Movie vs Book comparison

Whenever there is a book turned into a movie, there is usually one person that claims that the book was better. Usually, I tend to think that neither is better than the other (the movie version of The Handmaids Tale is the exception) since books tend to highlight the author's use of literary technique in addition to plot summary to convey meaning to the work as a whole, meanwhile, the movie versions use visual and audio cues to add to the plot and meaning. They are two different ways of presenting material, and one needs to take in account of how one can convert the author's literary techniques and their influences on the story into a visual format. That said, the movie version of Beloved was well executed.

The movie tends to mostly follow the plot of the book and use of the original symbolisms and their meanings. For example, the detail of the tree-looking scar on Sethe's back and the puss forming on that scar. In the book, it was described looking like flower moments before Sethe was about to give birth to Denver. Flowers usually are associated with fertility and spring, and it's nice to see that such small detail was put into account. Although, one did not get references to trees as much as one did in the book, which linked it to the ideas of family and how one is intermingled with those one is related to, the visual interactions between other characters with Beloved helps one question that meaning. 

As usual, there were scenes cut out that cut have been kept in. For example, Baby Suggs, Sethe's mother-in-law, focused on color before she died. She was especially fond of the color yellow, but she liked green and blue too. If this information was included in the movie, it would have brought more meaning to Denver's actions when Baby Suggs comes back from the dead momentarily to help guide her. When Denver leaves, she dresses in yellow and green. I believe it would have made a greater impact as a viewer. However, the times when red popped up in the novel, it showcased as a red light in the movie, and it related to the incident that Beloved died, and added an extra meaning to the incident as well as Beloved's actions as an older "person". Although some significant actions of Beloved was taken out, like her chocking Sethe and cruelly scaring Denver in the shed in which the incident  happened on newspaper that covered the same incident that occurred, one got sense of her feelings about it. 

When I was little, my parents sung to me, "vatten, vatten, bara vanligt vatten" which roughly translates to, "water, water, just plain water". However, with the mention of water reoccurring throughout the book, it is very clear that the water serves a deep, purposeful meaning especially regarding the character Beloved.

When one first comes in contact with Beloved, she is seen as a stranger to the ones around her and is very sick. As Denver takes care of her, Sethe and Denver tries to get information from which Beloved comes from, however, she states that she came from the Ohio River, from "the other side, " and doesn't seem to recall any thing that could have possibly happened in her life. Although other motifs like the color white and coldness point to the fact Beloved is a ghost that is seemingly grown up from the age in which she died, the fact that she has remerged from water brings in the idea and symbolism water serves in the bible. 

As a non-religous person, when thinking about water and Christianity, my mind goes to baptizing and with the idea of rebirthing. With these things in mind, it makes sense that Beloved has become older through water. In the article linked, it touched up on that "in some contexts, water stands for enemies who can attack and need to be overcome" and it makes me wonder why and how Beloved died, and if it correlates to Beloved strangling Sethe, her mother. 

Another character that correlates with water is Denver. She was birthed on a boat as Sethe was escaping Sweet Home. Is there a bible reference of some baby drifting out in water? Could someone clarify? 

Before Sethe lived in 124, she was in a house called Sweet Home. From there, she knows Paul D and Halle, a man in which she had some children with but have either died or left. In the memories of Sweet Home, brutalic instances occurred. For example, Sethe was separated from Halle,

Before Sethe lived in 124, she was in a house called Sweet Home. From there, she knows Paul D and Halle. Halle is a man in which she had some children with but have either died or left. In the memories of Sweet Home, brutalic instances occurred. For example, Sethe had her skin on her back was used for leather and the owners took her milk. She was separated from Halle which then promoted her to leave.

In talking about this issue with Paul D, he gave her information she didn't know, the fact that Halle could see her. However, Paul D then explains he couldn't say anything because he "had a bit in [his] mouth" meaning that he couldn't talk. This prompts turmoil for Sethe, which seems to be one of many more arguments to come.

What is most interesting, is how differently Denver and Beloved influence Sethe. Beloved was a sick girl that stumbled across to 124. Denver took great care of her and nursed her back to health. However, once in great shape, Beloved explains that she has nobody and nowhere to go. Denver had always wondered about her past, however, Beloved was the one to get Sethe talking about her past. "Now she noticed something more. The questions Beloved asked: 'Where your diamonds?' 'Your woman she never fix up your hair?' And most perplexing: Tell me your earrings. How did she know?' I wonder what conflict will occur from Beloved and how she will influence others in the story. However, most of all, I wonder why she was given that name: Beloved.  

From reading Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye and Song of Solomon, it has become clear to me that Toni Morrison uses similar symbols, sometimes differently, between those novels to criticize outcomes of different black issues and how they are handled in different moments in history. Since I recently started reading Beloved, I've come to appreciate how Morrison plays specifically around with location, velvet, trees, and the color white to help guide us as readers to her criticisms, especially within relationships between the characters. Although I have not read far in Beloved, I have already come in contact with all four things listed. 

I am interested how Toni Morrison will play around with location, velvet, trees, and the color white in Beloved, but I am mostly curious about the how the author will use trees to influence the meanings of the passages. In Song of Solomon, it contributed to the main character, Milkman, going back to his "roots"; reconnecting with his relatives. I wonder if she will incorporate a the same idea, that the trees will symbolize family, considering that the main character, Sethe, has lost most of her children and has a scar on her back that looks like a tree.

As I am reading Beloved, I hope to re-read The Bluest Eye since I have not read it since summer. I hope to keep track if Morrison incorporates the four things in the same fashion, or, if she switches them up. And if she uses them in same ways, why? 

testing