Yen Pham: Why should you read Toni Morrison's "Beloved"?

Why should you read Toni Morrison's "Beloved"?

Two tiny handprints stamped into a cake. A mirror that shatters without warning. A trail of cracker crumbs strewn along the floor. Everyone at 124 Bluestone Road knows their home is haunted— but there's no mystery about the spirit tormenting them. So begins "Beloved," Toni Morrison's Pulitzer Prize-winning drama. Yen Pham digs into the novel's exploration of the dehumanizing effects of slavery. [Directed by Héloïse Dorsan Rachet, narrated by Christina Greer, music by Salil Bhayani].

A shattered mirror, tiny handprints on a cake, and a ghostly presence reveal the deep scars left by slavery at 124 Bluestone Road. Morrison’s 'Beloved' explores how trauma shapes family bonds and shatters lives long after physical chains are broken. Through haunting memories and lyrical prose, the novel confronts both the pain and resilience of those carrying the weight of the past. It ultimately challenges readers to consider the meaning of freedom and the power of love to endure even in the darkest times.