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A common thread of the three course epigraphs for this semester is the topic of learning to grow. What am I trying to grow this semester in our English class 431-01 on Butler’s literature? I think that Professor McCoy is good at presenting us questions to make areas of potential growth more obvious, yet she can’t constantly remind us to stay on a focused track. She also can only do so much to make us have the courage to challenge ourselves. I think I am realizing something I have been pushing back against when it came to more challenging material in Octavia Butler’s literature. In my English class with Professor McCoy in the fall of 2019, we read Octavia Butler’s book Clay’s Ark. In that class, I along with other classmates, noticed that Butler can challenge a reader’s good-faith. Well, now I am seeing that Butler is still able to make me question my good-faith in her book Dawn.

Continue reading “Reading Octavia Butler’s Trilogy, Lilith’s Brood, with Good-faith”

As I have read the readings, specifically, Octavia Butler’s Dawn and William Darity and Kirsten Mullen’s From Here to Equality, I have been thinking much about this course’s central question of ‘what brings and binds people together?’ It has become clear to me, through the course readings, that shared experiences and intimacy bring and bind people together while differences and associated fear of the unknown keep people apart. Implicit bias, the unconscious association, belief, or attitude toward any social group, has been another key topic of discussion in this course that has been of interest to me. Implicit bias relates to our central course question of ‘what brings and binds people together’ because it largely occurs as a result of people being divided by their differences while at the same time works to further propagate division amongst people, making it dangerous to society. Implicit bias is overcome when one realizes their connectivity with all humans, despite differences, and then chooses to consciously fight the bias. While I find myself to be one who is fair, open-minded, just, etc., this class has me thinking about the possibility that I unconsciously hold, or even act on, beliefs that are biased. This is why my goal for this course is to combat division and promote connection, in my own life, by taking the care and accountability it takes to examine myself, consistently, to acknowledge and be rid of implicit biases that I may hold. As I think about the course epigraphs, “learn and run” and “as habit is more dependable than inspiration, continued learning is more dependable than talent,” I recognize that it is okay to not be a perfect human free from bias and full of care for all members of society; it may take work and persistence to overcome one’s faults. But, it also helps me understand that with knowledge, one has a responsibility to do something about it. This is why I must not sit in comfortability and not make changes in myself, when I am aware of the negative effects that my implicit bias has in society. The epigraphs give me a sense of duty to do the work to overcome my own biases, so that I may effectively promote equality and show care for all members of society.

Shared experiences and intimacy bring and bind people together, while differences and associated fear of the unknown keep people apart; this is made clear to be true in the world of Dawn, while From Here to Equality manages to show readers how this works in our society today. At the beginning of Dawn, Lilith continues to feel incredibly lonely even after she is let out of solitary confinement and despite the fact that she is now surrounded by Oankali. The presence of the Oankali does not improve her loneliness because she is unable to connect with these beings due to lack of shared experiences or intimacy with them. Humans though, Lilith craves to be with, so she becomes increasingly frustrated with her captors for not allowing her to interact with other humans. She complains about this to Jdahya, “you shouldn’t have isolated any of us unless your purpose was to drive us insane. You almost succeeded with me more than once. Humans need one another”(Butler 19). Her frustration leads her to escape from Nikanj to travel to Tiej in search of a human that she overheard lived there, Fukumoto. She did not know this man in the slightest but their common experience of living on Earth and even the common experience of being a human, was enough for her to make the trek. Lilith’s disgust towards the Oankali may be explained by the differences between her and them, specifically the fear that these differences elicit in her. This logic is explained by Nikanj in Chapter 12 when he says, “different is threatening to most species…Different is dangerous. It might kill you. That was true to your animal ancestors and your nearest animal relatives. And it’s true for you”(Butler 186). In context, it is explaining why Joseph is afraid to touch him; but, this statement applies widely to human nature. Yet, despite these differences, Lilith slowly begins to form a bond with the Oankali, specifically with Nikanj. This connection can only be explained by the level of intimacy that she experiences with him. She essentially takes care of Nikanj throughout his entire process of developing sexual organs: living with him and his family, feeding him, staying by his side, etc. While, at first, Lilith is barely able to look at an Oankali, by the end of “Nursery,” she willingly touches Nikanj and even finds pleasure from it. Her ability to confide in and ask advice of it is a further demonstration of her level of intimacy with Nikanj. The fact that these two form a bond despite the disgust and fear that Lilith originally feels for it, proves that disconnect is based in a fearful unknowing/distrust of differences more than anything else; connection may occur between even the most unlikely, different match as long as there is shared experience and/or intimacy.

