narrative resolution

thesis

• narrative resolution of past entails dealing with the consequences of past actions

both narrative resolutions involve an attempt to move away from the past

Beloved

• the community stop Sethe killing Mr Bodwin, actively coming together to stop the cycle of silence and shame

Dorian

• dorian in trying to destroy the painting, erasing past sins, kills himself

→ in Beloved there is an acceptance of the past, but the community stop it from consuming her and allow her to move on

→ Dorian simply tries to erase the past, evading consequence

‘No she is running into faces…’

‘No she is running into faces of the people out there, joining the and leaving Beloved behind. […] A hill of black people falling.’

• symbolism: This image symbolizes the strength and unity of the community. The “hill” represents something solid, grounded, and rising — in contrast to Sethe’s earlier isolation.

• forcible embrace to protect her from her worst instincts

‘Ella didn’t like the idea of past errors taking…’

‘Ella didn’t like the idea of past errors taking possession of the present. She didn’t mind a little communication between the two worlds, but this was an invasion.’

• personification: frames the past as an active, invasive force, it can invade, dominate, and reshape the present if unchecked.

• metaphor to draw a line between healthy remembrance and psychological overwhelm.

‘It would kill the past, and when…’

‘It would kill the past, and when that was dead, he would be free.’

• This personification emphasises the burden and weight of Dorian’s history — it's not abstract guilt, but a haunting, oppressive force.

consequential message of these resolutions

Beloved

• message of healing despite, all the adversities, going beyond survival

Dorian

• moral punishment for wrong action is inescapable, even for the rich

‘You your best…’

‘You your best thing Sethe, you are’

• repetition: of second person pronoun reflects her value as an individual, not a mother or her past

'He was withered, wrinkled, and…’

'He was withered, wrinkled, and loathsome of visage. It was not till they had examined the rings that they recognised who it was.'

• symbolism: rings = wealth and status, Highlights the emptiness of social status compared to true identity or moral state.

• decaying, grotesque imagery: typical of Gothic literature. adjectives evoke revulsion and horror, vividly portraying the physical manifestation of Dorian's corrupted soul.

reckoning with the past reflects the differing authorial intentions

Beloved

• tentative and open ended resolution reflects the idea that healing is ongoing and collective

Dorian

• the moralistic and final resolution provides a sense of poetic justice

me?

‘Me? Me?’

• interrogative: suggests her discomfort

• working towards a ‘mmore perfect union’ US constitution

‘They looked at each other, as they…’

‘They looked at each other, as they walked away, and sneered.’

conclusion

• Both Morrison and Wilde use narrative resolution to expose the consequences of buried trauma, guilt, and moral compromise.

• However, their resolutions serve different functions: Morrison resists neat closure, offering a path toward healing and collective memory, while Wilde imposes finality, emphasizing the futility of denying moral responsibility.