Friday, January 8

Homework for Monday: Read chapters 2-3 of Beloved. You should have at least 5-6 pages of dialectical notes completed.

Classwork from Friday:

1. Describe the relationships among Sethe, Baby Suggs, Paul D, Denver and Beloved.
2. How long ago did Baby Suggs die? How did she spend the last few years of her life?
3. What do you think Baby Suggs means when she says, “What’d be the point [of moving?]... Not a house in this country ain’t packed to the rafters with some dead Negro’s grief. We lucky this ghost is a baby.” (6)
4. Explain some of the different ways the baby ghost, Beloved, is described. How do different characters describe her differently? How does she affect each character differently?
5. How does Denver react to Paul D’s arrival? What does this demonstrate about her personality?
6. Who are the Sweet Home boys?
7. Mr. Garner brags that his Sweet Home slaves are “men,” but then also refers to them as “niggers.” Explain why this is contradictory.
8. Sethe describes a traumatic event that happens to her before she leaves Sweet Home. What happens to her? What part of this event seems to make her the most upset? What physically remains of this event on her body?
9. What are Paul D and Sethe remembering about Sweet Home? Why do you think Morrison gives us the information little bit by little bit?
10. What happens after Paul D yells at the ghost? How does Denver feel about this?