Toni Morrison’s Opus About Confronting a Terrible Past | It's Lit
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 27 เม.ย. 2022
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Beloved is the magnum opus of the late, great Toni Morrison. It has become a key piece of literature taught in schools and is considered one of the great pieces of American literature. To understand Beloved, we must first look at the woman behind the pages: Nobel Prize Winner Toni Morrison.
Hosted by Lindsay Ellis and Princess Weekes, It’s Lit! is a show about our favorite books, genres, and why we love to read. It’s Lit is made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the human endeavor.
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I got wrecked when I read it over winter break. it is no exaggeration to say that this novel changed my life. it smashed me into pieces and showed me the beauty in the wreckage
Same. Beloved was a brick that smashed through my emotions
I'm a Brit so reading Beloved in my first year at uni in 2009 was one of my first encounters with American authors of colour. It affected me so much that it entirely changed the way I read and saw literature. I went from being a student who only read books by dead white guys to someone who actively sought out a diverse range of literature and even started putting my own experiences of marginalised identity to the page. I cannot overstate how powerful this book is. Everyone should read it if they get the chance.
Reading Beloved for the first time was a harrowing experience from the beginning. I have never been so affected by a novel before, and I have never cried so hard while reading any other novel. It's an experience that hits you deeply into your soul, leaving you raw but renewed, and I very much needed to go outside, and look at the sky while I processed the ending.
Reading this as a youth is a necessity, and I am grateful beyond words for my high school literature teacher for guiding us through the intricacies of this novel, both technical and thematic triumphs. I can very honestly say this novel changed me
I read this book for a college class called "writing the novel" as an example of an excellent stroy telling.
Had to read the Bluest Eye for assignment in my African American Literature II class and that book was difficult read for how raw and relatable much of the content was for me as a black person. Toni Morrison is a phenomenal writer and her contributions to literary and its impact on it and society are appreciated.
Small correction, it is the Nobel Prize for literature, not the Nobel Peace Prize for Literature. The Nobel Peace Prize is its own award given by Norway, separate from the various other Nobel Prizes, given by Sweden.
Just finished this and one of the many astonishing things about it is how Morrison blends several different writing styles with such skill and delicate emotional appropriateness to the exact feeling of every given scene. SO hard to pull off.
Haven't watched the video yet cause ads but let me comment for the engagement because I know imma love it.
Amazing analysis. Morrison is a queen and a gift for all future generations. She touched my soul in a way no other author has. I miss her
I love Toni and Princess so much
it's lit never disappoints ❤️
I absolutely LOVE your videos/interpretive essays and the way in which you analyze the Lit. You cover.
Beloved was one of the most haunting books I've ever read. Yet also ( in it's own right) among one of the most Beautiful.
Morrison is in a class all her own.
Nobody writes like her. (I just finished Five Poems. )
My family hails from Ohio originally. (although I was raised in rural, northeast TN.) and my sister is interested in genealogy research. She discovered that I am a great x4 (or 5 I think?) Grandson of Udney Hay Hyde. Who was involved in the underground railroad. He assisted a man named Addison White among others.
There isn't a lot on him, but I wish Mr. White's story was better documented and think it might be one you'd be interested in ma'am . From what little there IS on him, it seems that many towns people in the area he was at at the time pitched in together to help him. (They took donations and raised the funds to purchase him from an EVIL slave owner . I believe Mr. White also fought in the civil war.) I think it would be a good story on many fronts. And it's one that isn't well known. It's also
One I certainly don't have the talents to do justice to. (In regards to telling his story .)
But I think you would do MARVELOUS at it based on other videos I've seen.
Your segments and Monstrum are hands down my favorite.
Great job as always.
That's so true and so painful for us in Ukraine. The words about truth and horror, tragedy and destructive memories. This women was genius and had huge talent
Dang, after seeing the Black and White still posted at the end of the video, now I kind of want to see a movie version of this book filmed like an old Universal Monster Movie.
According to some people at my college, before Professor Mark Behr passed away in 2015, he would always reference Toni Morrison whenever he could. While I myself have never read "Beloved," after watching this episode, I can gain more appreciation for Morrison as a writer. The last work that I read from hers was on authors not being to escape from their own writings...something like that...it's been a long time.
This is one of my favorite episodes you've ever done, so beautifully and concisely capturing why this novel deserves its high place in American literature.
