The Dislocation Of Love

Paradise is the first novel that Toni Morrison has published since she received the Noble Prize for Literature in 1993. It is touted as the last book in a trilogy that deals with different aspects of love. Since it came out in 1998, it has received widespread reviews from critics both at home and abroad. Yet none has reviewed the book from the angle of myths and archetypes. Therefore, based on the current research, this thesis analyses the archetypal themes, archetypal structure and ritual and archetypal characters in the hope that a new perspective of understanding the novel can be found. It is concluded that during the pursuit of paradise, the Rubyites lose themselves for excessive love for God and the dislocation of love contributes to the crumbling of Ruby. Besides the love for God, the Rubyites should also learn to love each other and love themselves. Only when the love for God, for each other and for themselves is combined can the Rubyites establish a harmonious and wonderful earthly paradise. The application of archetypes strengthens the profundity of the novel and further enriches its connotations.