Powerful Shifts in Perspective

    In 1993 Tony Morrison won the Nobel Prize in literature for writing Beloved. The book itself is a powerfully haunting story which tackles questions of love, slavery, and memory. Part of what makes it such an important novel is the way the story is pieced together. A central part of the book is perspective and the changes in perspective. Morrison puts readers in a completely unfamiliar situation, using point of view to guide them. This is one of the most important tools to understand Beloved.

    Most of the switches in perspective remain within Sethe's family or loved ones. We get brief backstories of characters like Paul D or Stamp Paid, but these shifts always seem natural and necessary. No amount of changes prepares the reader for the perspective shift in the most difficult chapter of the novel. For almost 200 pages, the narrative has been circling around the central event in the book without ever explicitly describing it. We get to know Sethe and her story in bits, switching between past and present and points of view, to form an impression of her as a heroic and superhuman figure. Morrison then drops the readers into an unimaginable situation. In the chapter the book describes what happens when Schoolteacher finds Sethe and she makes the choice to kill Beloved rather than get sent back to Sweet Home. Since the event is so important and difficult to understand, point of view is crucial. It seems more appropriate that Sethe has the space to explain why she would commit such an unconceivable act. But Morrison instead makes the choice to narrate from the perspective of the slave catcher, the sheriff, the nephew, and Schoolteacher.

    This is a shocking and uncomfortable choice. For the whole novel, the reader has relied on the intentional choices of perspective to form their opinions. It is the most important way to understand the events of the time period. But in the chapter the reader finds themselves aligned to an extent with Schoolteacher, as the narration uses second person 'you' to create an unwanted feeling of familiarity. However, his point of view as a slaveowner is clear through his conclusions. "Right off it was clear, to schoolteacher especially, that there was nothing there to claim" (Morrrison 175). Although for the readers this is an intense and powerful scene, it comes as a shock that Schoolteacher describes it solely in monetary terms. He only cares about what he can take: "He could claim the baby struggling in the arms of the mewing old man, but who'd tend her? Because the woman - something was wrong with her." (Morrison 176). His thoughts emphasise the huge disparity between the reaction of the readers and his own reaction. The choice of perspective, along with the shocking events they are narrating, makes this chapter difficult to process and understand. This makes it the most complex perspective shift in the novel.

    Another important change in point of view occurs later in the novel, after Sethe realizes that Beloved is her daughter. Four chapters change perspective in quick succession. Sethe, Denver, and Beloved each reflect on what this means for them, with Beloved getting two chapters of her own. Sethe opens the chapter with "Beloved, she my daughter. She mine. See. She come back to me of her own free will and I don't have to explain a thing" (Morrison, 236). For Sethe, Beloved's return is a validation that what she did was worth it, and proof of Beloved's forgiveness. Denver feels a similar possession over Beloved: "She played with me and always came to be with me whenever I needed her. She's mine, Beloved. She's mine" (Morrison, 247). As much as we gain from shifts in perspective, Morrison also withholds information intentionally. Beloved's chapters are distinct for their cryptic, poetic, and incoherent tones. Those chapters don't tell us what she wants or her reason for being back. In this way, the sections piece together a narrative over the impact of Belove'ds return. These four chapters are another examples of intentional shifts in point of view.

    These changes in perspective are a key part of a book where point of view is everything. As a reader, it is impossible to put yourself in the position of Sethe or anyone in her family. There is no way to compare her story to yours, which makes the way she is represented so much more important. This aspect of the book also demonstrate Morrisons brilliant and thoughtful writing style. The switches in point of view are important, intentional, with a purpose to leave the reader with a certain impression. They piece together an event in bits to form a whole story. In the end, all of these shifts in perspective demonstrate Morrison's masterful writing style.