Loving this! Would be cool to see one of these on NK Jemisin. She doesn't get enough analysis
Bc her stuff doesnt compare to the Greats yet. Shes wah overrated. Seriously. Octavia blows her out if the water and like Morrison deserves to be remembered while Jemisen can improve
Like its a little annoying that every time we discuss a diverse artist yall just tack on whoever else writes regardless of talent just because theyre black
@@stephaniewilliams6756 who the heck is yall? I'm black. I pointed her out because Toni Morrison's dreads reminded me of NK's dreads when I saw her picture, and it got me thinking. That said, NK Jemisin is great, and her work is not the same as Octavia Butler and does not have the same goals, settings etc. idk why you decided to compare them, given that this is on a video about Toni Morrison, but just because you dislike her doesn't take away from other people's opinions about NK Jemisin. She's the only person to win 3 consecutive hugos in a row for the same series. That's got to count for something.
@@stephaniewilliams6756 also, NK Jemisin is literally my favorite fantasy author. And there's like very little good analysis about her work on youtube. So it would be great to hear some analysis from a channel that has great analysis in general, including analysis on the works of other black authors. That was the point of my comment. What was the point of yours? You're the only one between the two of us putting someone down. If my favorite author was Seth Dickinson and I felt he didn't get enough lit analysis i'd've said him too, cause that's my prerogative, and you prob would not have even batted an eye at my comment and just moved on. Let other people like things lol
Nicely timed - I'm teaching this novel next week as part of a class on ghost stories - and usefully written. It's a powerful text, and I've been wondering if I can do it justice. Points made here will help with that.
Thank you for doing Beloved. This is an astonishingly painful and horrifying book that every American should read. It's absolutely required if you are a human being to find at the library or buy it, study it like a student and feel the full empathy for the characters as if they were real because there are real human beings living this nightmare everyday in their real lives. You can also share empathy in your own life with people you don't know. Try to "EMPATHIZE" with other people and beings. Try to be more kind.
Why should only Americans read? What about Brits or Poles or Nigerians or Japanese?
@@hedwigwendell-crumb91 anyone can read it. They are simply saying it’s most relatable to Americans because of our unique history with race.
@@witchplease9695 the Brits colonised many countries and played a large part in slavery too!
@@witchplease9695 Well, Toni Morrison did say in an interview, "I don't write for white people."
eyyyyy another history lesson with princess! buckle up folks :)
Amazing!! Also serious envy for your BPP food program shirt ❤️
This was my favorite novel as a teenager, even through I couldn't understand it fully I was obsessed, thank you for this video I might reread it again after so many years
Beloved was the first "challenging" book I ever read for class that I ever really feel in love with, if not "got."
I read it in college for a course with the banal name "The Novel and Other Narratives since World War II", which assigned me books that ring through my mind to this day and served up so many authors I still read like Coetzee, Rushdie, Marquez, Morrison (and others I do not read, but am glad I did, like Maxine Hong Kingston, Thomas Pynchon, etc.)
I now teach African-American History, and whenever I teach about the horrors of the crossing, it is Morrison's words, in that stream of consciousness chapter, that still ring through my head and (hopefully!) pass through me as I educate my students.
I missed this coming out yesterday! Always a good day when there is a new video with Princess Weekes! 💜
In college our American Gothic professor, who was amazing by the way, had us read Beloved. It was so haunting, so good. It really is a book that deserves its accolades.
her headpiece makes me want icecream
This is such a coincidence! I was finishing up reading Beloved as this video dropped. I was totally devastated by it, and it was helpful to learn about Margaret Garner afterward.
I read Beloved for a freshman seminar in college and of the books we read in that class, it made the biggest impact.
Love the tshirt
This was a beautiful analysis and explanation to one of my favorite books, thank you for covering it! I read it after watching the movie by chance in college and much like the color purple it taught me exactly wat you said: truth can equal horror. But is the truth of our history
This book ripped my heart out and stomped on it. Excellent read, but buckle up because it's a rough, rough ride. Great video, y'all!
🙏🏻 Thank you, Princess!!
absolutely wonderful topic, thanks!
This was an awesome segment!
Props and much love for the t-shirt Panthers and their community work and legacy
This breaks my heart so hard I can't even describe it with words...
Please do The Bluest Eye! My favorite Toni Morrison book ever
I'm finally reading Beloved for a Survey of American Lit class. it's a beautiful, poginent read. It's harrowing and haunting.
What. A. Book. Read it this past winter and wow. Heartbreaker.
This is a challenging book to read. I really appreciate the breakdown and explanation. I have had this on my bookshelf for years and I've been too afraid to just read it.
“Something we did, or something that was done to us…” perfectly said xoxoxo ♥️
Amazing film too loved it so heartfelt
This video broke my heart
I need to put this book higher on my TBR list.
