As I read Beloved, it gave me a perspective of the long-term effects of slavery on African Americans. I really think Beloved is how Morrison feels -- she is trying to show just how demeaning slavery was, even shortly after. The setting we see in the book is chaotic -- it is explicit and weird and saddening, and the character of Sethe helps us connect that to the effects of slavery. The mindset of some former slaves (like Sethe) is still stuck in slavery, and as a result, this makes things harder for them to immerse themselves into the post-Civil War setting. Usually, the way we learned about the Civil War (in California anyway) is always framed as a poorly made decision.
This changed my mind about slavery in general. Similar to Morrison, I still think that slavery was unnecessary and scarred many more than just those who were former slaves. However, it is making me think a lot of how America could have made up for these wrongdoings a little better (besides affirmative action), and if opportunities for African-Americans have truly gotten any better. For instance, police brutality and their treatment towards those not of their color is an issue that has been increasing in the past years. As a result, movements such as Black Lives Matter continue to take over social media platforms. Personally, I believe discrimination has not completely disappeared from American society. I believe other forms of discrimination are emerging from the shadows. Whether it be police brutality, or insufficient funds going towards inner city schools, it is questionable if African-Americans are actually receiving equal opportunities and treatment. It is ironic that this nation has been built upon the principle of wanting equal opportunity for all. However, when it comes down to it, so few actions have been made to bridge the gap between the rich and poor. The relationship between slavery and modern discrimination might not be an argument some people are willing to face, but when certain behaviors are accepted as norms in society, that is when we should start questioning if whether or not our nation is continuing to uphold the principles that our Founding Fathers have set forth.
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