Please Note that the breakdown of reading questions does not always correspond to the assigned reading (check calendar for each day's reading assignment)
Reading Questions for Pages 3-59
1. What events does Sethe describe on pp.19-21? What impact have these events had on her, even now, 18 years in the future?
2. What does it mean that Halle "gave her freedom when it didn't mean a thing?" (28).
3. What is the "blessing" Sethe refers to on p.28?
4. This section identifies several key events that will come up again in the narrative. What seem to be the significant moments recounted or mentioned in this section?
5. How would you describe Denver's secret refuge? What does this place do for Denver?
6. What does Denver see happening inside her house on p. 35? What does this symbolize?
7. What narrative is Denver obsessed with hearing, and why?
8. Why is the word "plans" important to this section?
9. How do these characters feel about the past? What is the best way to deal with the past?
10. What does this section tell us about love and relationships among former slaves? What about the identity of the slaves themselves?
11. How would you describe the changes these characters have undergone, just in the first four chapters? What sort of tone does the section end on? Why?
Pages 60-100
1. Now that you have finished this section, who do you think the new character, Beloved, is? Find some textual evidence to support your interpretation. If you think this new character somehow corresponds to the baby ghost with "Beloved" on her tombstone, why? In what way? Pull out some evidence in the text for your interpretation, other than the obvious name correspondence. This section is full of possibilities (and mysteries).
2. Go back and look at Sethe's physical reaction to seeing this woman sitting near her house (on p.61). What happens, and what could this symbolize?
3. How do Denver, Sethe, and Paul D respond to this stranger's arrival? Why is Denver "shaking" but wanting more on p. 63? Why is Paul D so disturbed by her?
4. What do the other characters notice about Beloved? (in terms of physical appearance, dress, personality, etc.)
5. Why is Sethe more apt to tell her stories and explain her memories to Beloved than she had been with Denver?
6. What do we find out about Sethe's mother? And the circumstances surrounding Sethe's birth? How does this connect to Sethe's maternal identity and sense of self?
7. What do we discover about the past history of 124? What purpose did it serve?
8. What does Paul D tell Sethe in this section that upsets her so greatly? What is Sethe's reaction to the news?
9. The issue of plans arises again in this section. Why is planning such an important issue for Sethe and the other characters?
10. What else do we discover about Paul D's past? Who is Mister, and what does he signify for Paul D? How does this connect with Sethe's identity and sense of self?
11. On p. 86 Paul D thinks about a tobacco tin. What does this tin symbolize for him?
12. We discover more information about Denver's birth at the end of this section - or do we? Look again closely at the paragraph preceding the jump back into the past.
Pages 101-222
1. What is the Clearing, and what does it symbolize for the community?
2. Why does Sethe go to the Clearing? What happens there? (Who did it?) And what decision does Sethe reach while there?
3. How does Denver react to this event in the Clearing, and why?
4. On p. 123 we hear two questions Denver was asked. What do you think they mean?
7. Describe what we learn about Paul D's past in this section. How would you characterize what he lived through?
8. Explain how the theme of community is raised in this section about Paul D.
9. Why is Paul D slowly moving away from the bedroom he shared with Sethe?
10. What happens on p. 136-8?
11. Describe how Paul D feels about masculinity and what it takes to be a "true man." What changes do his emotions undergo in this section?
12. If you had to choose a protagonist for the entire novel at this point, whom would you choose? Why? What conflict is going on in the novel?
13. On p. 159 it states that "It was Stamp Paid who started it." What did he start, how, and what were the results of what he started?
14. Why did the community get so angry? Because of this anger, what did they fail to do for those at 124?
15. The Garners and their slave operations are brought up again. We raised the issue of "benevolent slavery" in class - what is being discussed on p. 172, and how do you see the Garners and their position as slave owners now?
16. We finally discover the reasons behind the crawling-already? girl's death in the short chapter on p. 174-180. What was your reaction to this narrative?
17. What is Baby Suggs's judgment about this event and Sethe? Does she feel she was wrong or right in her decision? Do you agree with Baby Suggs's judgment?
18. How does Sethe explain her motivations to Paul D? Have your feelings and judgments about Sethe changed after this has been revealed?
19. Why do the three women go skating, and what happens afterwards? How does this event change Sethe's mind about Beloved?
20. Where has Paul D gone, and why do Stamp and Ella disagree about the community's treatment of Paul D and those still at 124?
Pages 222-277
1. The entire section from p.222-234 consists of Sethe talking to whom? What is she trying to tell or explain to this person?
2. What do we discover schoolteacher was doing with the slaves in this first chapter of volume II? Why is Sethe deeply troubled by this? What greater themes do these actions connect with?
3. What causes the Sweet Home men and Sethe to plan their escape?
4. We read a conversation between Sethe and Halle discussing the Garner's type of slavery vs. that of schoolteacher. What does each character believe about the two parties? Why?
5. On p. 234-5, Stamp Paid thinks about the parties involved with slavery. What does he conclude? Are slaves the only ones affected by slavery? Why or why not?
6. The next 4 chapters are written in what is called in literary studies a "stream of consciousness" narrative, in which the thoughts of a character are expressed as they are thought. Look for connections and similar themes expressed across these 4 chapters. Who is speaking in each one? To whom is this person speaking? And what are they trying to explain or describe? In other words, what is the motivation for the existence of these chapters?
7. Why is the third chapter in this series written so differently than the first two? Watch for patterns of imagery and symbolism in this chapter.
8. Who is speaking in the fourth chapter of this series?
9. The last 2 chapters of this section return us to Paul D's memories and his current situation. What does he remember this time about his time at Sweet Home (Garners vs. schoolteacher), the escape plan, and the results?
10. How does Stamp Paid feel about Sethe's decision to try and kill her children?
11. What else do we discover about Stamp's decision to rename himself, and what does this suggest about his identity or way of dealing with trauma?
Pages 281-324
1. The first sentence of volume III is "124 was quiet." Why - what has changed?
2. How would you describe the changing relationships between Sethe, Beloved, and Denver in this section? (especially compared to the "unspoken thoughts" from the 4 chapters in the last section). Why and how have things changed for these three women?
3. How are their household roles changing? What is Sethe acting like, and Beloved? Because of these changes, how does Denver's role change?
4. What does Denver decide to do, and what does this symbolize?
5. What do the "gifts of food" (p. 293) symbolize for the community and those at 124?
6. Who becomes the leader of the "rescue" of 124? Why do you think Morrison chose this particular character instead of say, Paul D, Stamp Paid, or the Bodwins?
7. What does this character think about Sethe's actions, and also the past and present in general?
8. What happens at the end of the chapter on pages 304-9? What does the arrival of these characters represent, what memory and motivation causes Sethe's violent reaction, and what are the results?
9. Why didn't she try to kill her child under the threat of "schoolteacher" this time? What was different?
10. On p. 322, Paul D thinks that "He wants to put his story next to hers." What does this one short sentence symbolize for the characters of Beloved?
11. What is the last chapter saying? What were the results the disappearance?
12. Why does it say "This is not a story to pass on" ? What is ironic about that statement? What different meanings might this have?