Symbols of Beloved - Colors and Trees

Color:

Colors from red to black and white reoccur throughout Beloved, although the meaning of the colors may vary depending on the reader and how the reader perceives the symbol. The color red is seen being used by many of the characters; Amy Denver would not stop talking about the red velvet that she was going to Boston to get. This red velvet was used to symbolize that there is a future of happiness even when you're in the worst shape, and even when you feel as though nothing else could go wrong. Paul D has the "red heart" with symbolizes the emotion and feeling that he has towards Sethe. Even though he said that he has learned not to love anything. The red roses that lined the road to the carnival with serves to represent the carnival's arrival in town and also to show the beginning of Sethe, Denver, and Paul D's new relationship together, but the roses have a death smell to them so they are also a sign of something dead. The red rooster symbolizes manhood to Paul D, but it is a manhood that Paul D himself has been denied. Also with the color of red, the colors black and white were also symbols even though they were not as well developed as the color red they still symbolized that there was a difference between the ways that a "black person" acted then a "white person". It showed the white race in a bad light, starting with what schoolteacher's nephew did to Sethe and ending with the killing of Sethe's child because she didn't want her child to be a victim of schoolteacher and also slavery.

Trees:

Trees are frequently mentioned and function as a symbol of safety and darkness to the lives of characters including Denver, Sethe and Paul D. For three characters in Beloved, trees represent safe havens from tragic memories and painful experiences in the characters' lives. Denver has a spot consisting of a circle of boxwood trees that form a room isolated from the rest of the world. Denver calls this spot "emerald closet". When ever it seemed that Denver was burdened with the problems in her life like Paul D all of a sudden showing up at 124 staying and interrupting the bond that she had with seethe, her own lack of social companions, and the disappointment of how Beloved interacted with her family. Denver deals with the pain that she feels from these struggles by escaping into the emerald closet. This circle of boxwoods forms a protective wall around Denver's private location and within these walls she feels safe from her problems in the real world. The trees were used to symbolizes freedom for both Sethe and Pauly D. They both followed the trees to freedom, Sethe followed the forest to be able to cross the Ohio River, and Paul D followed the blossoming trees to the north. The trees also symbolized a sort of darkness or covering. The beautiful trees that were used to cover the

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