The prisoners, known as Buffalo men, were addressed slowly by the Buffalo men from Alfred, Georgia. The Cherokee had warned about an illness that nobody in Alfred, Georgia paid attention to, so all forty-six prisoners stayed, scooping mush and tapping their chains, resting and planning their next move. Paul D was clueless about what to do and seemed to know less than anyone else. He listened to his fellow convicts discussing rivers, states, towns, and territories. He also heard Cherokee men tell stories about the creation and destruction of the world. He even heard about other Buffalo men they knew, three of whom were in a healthy camp a few miles away.
Hi Man and others both desired to join him, while some wanted to leave and others wanted to remain. After several weeks, Paul D was the sole Buffalo man remaining, lacking a plan. His only idea was to track dogs, even though Hi Man claimed that the rain eliminated any chance of success. As the last man with buffalo hair among the sickly Cherokee, Paul D finally awakened and humbly asked how he could reach the North – a free, magical, and welcoming North. The Cherokee smiled and surveyed his surroundings. The heavy rains from a month ago had transformed everything into vapor and flowers. Pointing in a direction, he advised, “Follow the tree flowers. Only the tree flowers. Follow them until they vanish, and you will arrive at your desired destination.” Consequently, Paul D swiftly moved from dogwood to blossoming peach trees. Upon their reduction in number, he proceeded towards the cherry blossoms, followed by magnolia, chinaberry, pecan, walnut, and prickly pear trees. Eventually, he arrived at an apple tree field where the flowers were in the process of transforming into small fruit buds. Spring journeyed northwards, but Paul D had to sprint continuously to maintain it as his companion during his travels. From February to July, he diligently sought out blossoms.
When the man lost the blossoming plums, he climbed a tree on a hillock and looked around for a flash of pink or white in the leafy world. He didn’t touch or smell them, but instead followed behind them. He was a dark ragged figure guided by the blossoming plums. Eventually, he arrived at an apple field in Delaware where the weaver lady resided. As soon as he finished eating the sausage she gave him, she took him in and he cried in her bed. She pretended that he was her nephew from Syracuse simply by calling him by that nephew’s name.
Eighteen months passed before he was able to see blossoms again, but this time he witnessed them from a dray. It took a while for him to store memories of Alfred, Georgia, Sixo, schoolteacher, Halle, his brothers, Sethe, Mister, the taste of iron, the sight of butter, the scent of hickory, and even notebook paper into the tobacco tin nestled in his chest. By the time he arrived at 124, nothing in this world could pry it open. In this passage from Beloved, Toni Morrison’s unique syntax serves to emphasize the overall tone and content.
Sentence fragments without a subject, such as sentences number five and six, highlight Paul D’s observations. At this point, he is unsure of his next move and assumes the role of an observer, fading into the background. As a result, Paul D, as the subject, is absent from the paragraph. Additionally, the simple sentences in the first paragraph convey a sense of calm and tranquility after the prisoners’ hurried escape. Indeed, this is a time for them to rest and reflect before taking the next step in their journey.
Incomplete phrases, such as “Free North. Magical North. Welcoming, benevolent North,” highlight Paul D’s decision. It is noteworthy that he is not the one being referred to in these phrases, indicating that he did not personally make the decision, but rather observed someone else’s choice with approval. The third paragraph, during which Paul D is fleeing to Delaware with the assistance of tree flowers, contains intricate compound sentences that are filled with vivid imagery, symbolizing a fresh start for Paul D. The distinct difference in sentence structure between the two paragraphs effectively conveys Paul’s transformation in life.
The text highlights Morrison’s dedication of her novel, Beloved, to the lives of over 60 million slaves. The novel explores the theme of abuse and suffering that arises from a life of slavery. In Chapter 10, the reader learns about Paul D’s backstory after he escapes from a prison in Alfred, Georgia. He had attempted to kill Brandywine and ends up appearing at Sethe’s doorstep in Cincinnati, at 124 Bluestone Road. Following his escape, Paul D and forty-six other prisoners encounter a group of sick Cherokees, who emancipate them from their chains and help take care of them.
However, as each individual prisoner dispersed, Paul D, the last “Buffalo man”, remained unsure of where he was going. For a long time, Paul D had wanted nothing more than to escape Sweet Home, the plantation where he had been enslaved, and to forget the painful memories of watching his fellow slaves endure brutal punishments. On page 132, the passage discusses Paul D’s journey to the supposedly “free” and enchanting North with the help of blooming tree flowers, as he makes his way to a temporary destination in Delaware.
Eighteen months later, Paul D is finally able to capture and imprison his painful memories deep within him, symbolized by “the tobacco tin lodged into his heart”. This adds complexity and depth to his character. The tone of this passage can be described as uncertain hope. Initially, Morrison expresses uncertainty by refraining from using many adjectives to describe the prisoners’ sense of relief upon their freedom, almost as if the prisoners themselves were unsure of what emotion to express. The use of antithesis further underscores the prisoners’ uncertainty, with some desiring to leave while others wished to remain.
Paul D, known for his lack of knowledge, was the final one to make a decision. The absence of descriptive words in the initial paragraph suggests uncertainty, while the lively depiction in the next paragraph suggests optimism and rejuvenation. The portrayal of flowers rapidly blooming in spring and forming “tiny knots of fruit” mirrors Paul D’s own circumstances as he embarks on a journey to the north, where he hopes to find a new life that may yield success and prosperity. These flowers also symbolize beauty and hope, contrasting with the painful existence dominated by chains and whips at Sweet Home.
The third and last paragraph of the text also showcases blooming trees, serving as a symbol for Paul D’s quest for a fresh start at Sethe’s haunted house, which takes place eighteen months later. This passage in Beloved captures the themes of suffering and redemption, as it portrays a shift in tone from uncertainty and fear to hope and anticipation. The passage revolves around flowers and their significance, which is a recurring nature imagery found throughout the novel. Flowers universally signify various positive emotions, and the absence of them would denote a bleak and somber period.
The absence of flowers in the initial paragraph signifies Paul D’s sense of hopelessness and lack of passion. Additionally, the rainy setting at the beginning of the passage reinforces a sense of washed-out tranquility devoid of emotion following their frantic quest for freedom. As Paul D progresses on his journey, guided by cherry blossoms, magnolia, chinaberry, pecan, walnut, and prickly pear, these symbols of new life and hope highlight his rejuvenation while traveling to Delaware and eventually to 124. This passage analysis focuses on grammar, syntax, and models.
Sentence Number| Sentence Summary| Number of Words| Sentence Beginning| Number of Phrases| Number of Clauses| Sentence Type| 1| Introducing Buffalo Men| 19| Adverb| 2| 2| Compound Complex|
2| Prisoners plan their next move| 26| Subject| 3| 1| Compound|
3| Paul D’s inner thoughts| 16| Subject| 1| 1| Simple|
4| Paul D’s observations(co-convicts)| 13| Subject| 2| 1| Compound|
5| Paul D’s observations(Cherokee)| 12| Verb| 2| 1| Sentence Fragment|
6| Paul D’s observations(Buffalo men)| 21| Verb| 2| 1| Sentence Fragment|
