Abstract

Toni Morrison, the first black woman writer who wins the Nobel Prize in Literature. Beloved, basing on a true historical story is Morrison’s fifth novel which wins her much honor. An African-American female slave named Margaret Garner killed her daughter herself on her running way in order to protect her child from living a life without human rights and being enslaved.

This thesis discusses the causes and the impacts of the distorted maternal love in Beloved. The first part of the paper is a brief introduction on Toni Morrison and her work Beloved. In the second part, an analysis is made on the story, showing the backgrounds of the story and demonstrating the mother-daughter relationship which entails the distorted maternal love. The third part deeply discusses the causes and the impacts of the distorted maternal love. The specific reasons are as follows: the slavery system; the influence of abnormal motherhood; the denial of self-identity; the role of black community. The importance is attached on the first one, analyzing the influences from physical, mental and family three aspects. Conclusion summarizes the impacts of the slavery system, including the evil consequences and the strength that black people gain.

Key words: beloved; maternal love; causes; impacts; slavery

Contents

Abstract

摘要

1 Introduction1

2 Analysis of the Story2

2.1 Background2

2.2 Mother-daughter Relationship3

3 Causes & Impacts of Distorted Maternal Love5

3.1 The Slavery System6

3.2 The Influence of Abnormal Motherhood8

3.3 The Denial of Self-Identity.9

3.4 The Role of Black Community.11

4 Conclusion.12

References.14