This paper will analyze how Toni Morrison blends surrealistic elements into the recognized realism of her text by crafting various paradoxes within her work. Using three of Morrison’s books: Sula, Song of Solomon, and Beloved, I will examine how each book ties a specific surrealistic component, as well as an equally relevant realistic element that will aid in the construct of a figurative bridge between the cultural past and present for African Americans. Moreover, I will discuss how the use of the surreal in Morrison’s work represents a dive into African traditions. Formed as a direct result of slavery, she aims to subvert the past and present “cultural imprisonment” of African Americans by linking the surreal traditions of the past with the real events of the present.
","abstract_html":"<p>This paper will analyze how Toni Morrison blends surrealistic elements into the recognized realism of her text by crafting various paradoxes within her work. Using three of Morrison’s books: <em>Sula, Song of Solomon, </em>and <em>Beloved</em>, I will examine how each book ties a specific surrealistic component, as well as an equally relevant realistic element that will aid in the construct of a figurative bridge between the cultural past and present for African Americans. Moreover, I will discuss how the use of the surreal in Morrison’s work represents a dive into African traditions. Formed as a direct result of slavery, she aims to subvert the past and present “cultural imprisonment” of African Americans by linking the surreal traditions of the past with the real events of the present.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Harvey, Kevon K"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Arts (M.A.)","degree_level":"Thesis","degree_discipline":"English","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Robert Higney"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2018,"date_issued":"2018-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2018-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:57:14Z","subjects":["Fabulism","Magical Realism","Paradox","African traditions","Myth","African American Studies","American Literature"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://academicworks.cuny.edu/cc_etds_theses/715","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Robert Higney"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Harvey, Kevon K"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2018-05-07T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["English"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Arts (M.A.)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Fabulism","Magical Realism","Paradox","African traditions","Myth","African American Studies","American Literature"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://academicworks.cuny.edu/cc_etds_theses/715"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This paper will analyze how Toni Morrison blends surrealistic elements into the recognized realism of her text by crafting various paradoxes within her work. Using three of Morrison’s books: Sula, Song of Solomon, and Beloved, I will examine how each book ties a specific surrealistic component, as well as an equally relevant realistic element that will aid in the construct of a figurative bridge between the cultural past and present for African Americans. Moreover, I will discuss how the use of the surreal in Morrison’s work represents a dive into African traditions. Formed as a direct result of slavery, she aims to subvert the past and present “cultural imprisonment” of African Americans by linking the surreal traditions of the past with the real events of the present.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["A Convergence of Surrealism and Realism: Why Spirituality, Folklore, and the Supernatural Saturate the Work of Toni Morrison"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Robert Higney"],"dc:creator":["Harvey, Kevon K"],"dc:date.available":["2018-05-07T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["This paper will analyze how Toni Morrison blends surrealistic elements into the recognized realism of her text by crafting various paradoxes within her work. Using three of Morrison’s books: Sula, Song of Solomon, and Beloved, I will examine how each book ties a specific surrealistic component, as well as an equally relevant realistic element that will aid in the construct of a figurative bridge between the cultural past and present for African Americans. Moreover, I will discuss how the use of the surreal in Morrison’s work represents a dive into African traditions. Formed as a direct result of slavery, she aims to subvert the past and present “cultural imprisonment” of African Americans by linking the surreal traditions of the past with the real events of the present.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://academicworks.cuny.edu/cc_etds_theses/715"],"dc:subject":["Fabulism","Magical Realism","Paradox","African traditions","Myth","African American Studies","American Literature"],"dc:title":["A Convergence of Surrealism and Realism: Why Spirituality, Folklore, and the Supernatural Saturate the Work of Toni Morrison"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["English"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Arts (M.A.)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:57:14Z"}