Symbolism in Toni Morrison's Beloved

Toni Morrison enhances the effectiveness of Beloved with symbolism. This symbolism has a myriad of origins as well as forms. Number symbols come from astrological sources, while characters' names are allusions from ancient Egyptian mythology, the Bible, and African culture. Furthermore, important color symbols are discernible throughout the novel. From the very beginning of Beloved, the number 124 is distinguishable. In fact, it appears as the first character of each book of the novel. As the …

…took away not only freedom but also the brightness in his heart. Even a simple barnyard animal can be proud of his color, but Paul D cannot. African culture, astronomy, and Egyptian and Biblical mythology are sources for valuable and meaningful symbols. Toni Morrison's Beloved contains many of these symbols, such as numbers, names, and colors. The effect of these signs compliments Morrison's style in the oral tradition as well as her emotional subject matter.