You Your Best Thing: Afrocentric Agency and the Reconstructive Power of Rememory in Beloved

Abstract

Aim of the Study: The study analyzes Toni Morrison's Beloved with a particular focus on the protagonist, Sethe and her reconstruction of identity and agency, challenging the pervasive narrative of victimization commonly and historically associated with African women.

Methodology: This study is qualitative and employ’s Mckee’s (2003) close textual analysis to interpret the text and examine the construction of identity and agency in Morrison’s Beloved. It focuses on comprehending the text's structure, the language used to convey information, the underlying themes, the characters, meanings and symbols. It utilizes Asante’s theory of Afrocentricity with a particular focus on the idea of ‘centeredness’ and ‘dislocation’.

Findings: The characters transition from the periphery of Eurocentric historical accounts to the center of their own existential experiences. Sethe finds it difficult to deal with what she refers to as "rememory" the notion that painful memories are tangible locations that one may inadvertently revisit. She does not allow these memories inundate her, instead it teaches her how to process them.

Conclusion: The study frames these women as active agents of their own healing and identity, demonstrating that embracing their cultural roots facilitated identity reconstruction and ignited hope for the future.