Literary Devices
  "...and it made her wonder if hell was a pretty place too."

The figurative language and the richness of Morrison's use of literary techniques in Beloved help to make the novel both complex and artistically intriguing. Familiarity with these devices will be helpful as you consider how to respond to the text in class discussions, in your homework, and in essay assignments.

Consider the following:

• Irony - How are names of places and people ironic? Where does the greatest example of irony occur in the novel?
   
• Allusion - Where are there mythological and biblical allusions in the text?
   
• Symbolism - What do Paul D's tobacco tin, Sethe's "tree" on her back, and the voices Stamp paid hears at 124 symbolize?
  Scars and Self/Definiton in Beloved
   
• Characterization - Which characters are dynamic and which are static? Who or what is Beloved?
   
• Free Verse - Why does the narrative switch to free verse suddenly in Part Two? Whose story is told in the free verse section?
  Writing Style and Structure
   
• Theme - What is the author suggesting through this story about motherhood, history, guilt, and/or freedom?
   

  Review

  Notes which you can use to prepare for the final essay