Beloved: The Price of Freedom

Through the shifting timeline and revealing of past events, Beloved by Toni Morrison examines the inability of characters to escape the past as well as relating it into the real world example of the ever so cliche "price of freedom." Both main characters in the novel, Sethe and Paul D, were constantly presented with struggles and the persistent reminder of their past. In Sethe's case, the constant presence of Beloved haunted her, reminding her of her vivid past. She reminds Sethe of her murder of her own children and her loss of those important to her. Sethe also faces Sweet Home which was almost personified as a shifting and overtaking power over the characters in the home. In order to achieve her "freedom," Sethe must lose her sons and also her daughter. Much like Sethe, Paul D is haunted by his own past. While jailed in Georgia, Paul D releases his heart to become a tobacco tin. His escape or freedom of emotion comes only by way of losing connection to those around him and the world as a whole. His loss of heart results in a loss of sociability or connection with either a human or an idea. Both characters cannot escape who they were before and in result end up feeling more and more connected to each other.

Stranger or Outsider

Though a quick read, The Stranger provided an interesting perspective on existentialism while also diving deeper into an understanding of the quasi-meaningless main character of Meursault. The novel was almost bland at parts with lengthy descriptions of characters or their actions as well as detailed depictions of what seemed at the time implausible examinations of weather or a harsh courtroom. As readers, Meursault came off as a fool and unable to control his emotions or actions. That became most obvious when he killed the Arab man. His action son that day were perpetually aided by the beating sun, bursting on his face. It was almost like his blood had been boiling for so long he had to release. In relation to our world, Meursault embodied the carefree and worthless human we recognize only from the wanted ad or the news story. Yet the relationship presented between him and his mother exemplified his understanding of love and his realization of happiness. Like his mother, in the end, Meursault understood the importance of a mate or someone to love. Compared to his neighbor who beat his lover, Meursault wanted what only seemed like the physical from his lover. He treated her as if she was a slave and when separated  unlike his violent friend who cared about losing his love, Meursault seemed oblivious. Up front, the goal of the novel seemed only to help readers understand that life is meaningless and worthless and that death is the only solution. However after finishing the novel, The Stranger was made not only to unravel the truth between a conflicted Meursault, but also into order to examine the importance of the embrace of the world, not letting yourself go to the control of those around you.