1. Warming up with the film version of the Clearing scene with Baby Suggs
Close reading a physical space:
- What specific elements in this scene interest you?
- What are the qualities and purposes of this space?
- Why might Morrison name it "the Clearing"?
- Who used to govern this space? Who governs it now? What does this shift mean?
- Through this space, what do you think Morrison wants us to understand better or differently (about slavery? memory? pain? freedom? ownership?)?
3. Discussing Chapters 9-12 in Beloved in a Socratic
4. Wrapping up with questions, epiphanies, and kudos
HW:
1. For THURSDAY: Finish Part 1 (Chapters 13-18--it's a little under 50 pages) and complete your Socratic ticket. Everyone will submit a ticket that day.
2. FRIDAY, JAN 31 WILL BE THE POEM METACOGNITIVE: Decide on your poetry paper/project poem and bring it to class. Remember that it should be from a different genre / time period than your 1st poem.
3. ONGOING: Serial Reading and scrolling through your first three vocabulary lists.
Thanks, Anna, for scribing!
ReplyDeleteSocratic Notes
Chapters 9-12
Some of the most brutal things happen in the most beautiful places
The mention of blood and Beloved throughout the chapters
Description of Autumn “Autumn bottles of blood and gold had everyone’s attention”
People who were pro slavery argued that it was natural. In some cases also justified with religion, however there is very little religion referenced in beloved.
Paul D’s runaway scene
School teacher sold the slaves and were then chained together when working. It started raining and flooding and they were able to escape using the chains as communication.
Covered boxes but with slits in the roof with no floor. The floor got muddy when it rained and they swam under.
The boxes were almost coffin like
He tried to kill his master, and then was chained.
The clearing
When we let the past control us it becomes dangerous (Beloved)
The lack of religious intent in a seemingly religious scene.
They worship to recognize lost humanity and to feel loved after being treated inhumanely.
Beloved chokes Sethe because of some dark intention
Did Sethe kill the Baby? Relating to the question denver is asked by one of the boys at school
Many women sitting on rocks in important scenes ( Sethe gave birth on a rock, Baby suggs preached on a rock)
Beloved is the only one on a tree stump, something that was alive and is now dead
Vampire like relationship with Beloved and Sethe. Beloved keeps taking and Sethe gives.
Connection with necks: the baby had her throat slit and Sethe got choked
What is Beloved’s true intention? Not a lot of what she does is all positive. Paul D is drawn to her “glowing” and is disgusted by it.
Beloved wants power over Paul D and tries to exploit him by having sex
Beloved appeared right after the carnival
Denver was sceptical of Paul D and then was less so after the carnival. It allowed some release from everything
Beloved came back then to remind them she was not out of their lives.
The carnival was the only time they went out of the house
Control: BY leaving they try to find an air of normality
Beloved wants Sethe to focus on the past
Is this what morrison wants us to realize? The past doesn't go away
What does the bridge symbolize?
Turtle symbolism
Beloved has the body of an 18-20 year old but the mind of a 2 year old
This is how she realizes that she can get an upper hand on Paul D
Last page of chapter 9 shows how many relationships in the book are like.
What is the significance of Paul D calling out red heart at the end of chapter 11?
“Beloved is alive while still dead”
As soon as Sethe has happy memories Beloved reminds her of the past and hurts her in that way
The neck is used very often with many things, hopefully finding more symbolism in that.
Red heart
Paul D contained his heart in that tin can and admits that by Beloved doing that it has opened up to reveal his heart in a way that had not happened in a while.
Colors are relevant in different places
Green in the clearing
Yellow being worn
In the slave chain, the mention of poppies