Everyone Believes the Same Thing, the Only Difference is in How it is Said or Shown

In Toni Morrison’s novel, Beloved, which has been written in 1987, she demonstrates the social divide between classes during the time of slavery through various experiences that the main character, Sethe, goes through. These experiences contain an abundance of imagery that allows the reader to get a deeper, more visual look into the dehumanizing horrors of slavery that History textbooks fail to mention. In Morrison’s novel, there appears to be a very evident pattern in what Sethe experiences as a black slave. Initially in the book, it appears that every white person has a different view and attitude towards slavery, while some may seem to treat blacks more fairly and kindly others violently and sexually abuse blacks/slaves. However, by the end of the book it is evident that the assumptions and theories revolving around slaves and African americans are all the same regardless of  how each white individual shows it. Therefore, these beliefs held by the whites are what causes the ultimate social divide between whites and blacks. As a result, despite a white’s social and economic class, whether they are poor whites in the lower class they are still incapable of seeing past the racial differences between whites and blacks, creating the social triangle with whites at the top and blacks at the bottom.

As Amy’s innocence and willingness to help Sethe may seem kind and genuine she still holds Blacks and slaves in disdain through her racial commentaries and remarks. In the novel Amy Denver is a young girl who is an indentured servant. When Amy and Sethe cross paths, Amy is in the process of fleeing her cruel master who at times whips her; Sethe at this point is also, fleeing schoolteacher and his brutality. As Sethe mentions the pain she is feeling in her back Amy proceeds to unfasten the back of her dress to check what is bothering her; thus, when Amy notices what lies beyond Sethe’s dress, deep rugged whip wounds, she remains silent for several moments and eventually speaks to compare Sethe’s whip wounds to a tree, “A Chokecherry tree (93).” At the sight of Sethe’s wounds, Amy shares that she too had “some whippings,” but not ones like Sethe’s (93). In the article, Bigotry, Breast Milk, Bric-a-Brac, a baby, and a Bit in “Beloved”: Toni Morrison's portrayal of Racism and Hegemony, the author, Heather Duerre Humann, demonstrates that there exists a connection between Amy Denver and Sethe, in spite of their racial differences. They both have a master that they must answer to, they both have experienced physical abuse at the hands of their master, and they are both fugitives as they are running away from their master. The article also, proceeds to mention that because of this connection that they feel, having been in similar oppressive systems, they develop partial affinity for one another (Humann, 2004, 16).

However, as seen in the book and mentioned in the article, although Amy shows benevolence and compassion towards Sethe, she still cannot prevent differentiating herself from Sethe. As a white she still holds herself in higher regard than Sethe. Her conversation with Sethe is littered with racist epithets and fraught with dehumanizing remarks as she nonchalantly mentions to Sethe that she is about “the scariest-looking something” that she has ever seen (39). The article mentions how in this specific phrase Amy is referring to Sethe as a something and also negatively commenting on her appearance (Humann, 2004, 17). By viewing and regarding Sethe as a “something” Amy is essentially suggesting that she is not human, but a thing reaching the idea that Sethe is inferior (less than Amy). Also, by mentioning that Sethe’s image is frightening, she is evidently calling her a beast as emphasizing that she has never before seen such a hideous thing/creature. furthermore, when Amy tells Sethe that she is “the dumbest thing on this here earth (98)” she is deeming Sethe as the thing that is less among all other things, whether living or nonliving. Though Sethe and Amy have much in common, Amy is not able to get pass their social and racial differences, as she believes that whites are entirely human, more attractive, and smarter as opposed to blacks; thus, causing all whites to be superior and all blacks to be inferior.

