On Symbols And "Slavery" Theme In A Mercy

Toni Morrison (1931--) was an outstanding representative of modern AfricanAmerican literature. For her collective achievement，Morrison was awarded the NobelPrize for literature in1993. In the prize presentation statement, the Swedish Academypraised her as "who in novels characterized by visionary force and poetic import,gives life to an essential aspect of American reality."Morrison became the firstAfrican American woman writer to win the honor. Morrison has said that the beautyof literature lies in “speaking the unspeakable”, and literature is more than tellingstories, which needs readers’ participation. The suggestibility, associability, andindirectness of a symbol make it a powerful tool to excavate the charm of literature.A Mercy was published in2008, and was set in the American continent of the17thcentury. Toni Morrison talks about matters of society, history and human nature froman angle beyond race. Through close reading of the novel, it is not difficult to find outthat in A Mercy, Morrison has used many different kinds of symbols. The researchquestions include: What kinds of symbols are used in the novel? How do thesesymbols help to expound the slavery theme? What influences on Morrison result inher unique use of symbols as well as her transcending interpretation of slavery theme?This thesis is composed of five parts: The introduction part includes a briefintroduction to Toni Morrison and A Mercy, theoretical framework, as well asliterature review. Chapter one classifies and analyzes major symbols in A Mercy:setting as symbol, name as symbol, character as symbol, activity as symbol and othersymbols. Chapter two expounds the slavery theme in A Mercy demonstrated by majorsymbols in A Mercy.“Slavery” in A Mercy can be interpreted from three levels:slavery from people, slavery from religion, and slavery from desires. Chapter threedigs into the multiple influences on Morrison’s unique use of symbols in A Mercy andher traditional-breaching understanding of slavery theme. Conclusion partsummarizes the symbols and the slavery theme in A Mercy. The large number ofsymbols in A Mercy serves a lot for the expressing and deepening of slavery theme.Morrison’s race, cultural education background and Magic Realism, a school ofliterature all exert important influences on the symbols in A Mercy, and help deepenthe slavery theme, which transcends the limits of race and becomes universal.