ABSTRACT

Toni Morrison is one of the famous African-American female writers in the world. With the development of black women literature in the 1960s, the works of black women writers such as Toni Morrison are discussed and widely read. Beloved is Toni Morrison’s fifth novel which made Morrison win a Pulitzer prize. The thesis lays emphasis on exploring the traumas under slavery and ways for blacks to get out of the shadows of the past in Beloved to reveal how slavery destroys the black women.

Key words: black feminism, oppression, self-definition

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ABSTRACT

摘要

Chapter One INTRODUCTION-1

1.1 Toni Morrison and Beloved-1

1.2 Literature Review-2

1.3 The Significance of This Thesis-4

Chapter Two OPPRESSIONS AND BONDAGES-5

2.1 Baby Suggs: Exile and oppression-5

2.2 Sethe: Love and Cruelty-6

2.3 Denver: Loneliness and Fear-7

Chapter Three EFFORTS TO HEAL THE WOUNDS-9

3.1Baby Suggs: Tentative Exploration-9

3.2 Sethe: A Brave Warrior-10

3.3 Denver: Confrontation With History-11

Chapter Four THE DESTINED FATE-13

4.1Baby Suggs : Failing in the Self-definition-13

4.2 Sethe: Embracing Community-14

4.3 Denver: Being a Responsible Woman-15

Chapter Five CONCLUSION-17

WORKS CITED-20