In addition, When schoolteacher orders his nephews to rape Sethe, while he observes and takes notes on the act, he demonstrates his belligerent style of subjugating the slaves of Sweet (in this case Sethe). In the novel Sethe still remains haunted and traumatized by this occurrence, as she recalls when the boys came and “stole [her] milk (81).” This violent act of brutality and humiliation is depicted powerfully as Sethe states, “I am full God damn it of two boys with mossy teeth, one sucking on my breast the other holding me down, their book-reading teacher watching and writing it up (83).” This shows Sethe’s raw pain and trauma as she is able to easily recall the memory. According to the article, Bigotry, Breast Milk, Bric-a-Brac, a baby, and a Bit in “Beloved”: Toni Morrison's portrayal of Racism and Hegemony, “When the nephews steal Sethe’s milk, they treat her, on one hand, like an animal by milking her and laying claim to all that it produces (Humann, 2004, 9).” Also, by observing and documenting the rape, schoolteacher is sexually exploiting Sethe. Therefore, as he has ultimate power and control over her, he is able to rebuild the overall nature of her existence, one that is less than human and animal. Through the nephews and schoolteachers actions it is clear that they are dehumanizing Sethe, in this case both violently and sexually. To schoolteacher and his nephews the divide between whites and blacks go way beyond social, economic, and racial differences, they consider blacks to be nothing like them. As the schoolteacher and his nephews stand at the very top of the social triangle there beliefs of superiority over the blacks is very heightened, which enables them to commit violent acts against their slaves; Thus, abusing the institution of slavery, in order to show their power and keep blacks in their “rightful” place, under whites.

Beloved, shows social classes are created, not through the economic status of the individual, but through the race of an individual. In Toni Morrison’s novel she demonstrates that social classes and triangles are usually divided up into racial differences, which if we look through social classes throughout history this can be proven. In the end, what makes those social classes remain where they are on the social triangle is beliefs. If one social classes believe something of every other social class, including that same social class, then the people with the social classes know where they stand and who has the most and least power in the triangle. Therefore, everyone believes the same things, but what is, is different is the way they ultimately decide to show their beliefs; they can be shown through the Garner’s gentleness, the schoolteacher’s aggressiveness, Amy’s innocence and youth, or Bodwin’s denial.

The Endless Social Divide Between Whites and Blacks

From Toni Morisson's 1987 "Beloved":

“The night after I heard why schoolteacher measured me, I had trouble sleeping. When Halle came in I asked him what he thought of schoolteacher. He said there wasn’t nothing to think about. Said, He’s white, ain’t he? I said, But I mean is he like Mr. Garner?

‘What you want to know, Sethe?’

‘Him and her,’ I said, ‘they ain’t like the whites I seen before. The ones in place I was before I came here.’

‘How these different?’ he asked me.

‘Well,’ I said, ‘they talk soft for one thing.’

‘It don’t matter, Sethe. What they say is the same. Loud or soft (230-231).’”

In this passage, Sethe overhears a lesson that schoolteacher was instructing to his nephews. In his lesson schoolteacher tasks his nephew to categorize Sethe’s characteristics. Therefore, as Sethe walks past this instructional she hears schoolteacher, say to his nephews, “No, no. That’s not the way. I told you to put her human characteristics on the left; her animal ones on the right (228).” Therefore, this causes discomfort and curiosity in Sethe, which leads her to ask Halle what he thinks about schoolteacher. He responds by mentioning that schoolteacher is white, and that, that was all there was to it; just the simple fact he is white was all he and she had to acknowledge. This demonstrates that there exists a social divide between whites and blacks, that no matter what they or anyone else thinks blacks will always be below whites on the social triangle; thus, society considers whites as superior and blacks as inferior. Therefore, it is evident that there exists a racial divide between the classes.

Throughout the novel, it is clear where each individual lies in the social triangle: White planters lie at the very top of the triangle, poor whites lie below white planters, free blacks lie below poor whites and slaves lie at the very base of the triangle. This shows that blacks no matter their economic, educational, or social status will always be below whites (any white). In the passage Halle is well aware of this gap because he knows that it does no matter what he thinks in the end he is a slave and schoolteacher is a planter, while he lies at the very base of the triangle schoolteacher lies at the very top of the triangle. He was aware of the beliefs that “Ain’t no nigger men (12),” niggers “don’t know a thing (94)” they are not entirely human beings as they have animal characteristics (228). In Beloved, Toni Morrison explains the divide between blacks and whites as not just a racial separation, but also a hybrid and human separation. During this time, 1870s, society considers blacks as not entirely animals, but also not entirely humans, referring to them as hybrids (half human, half animal); thus, society views them as less than whites. As a result, the lasting effects of this racial and human difference enables whites to commit acts of hate and violence due to feelings of superiority, which ultimately degrade and dehumanize blacks. 

In the passage Sethe mentions that the whites, she has met before are different from schoolteacher and his nephews. She thinks that Mr. and Mrs. Garner have a different attitude towards blacks because “they talk softer (230).” However, she fails to realize that Garner’s gentleness and empathy are only a diminishing version of schoolteacher’s conspicuous and violent attitude towards blacks. Halle warns her of this by saying, “‘It don’t matter, Sethe. What they say is the same. Loud or soft (231).”

