Meaning And Symbolism Of Water In Toni Morrison's Beloved

Water There are so many liquids that have such a variety of meaning and symbolism in the book Beloved by Toni Morrison. The key meaning of water in Beloved is birth, as we see Denver’s birth early in the book. Denver is born on a canoe that represents the significance of water relating to birth and freedom. Beloved herself makes her real appearance as she comes out of the water, which is extremely significant in proving the fact that water represents freedom and rebirth as a person and not a slave. The water as Sethe crossed the Ohio River represents rebirth as a person rather than a slave. Ultimately in Beloved it seems as if every time we see water, there is some sort of rebirth, whether it is actual birth, rebirth of freedom, or coming alive again. The theme of water representing birth is first seen in Chapter 3 when Denver is born on a canoe, surrounded by water. Morrison writes, “a thin and whipping snow very like the picture her mother had painted as she described the circumstances of Denver’s birth in a canoe straddled by a whitegirl for whom she was named” (35). Denver could have been born at Sweet Home, 124, or truly anywhere, but Morrison choses to use a canoe to paint the picture of water representing birth and a new life. Since Denver is born during Sethe’s escape from Sweet Home, Denver will …show more content…
Morrison cleverly uses water to symbolize birth and new beginnings for three different characters. For Denver, water represents her actual birth into the world and living freely without the slavery background at Sweet Home. In Beloved’s case, water represents rebirth and no longer being a ghost who couldn’t truly engage with her family. Sethe’s trip across the Ohio river and water breaking while doing so represents her rebirth into a free world without being in the walls of Sweet Home. Morrison uses water to represent rebirth and freedom statically throughout the entire