Beloved

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of child death and racism.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Beloved blends supernatural elements with historical trauma through its ghost story. What effect did Morrison’s use of magical realism have on your engagement with the novel’s difficult themes?

2. In what ways does Beloved differ from or build upon themes found in Morrison’s earlier works like The Bluest Eye or Song of Solomon? If this is your first Morrison novel, which aspects of her storytelling did you find most powerful?

3. The novel shifts between past and present, revealing crucial information gradually rather than chronologically. Did this narrative structure enhance or hinder your connection to the story?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. When have you or someone you known had to make a significant sacrifice to protect someone they loved? How did you (or they) make this choice? 

2. When Paul D tells Sethe, “You your best thing” (322), she responds with disbelief.