Thank you, Princess Weekes
YOU ma'am are an AMAZING, articulate narrator. I LOVE Toni Morrison, Alice Walker (minus her unfortunate David Icke Fandom), Langston Hughes, W.B. Dubois, James Baldwin, James Weldon Johnson and ALL of the Greats. The Harlem Renaissance (which I realize some aforementioned writers were not a part of but influenced by) had a profoundly underrated impact on Culture as a Whole.
It's awesome you're bringing such awareness to future generations. (So as not to forget their roots.)
A generation that forgets it's roots becomes a dead tree .
Ty for your service. As educator and entertainer. I don't know what they're paying you. But it's likely not nearly enough.
This was my favorite book of any I read in high school. Somehow I’d totally forgotten Morrison was from Lorain and that it was set in Cincinnati-I grew up 20 minutes from Lorain!
I'm inspired to read this now 😢
extra credits did a great overview of this book too.
God this book is so dang good
Thanks.
awesome video love the black panther t
If I may suggest a topic, perhaps you'd like to examine the career of "juvenile science fiction" author Alice Mary (AKA: "Andre") Norton, & ask why it's taken so VERY long to see female SF-authors share their voices in this genre, in the decades since "Ms. Shelly" published both "The Immortal" & "Frankenstein".
It be cool to see a video on Flannery O’Connor. She was a major southern Gothic writer like William Faulkner.
The movie scared me as a kid , but I love the novel as an adult.
Beloved was older then Denver
Another good example is the play The Piano Lesson by August Wilson.
I love you Princess 🤩
Engagement for the engagement god.
I'm stuck at the chapters that begin with beloved, too scared to continue with what I imagine is coming
Crazy story. I can see why schools would've thought it a bit much for essential reading. It would've really gotten inside my teenager head for a while. It would've been nothing like my Japanese animes at all.
@Larque Fausse
What about Japanese tokusatsu?
"That's a bad hat, Harry"
Please do Almanac of the Dead by Leslie Marmon Silko
Maybe a controversial opinion but every iconic historic American author I know has been Black Women. Like authors like Harper Lee, F Scott Fitzgerald and Herman Melville are definitely respectable authors for sure, but honestly I don't know if they could compare to the likes of Toni Morrison, Audre Lorde and Octavia Butler
Correction in many places slavery was still going on as late as the 1960's
❤❤❤❤
Can we talk about Princess' headwear (not sure what it's called) though? She looks like a unicorn and honestly I'm all about it 🦄
Also makes me miss my pink hair and beard......🤔
Shouldn't be banned (that's ridiculous it's a masterpiece) but I definitely wouldn't assign it in a high school class, Beloved is definitely a hard read (content and structure). I watched it wreck a History Grad student during a PhD course on African American Literature.
Yeah, I'm definitely glad I had to read it for university instead of high school...
There's nothing at all challenging enough that 10th graders + can't deal with. Restricting it to a university course will just make it inaccessible for the majority of people.
@@flazay_da we were going to pass it out to high school students here if Youngkin has successfully banned it. The story isn't too bad as far as difficulty but I'd love to meet a 10th grade who has read enough to grasp the scope of intertextuality in the thing, she's pulling from Faulkner, Joyce, Wolfe, James, Jackson, DaLillo, Twain, Achebe, Melville, Equiano, Jacobs, Douglas, Didion and that just the handful I can think of off the top of my head. I'd also assign Playing In the Dark and Dessah Rose with it. If you're just reading it for the story you're missing out on just how vast Morrison's literary repertoire actually was which is beyond impressive for even the stuffiest of philologist. So I think it's more likely to inspire a student who has a good handle on the canon Beloved is pushing against vs one who will find it frustrating and just go back to reading that Percy Jackson trash.
Her headdress looks like ice cream.
That was my first thought
spanish subtitles please
Why is Princess wearing an ice cream cone on her head?
I miss it's lit
WHAT is on the presenters head? A knitted scoop of ice cream? Unicorn horn?
How can you try someone as property
The additional context behind this is that there was debate between whether garner would be tried for destruction of property (which implies that her and her children were property), or for murder, which would imply her and her children’s humanity
Yknow I've been in literary and english education programs for...about 18 years now. I think I have read either 1 or 0 "literature" pieces by black authors and certainly none by black female authors. What the fresh hell, education system, what were you teaching me?
Fact check: there is a Nobel for Lit and a Nobel Peace Prize. There is no "Nobel Peace Prize for Literature."
First!
so?
excuse me miss i think a harajuku pooped on your head
Shuddering from that storytelling.
The only reason I'm even excited for this stupid video is because this only means another Monstrum upload is coming soon after.
Eh.