Beloved and Numerology

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Beloved and Numerology

In literature, numbers are used to communicate important messages to the reader. The author uses references to numbers to strengthen the important ideas of the novel. In many cultures numbers carry an important or significant meaning to them. These numbers can carry a meaning more efficiently than using only words. In Beloved, Toni Morrison uses references to numbers to emphasize the significant ideas of the novel. Morrison uses these numbers to represent the persistence of slavery brought upon in Sethe’s life, her children’s life, Paul D.’s life, and Baby Suggs life, after slavery has ended. These references to numbers are important because they show how these characters are affected after it has ended. Through physical means, through the actions of these characters, and through psychological means of these characters, Morrison shows the haunting continuation and aftereffects of slavery.

In many novels the first sentence is the most important sentence in the novel. The first sentence can set the way for the remainder of the novel. In Beloved the first sentence, and first word of the entire novel uses numbers. Because numbers are used first, before any words, I find that the references to numbers are very important. 124 is in the first sentence on the first page. The sentence states, “124 WAS SPITEFUL” (Morrison 3). This sentence is in all capital letters and also bold print. This shows an importance that this reference to numbers has on the novel. This number used on the page sets up the haunting story of slavery in one particular black household. The number refers to the house number in which the main characters live in. This house, 124, is haunted by the ghost of the baby of the main ch...

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...acters, through physical aspects and through psychological aspects. 124 and the two different representations of Beloved is the physical aspect of enslavement. The different actions of the characters that live in 124 represent the replay of roles of slavery. And the trinity represents a psychological aspect to show these characters still think, mentally, that they are slaves. The references to numbers also let the characters realize that they should not feel enslaved anymore. Because of the numbers that Morrison it both ties the characters directly back to act and think as a slave, and the numbers let the characters know that they should not be enslaved any longer. Morrison uses the references to numbers to strengthen the idea that the haunting continuation of slavery persisted even after slavery ended.

Works Cited

Morrison, Toni. Beloved. New York: Plume, 1988

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