Paradise and Beyond: The Trial of Man and Slave
Paradise is a world that man left behind. Departing from it meant an end to comfort and an introduction to suffering. In a biblical sense, this anecdote deals with a wayward mankind slinking away from a vengeful God. But in a modern sense, the tale can also be reflected in the plight of blacks during the era of slavery. Toni Morrison's Beloved parallels the Genesis story in that the story of the Sweet Home slaves mirrors mankind's life, temptation, and subsequent fall from paradise.
Relative to other farms, Sweet Home is an Eden, where Mr. Garner reigns over like a god. Under Garner, slaves are seen as workers with rights. The slaves "were believed and trusted, but most of all they were listened to" (147), something unheard of on a Southern farm. While most masters abuse their slaves, Garner treats his workers humanely. Under his rule, the slaves feel as if they are more than just mere property; they believe they are human beings. In the sea of bigotry that is the South, Sweet Home lives up to its name as an oasis of relative safety for the blacks. Mr. Garner's relationship with the slaves mirrors God's relationship with his creations in Genesis. Instead of lording over his new creations, God trusts them outright and allows them to care for the garden of paradise, similar to how Garner allows the slaves to work his farm. Also, since neither master shows distrust or fear towards their people, loyalty is returned in kind. Finally, nothing exists in paradise to drive master and servant apart.
It is the presence of evil that shatters the illusion of paradise in both Eden and Sweet Home. Schoolteacher arrives after the death of Garner, determined to correct the "freedom imposed on people who needed every care and guidance in the world to keep them from the cannibal life they preferred" (177). He replaces Garner's benevolent ways with his disciplinarian attitudes and the slaves find they are treated as property instead of men. Schoolteacher wishes to extract the ideas of freedom that Garner planted in them in order to make sure they are kept beneath him. Unlike their old master, where "deferring to his slaves' opinions did not deprive him of authority and power" (147), schoolteacher is threatened by slaves who have a voice of their own. He thus treats them like mere animals, following the bigoted tradition of white superiority. By breaking down the idea of personal freedom, schoolteacher cements himself as ruler over the lowly slaves. Comparatively, The serpent's arrival in the Garden of Eden causes division between God and His creations. The serpent tempts man with ultimate power so that he can betray his master. This offer of power supercedes man's loyalty to God, allowing sin to put distance between deity and creation. By letting humans betray God, the serpent causes them to lose their special place in paradise.
Coming into contact with evil allows man to see the faults that exist within this so-called paradise. Both man and slave discover the sinister element shared between Sweet Home and Eden: ignorance that is instilled by their masters in order to keep them in place. God commands Adam and Eve that they can eat from any tree in the garden "but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die." (Gn 2: 17-18) At the dawn of creation, man is kept ignorant of the differences between good and evil, supposedly for his own protection. Because of this ignorance, man does not possess free will and is more like the slaves of Sweet Home, bound to his master. Like the slaves, man remains unaware of reality, which allows him to be taken advantage of by the evil serpent. Once man eats the forbidden fruit, God fears that man might "put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life" and "live forever" (Gn:3:22-23). If man were to become immortal, this would elevate him to a level almost equal to God's. So God expels man from paradise to keep him from becoming more like his creator. The slaves of Sweet Home also do not understand their condition because they are kept ignorant. Although Mr. Garner is a benevolent owner, he still only teaches "what [he] wanted known" (165). While given more privileges than most slaves, the Sweet Home residents are still denied the knowledge they need to make them equal in status to whites. Schoolteacher's arrival spells the end of any chance to possibly learn this knowledge, so they decide to escape. In both cases, man and slave leave paradise, only to discover that suffering lies ahead.
Having left paradise, slave and man discover that the harsh realities of a world filled with suffering but eventually find solace through love. Schoolteacher threatens the Sweet Home men that they would be "trespassers among the human race" (148), should they leave the farm. Paul D learns the meaning of schoolteacher's threat firsthand while in captivity. While the white guards of Alfred, Georgia treat him like a primitive being, Paul D has no other companions, save the Cherokee, another race shunned because of their skin. But despite the Indians' acceptance, he does not yet feel complete, so he travels further North, in hopes of finding a place where he would not need "permission for desire" (191). At Sweet Home, the Garners did not recognize true relationships between the slaves, so marriage and ultimately love seemed unreachable at the time. But now that he is free from Sweet Home, Paul D seeks out the woman he lusted after for years: Sethe. It is with her that he eventually finds peace in a world where one race reigns over another, and race is the key to judging one's worth. Paul D's trials mirrors those that man must face when he is dispelled from paradise. Having displeased God, man must now toil "all the days of [his] life" (Gn:3:17), and live a mortal life. Outside Eden lies a land that must be manually farmed for man to survive, so he is forced to work daily. Yet despite all his struggles, man is still accompanied by Eve, the being God created to be man's partner. With Eve, man faces the unknown world and together they begin the journey of the human race. Being expelled from paradise tests the mettle of man and slave, yet both survive in the end, stronger than ever.
It is not uncommon for man to fantasize about returning to paradise. The thought of being relieved from constant work and suffering is a powerful one, although flawed. It is through suffering that man and slave come to realize their full potential, something they could not experience while being held on a leash by their ever-watchful masters. The strength man gains through these trials will allow his continual survival in a world that is far from the paradise he was expelled from. A return to paradise would be a return to ignorance, for man would be unable to advance himself in a world where no one suffers. It is time to leave Eden and Sweet Home behind once and for all, and marvel at the fact that man has survived long enough to create a civilization where most understand the wonders of freedom.
Works Cited
Morrison, Toni. Beloved. New York: Random House Inc., 1987.
Miller, Betty, and Bud Miller. The Bible. Christ Unlimited Ministries. 19 April 2005. http://www.bibleontheweb.com/Bible.asp.
Analysis
This sample comparative essay was written for a high school AP English class. It compares Toni Morrison's Beloved to the Book of Genesis and suggests that the trials of Southern black slaves parallel the struggles of biblical man. This example high school literature essay uses plenty of examples to illustrate its point, and offers powerful commentary and a thought-provoking conclusion. It would be a good reference for any student who wants to write an organized, well-constructed essay.
1,278 words / 5 pages
|
Home
