1. Trauma in African American History

Morrison talks on how profound pain permeates African American history, particularly the atrocities of slavery. She emphasizes that historical documents and slave narratives frequently omit or minimize the suffering of this history. “It was necessary to ensure that the former slave was representative… to demonstrate that they were human beings,” she explains. As a result, many slave narratives omitted discussing the most upsetting aspects of their existence. Morrison believes it is her responsibility to envision the feelings of those who were unable to express them.

For this reason, Morrison frequently explores the anguish and survival of her characters by writing about their inner conflicts. She thinks it’s critical to portray the emotional reality of what they went through. She sees writing as a means of giving those silences a voice and bringing their tales to life.

2. Personal Trauma and Writing

Morrison also discusses her personal experiences with grief and loss. She talks about the profound impact her father’s passing had on her and how it inspired Song of Solomon. “I was furious because my father had passed away,” she recalls. She was able to process her emotions by writing the book. She used it as a means of investigating her relationship with her father and the society he came from.

She describes the “void” or sensation of emptiness left by her father’s passing. She wrote a narrative about men and their hardships to fill it. This gave her the opportunity to speculate about her father’s feelings and knowledge. She was able to process her loss and transform her own anguish into a poignant narrative by writing about this male society.

3. Imagination as a Tool to Understand Trauma

Morrison also discusses how she investigates trauma through her imagination. According to her, “I use whatever’s around,” which means she bases her stories on her own emotions, experiences, and recollections. She turns pain into something that people can relate to, though, rather than merely describing it.

Morrison, for instance, states that she wants readers to experience the tale as though they are a part of it. “I really want that intimacy where the reader feels as though he is participating in it as he reads it, rather than actually reading it.” This demonstrates how Morrison meticulously crafts her tales to allow readers to feel her characters’ emotions, including their suffering and recovery.

4. Healing Through Writing

According to Morrison, writing is a challenging yet fulfilling process. “There are times when it’s really intense… it kind of beats you up,” she explains. But she also enjoys revising and enhancing her works. “The best part of it all is finishing it and then doing it over,” she says. She finds purpose in writing and is able to process the suffering.

Morrison demonstrates how pain may result in development and knowledge by rewriting and reshaping her experiences. Her method illustrates how writing is about discovering methods to heal as much as expressing suffering.

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