit it. "I am no do-gooding Jose Ferrer going around with a little whistle to make people happy. Such do-gooders do not really want to listen, are not really selfish like me; they are being nice fellows and boring themselves to death, and their listeners are not really cheered up. Show me a nice Jose cheering up an old lady and I'll show you two people existing in despair. My mother often told me to be unselfish, but I have become suspicious of the advice. No I do it for my own selfish reasons."(75) Binx truly believes that people can't be 'do-gooding Joses' for unselfish reasons because the only reason they would want to do it is to look better to everyone else. Binx firmly states that he is being selfish on purpose and there is nothing wrong with that. Or is he just being cynical? When Binx meets up with Kate she starts talking about doctors then a question dawns on her. "Now she takes my arm in both hands. 'Have you noticed that only in time of illness or disaster or death are people real?' I remember at the time of the wreck--people were so kind and helpful and solid. Everyone pretended that our lives until that moment had been every bit as real as the moment itself that the future must be real too, when the truth was that our reality had been purchased only by Lyell's death. In another hour or so we had all faded out again and gone our dim ways" (81) Binx agrees with Kate and they continue on their way. These little questions are short adn discussed short between the reader and Binx (his thoughts about her question are told to us rather than to Kate) then its gone with no further thought. At first this sudden outburst of philosophical questioning just left me slightly confused. What do you guys think? And did you noticed something like this in the beginning of the book, or in the other books?