The Village Mother in Selected Works of Toni Morrison

This thesis uses Beloved, The Bluest Eye, Sula, and Song of Solomon to discuss Toni Morrison's presentation of women as biological and surrogate mothers and the relationships those mothers have to their children. These mother-child relationships take place in African American "villages" and each chapter displays the relationship between the community (village) and the biological and surrogate mothers. Beloved represents the ultimate biological mother and Song of Solomon represents the ultimate surrogate mother. The Bluest Eye shows negative surrogacy and Sula shows the positives and negatives of biological and surrogate motherhood. Considered together, the novels work to form a village and each of the four novels is a vital community member. Collectively, the novels show the strengths and weaknesses of community living. Toni Morrison creates an example of the African American village and the power of motherly influence in a child's life.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts in English (M.A.)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis (open access)

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Department of Literature and Philosophy

Year dc:date.available

2010

Author dc:creator

• Saleem, Taqwaa Falaq

Contributors dc:contributor

• Joseph Pellegrino
• Caren J. Town

• ETD
• Mothers
• Children
• Mother-child relationships
• Surrogate mothers
• Toni Morrison
• African American village
• Beloved
• Song of Solomon
• Sula
• The Bluest Eye

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/180

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu:etd-1180