Formalism in Beloved

This week in class, one of the groups talked about formalism in Beloved. As this novel is an amazing and complicated work, it can be analyzed through all of the critical theories and lenses; and I thought that the formalism was a good way to understand the novel on the most basic level. I agree with formalism, and that the language of the novel, specifically the language of the characters helps to build the novel, and give it a deeper meaning.

Morrison structures much of the novel as a stream of consciousness. This technique allows readers to truly get into the minds of the characters, and it feels as if you are experiencing exactly what the characters are experiencing. The section in part two where each “chapter” is a stream of thoughts from Sethe, Denver, and Beloved, connects the reader to the characters, provides great character depth. The meaning and growth of the characters is enhanced by this section. The switching of consciousness between characters also structures the novel in a unique way.

Morrison’s technique of turning the houses into characters adds to the haunting and mystique of the novel. Sweet Home feels like a character because of all the trauma that has happened there, and the way Sethe and Paul D refter to that house. 124 is described as being “spiteful”, “loud”, and “quiet”, as if the house was a person.

Metaphors are used quite often in beloved as well. Paul D talks about his “tin heart” and Stamp Paid talks about a “jungle under dark skin”, from the opinion of white people. the use of metaphor in the novel adds to the layers of trauma, and again the overall meaning.

Formalism is an excellent way to understand the meaning of Beloved, and Morrison used a unique and complicated structure to form the novel. However, formalism does not focus on the content of the novel, which is incredibly important with a piece of literature such as Beloved.  the content focuses on trauma and aftermath of slavery, and while the structure of this narrative is useful for this type of content, the actual events and details within Beloved are what matter in taking meaning away from the novel.

Katherine Thomson-Jones wrote about formalism in her essay “Inseparable Insight: Reconciling Cognitivism and Formalism in Aesthetics”, and she mentions that “the formalist talks attention to indicate that we are interested in identifying the work’s meaning only in order to understand the work-its structure and purpose-and not in order to understand the world”, which is essential. As readers we must look at Beloved in its relation to the world, both as a historical piece that deals with the trauma and history of slavery, and what it means today. We must also look at the reactions from readers in order to understand this novel, as well as bring meaning to it. So, while formalism is of course important and necessary, it cannot be the only way or even the most important way to look at this novel critically.

Thomson-Jones article: Inseparable Insight