Would you enjoy a book that withholds crucial details and plot points and is told in a cyclic nature instead of a linear one? Beloved by Toni Morrison is one such case. Written by the author of The Bluest Eye, it is widely regarded as one of the most difficult books read. Not only is the subject matter of the book dark: the story of a former slave, Sethe, and her life after her escape; but the writing style of the book makes it hard to understand. Morrison often alludes to an idea but doesn’t fully flesh it out, leaving the reader to interpret what she meant. The timing of the book is also inconsistent, as events are told both before and after others, making it hard to keep things in a chronological order while reading. The book also utilizes harsh language, and often describes the relationships between characters, and the trauma Sethe endures in unflinching detail, making it hard to stomach the book. 

While all of these details certainly make it more difficult to fully settle in and enjoy the book, that’s part of the point Morrison was trying to convey. By leaving events ambiguous and explaining further and further in later chapters, she forces the readerto read closely, and parse out the meaning of every sentence on the page. This leads to a more concentrated and time consuming, yet ultimately rewarding experience of reading. 

Morrison has faced criticism for her writing of Beloved and how difficult it is to read. Some readers might feel ostracized and unable to fully comprehend what Morrison is trying to convey. The means through which Morrison conveys her story is so convoluted with symbolism and imagery, making it understandable as to why some readers may dislike the book. My counter then, would be that Beloved is such a book that it deserves the extra time and effort to understand. I don’t dismiss concerns of the message being lost through all the figurative language, or making it harder to understand the book. Rather, I think the concern fundamentally misunderstands what close reading is.

Close reading is intentionally taking the time to read slowly through a text, often annotating it to aid in a reader’s understanding. This often includes highlighting any important parts, adding their own thoughts, and ultimately trying to parse any hidden imagery or symbolism in the text. While this kind of close reading does take more time and concentration, it ultimately leads itself to a more thorough understanding of the book as a whole.

For example, when reading Lord of the Flies, if you picked up that Simon felt like an outcast, and was secluded from the rest of his peers on the island, you would be correct in your understanding. However, if you picked up on Simon being abandoned because of his beliefs, him gathering the other boy’s fruit, and the manner of his death, you would understand that Simon is a Christ figure. Picking up on these details would add to your overall understanding of the book because you would have a deeper level analysis of one of the main characters. Similarly, in Beloved, you could just skim over the pages and gain a basic sense of understanding, but truly practicing close reading is what will ultimately guide you to fully comprehend what Morrison is trying to convey. 

In this way, Beloved, while difficult, ultimately forces the reader to slow down and thoroughly read the text in front of them. Many events and details are alluded to, and then confirmed in later chapters. If you paid attention earlier, you likely would have known what was happening and thus could make more accurate predictions throughout the novel. The book isn’t meant to confuse the reader or obfuscate the meaning of the author, but rather encourage a closer, slower analysis of its characters and their journeys.