" Beloved" by Toni Morrison.

Essay by simplydineroCollege, UndergraduateA-, April 2003

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Beloved: Movie vs. Novel

In reading Toni Morrison's novel, Beloved, one can help but be emotionally drawn in to the descriptive stories and tones of the novel. The movie starring Oprah Winfrey (Sethe) and Danny Glover (Paul D) has many scenes that I had to look away from, as they are as disturbing and emotionally bothersome as the novel. The movie had several scenes taken out or edited for big screen purposes. This was that first time I had done an analysis similar to this one, in which I read a novel and then watch it's movie. This made me respect the novel and the story of Beloved more than if I would have just watched the movie or read the novel.

One of the scenes left out of the movie was a scene that bothered me in the novel. It was the scene in which Sethe pays for Beloved's name to be etched on the tombstone.

She paid for the tombstone by sleeping with the engraver in front of his son. I was happy that this scene was edited because it would have been a gross start to a movie that had plenty of gore, hardship, and sexuality in it.

There were several scenes in the novel that one can not appreciate at much until the movie is watched. One of the scenes unparticular is the one where Sethe, Denver, and Paul D are coming home from the carnival and see Beloved standing against the tree. The tone of her dehydrated voice is disturbing and it was done very well in the movie. Another scene I thought

was brought out in the movie is when the group of ladies walks to 124 Bluestone and join in a group singing. It clarified what they were trying...