Having been Educated on the idea that slaves/blacks are not actual human beings, but more animals, schoolteacher and his nephews abuse their power over the slaves as they exploit the slaves physically and racially. In part 2 of the novel Sethe describes the horrors and experiences that she went through at Sweet Home under the schoolteacher’s order. In this part she remembers how schoolteacher regards the slaves as things or guinea pigs that he can study and experiment on: “Schoolteacher’d wrap that string all over my head, ‘cross my nose, around my behind. Number my teeth (226).” In these sentences, schoolteacher uses a string to measure the slaves’ bodies and counts the number of teeth the slaves have in order to study them. By measuring and counting the slaves body parts he is studying the overall structure of the slaves’ body. This process of measuring and recording turns into a form of humiliation and abuse, that strips the slaves of their dignity and humanity, making them species that schoolteacher seems to be studying. Also, this divides the racial and social gap between blacks and whites more, by deeming slaves as inferior and a distinct species of that of whites, who are full human beings. As a result, schoolteacher shows that he has full power of the slaves as they are his own personal subjects in his investigation and uses this study to further demonstrate that he as a white holds the ultimate power in the social triangle, by implying that slaves and all blacks are animals that require studying, analyzing and taming.

Furthermore, the Garners attitude over blacks remains the very same as any other white during this time, that they are animals and are inferior to the white race. However, these beliefs hide through the Garners kindness and condescending manner. For example, Mr. and Mrs. Garner’s treatment over their slaves, such as Baby Suggs (Halle’s mother) promotes a more fair and civilizing attitude towards slavery: “In Lillian Garner’s house, exempted from the field work that broke her hip and the exhaustion that drugged her mind (165).” This demonstrates the Garner’s compassion and empathy over Baby Suggs, as they understand that she is no longer able to do labor and rather than forcing her to continue until the very pain and exhaustion kills her, they free her from her responsibilities/duties. It appears that the Garner’s practice a “special kind of slavery, treating them [slaves] like paid labor, listening to what they said, teaching them what they wanted known (165).” This ultimately allows the slaves to trust their masters and not feel fright or threat from them. However, despite that they show their slaves kindness and compassion, this only serves as a cover for their actual beliefs and intentions. For instance, Mrs. Garner considers her slaves “niggers” and not men, meaning she does not deem her slaves as actual human beings but more animals or creatures. On the other hand, Mr. Garner does consider his slaves men, as he mentions at the beginning of the book, “my niggers is men every one of them. Bought em thataway, raised em thataway. Men every one (12).” However, he believes this, in order to consider himself more superior and powerful than every other man, “One tough enough and smart enough to make and call his own niggers men (13).” In the end, by calling his slaves niggers he exposes his true hate and superiority over blacks. Therefore, Mr. and Mrs. Garner show their overall power and dominance over African Americans and even other slave owners, by showing their slaves compassion and kindness, despite the fact that their views on blacks does not vary from all the other whites.

POWER TO THE PEOPLE

I will be reading the book Beloved, by Toni Morrison, through the Marxists lens. This means that I will focus on the different socio economic classes present in Toni Morrison’s novel; therefore,  I will be identifying and analyzing the relationship between these different social classes. I decided to do the Marxist lens as I found myself very intrigued by this particular lens. In school, especially History class, I was able to learn about the different social and/ or economic class (triangles) that are present in today’s world and that have taken place throughout history. I have learned of the harmful and in some cases beneficial effects that these socio economic classes have had on society and the overall country. Thus, reading Beloved through a Marxist approach, will allow me to gather a deeper understanding of the socio economic classes that took place in America during this particular time period. This will also enable me to gather an understanding what it was like and what it meant to live in a country that has different social classes. I myself believe that everyone is equal despite their social, economic, and political status; therefore, in no cases should they ever be considered inferior or superior than one another. For this reason, I am further interested in this lens as I can relate it to my life. I in past situations have been regarded as less and higher than another group or person based on my social and economic status, and so would be able to connect with the characters of the novel to a certain level. As a result, I hope to gain a deeper understanding of the social classes present in the novel, their roles, and relationships with one another so that I may develop a new outlook on society.