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Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am - Coggle Diagram
Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am
Family life
Her grandfather read the Bible five times from front to back which was illegal at the time, taking his power back.
She was taught to read by her sister at just three years old.
Had two children during a period in which black boys were not mentioned within the media, never closed the door on them whilst working.
Conflicting views as father believed you cannot trust white people whilst mother thought that there was good in everyone.
Introduced to colourism at a young age as grandmother said she had been "tampered with."
Style of writing
Wrote during early mornings.
"Own what you know through language"- wanted to take control.
She was criticised for being "too narrow", only focused on the rural life of black people, portrays the view that black people were seen as inferior and uninteresting.
She avoided the white gaze at all times, Jimmy Baldwin, she never assumed that readers were white like Frederick Douglas and Ralph Ellison.
'Shakespearen yet pedestrain'
She puts women at the centre of her epic narratives- womanist.
Transcendes race, does not fear being black.
Slaves as individuals.
'Crystallised the past, the best of it and the worst of it'
'Turning point of world history'- Angela Davis
Realism
Novels
The Bluest Eye- first book, raw, commonly banned in schools.
Includes 'The Master Narrative' in which a little girl prayed for blue eyes, white trait, white superiority.
Paradise- banned from Texas prisons in fear of inciting a riot.
Sula- rebels norms.
Song of Solomon- written after the death of her father.
Saw a woman come out of river fully dressed-inspiration for Beloved.
Career
Worked in a library.
Went to Howard University which was designed for black students, however it did not contain black literature.
Robert Gottleeb edits her work.
They met at Random House, New York.
Toni and Muhammad Ali went on tour together.
Proudly identifies as a writer.
Oprah made Beloved a film.
Won Noble Prize for Literature.
Context
Rise of Black Movements
Angela Davis: "women, race and class"
Wrote her autobiography, wanted by FBI, Intersectionality (Kimberley Crenshaw)
University
Joined a sorority which was separated by races.
Stole segregation signs at mailed them to her mother, different attitudes, same country.
No slave stories on women.