Division operates in the same way in our society as it does in Dawn; when people believe this idea that ‘different’ is something bad or something to be afraid of, division manifests. This may be explained by going all the way back to colonialism and slavery, the beginnings of our country. Colonizers oppressed African slaves and put themselves at the top of the hierarchy. This carried on through generations, and as the generations progressed, this false narrative of differences between colonizer and colonized, white and black, lived on and has resulted in huge inequalities between the groups’ descendants. Now, over 200 years after slavery has ended, we continue to see division between Black and white people. This manifests physically with de facto segregation in neighborhoods and schools. This also manifests itself with regards to differences in values, lifestyles, behavior, etc. These differences are enough to maintain a divide such that connection between Black and white is difficult to achieve.

Implicit bias is a direct result of division as well as a way this division can be propagated in our society, which is why it may be so insidiously dangerous. In our society, division and disconnect between people causes enormous harm, while unity and connection are crucial to maintaining individuals’ sanity and well-being as well as maintaining the overall harmony of society. Firstly, divisions in society are largely imaginary and propagated by those in power; for example, race is a construct with no scientific basis, yet, divisions along the lines of race are socially real and the disconnect that occurs there has real consequences like racism, oppression, inequality etc. In Dawn, Butler does an excellent job of demonstrating that division is merely an illusion; it is this illusion of separation that causes the war that ends humanity. In this case, people and societies got hierarchical, focused on divisions and destroyed each other; humans could have, rather, focused on their connections with each other and rebuilt together. It is like Tate says in Chapter 3 of “Nursery,” “Human beings are more alike than different—damn sure more alike than we like to admit. I wonder if the same thing wouldn’t have happened eventually, no matter which two cultures gained the ability to wipe one another out along with the rest of the world”(Butler 132) From Here to Equality explains that this disconnect along the lines of race has been passed down for generations, causing centuries of hurt for people of color. The book calls for reparations for Black Americans due to the fact that they still continue to endure the adverse effects of the legacy of slavery. Specifically, according to Darity and Mullen, Black people face inequalities in wealth and quality of education. They also must deal with racism on the individual and the institutional level with racism in the police system, medical system, the prison system, etc. (Mullen, 16).

Chimamanda Adichie’s “The Danger of a Single Story,” does an excellent job of illustrating how a lack of varied perspective leads to misconceptions that may ultimately be harmful; in other words, this Ted Talk illustrates the danger of implicit bias. Adichie’s American college roommate had only one ‘story’ of Africa, one of catastrophe. Within this story there was no possibility for connection between the girls that didn’t exist without pity. (Adichie) While her roommate meant no harm, her implicit bias did cause harm for Adichie by isolating her with this narrative. Adichie is isolated by this narrative in the same way that Black Americans are isolated by oppression. Adichie’s roommate thought this way because she was divided from Adichie’s culture, by distance and lack of knowledge. This works in the same way that many non-Black Americans, who are divided from Black culture, are unable to understand the reality and extent of the inequality and oppression that Black Americans face today.

If my personal goal is to combat division and promote connectivity through getting rid of my own bias, this will take good faith, care and accountability. This work may begin by examining myself, specifically my external and internal views/beliefs. The topic of equality for Black Americans, is the perfect example of why I feel that it is important for me to examine my own bias. While I feel as though I am already a conscious citizen, specifically with regards to this issue, as I mentioned previously, socialization plays a significant role in development of bias. This makes it likely that some of the views I hold may be unconsciously ignorant, inaccurate or not representative. Black people are a group in America that is systemically treated with oppression so I feel that we all, as U.S. citizens, must be a part of the process of reconstructing the reality of what it is to be Black in the United States in order to overcome differences/divisions; this may be accomplished on an individual level through examination of our implicit biases. For this issue, this could start with widening our perspective: studying Black authors, uplifting Black voices, and educating ourselves about the true state of equality in the United States, with a comprehensive look at all sides of the story.

The course epigraphs, “learn and run!” and “as habit is more dependable than inspiration, continued learning is more dependable than talent,” highlight the reason I feel an obligation to challenge my own bias. With regards to the issue of equality for Black Americans, I feel that it is a radical act of care and good faith to, upon being informed about the reality of being black in the United States today, share the truth, fight for equality, advocate for reparations, vote for black representatives, have tough conversations with friends and family about race, support black businesses, and encourage others to do the same (“Learn and Run!”). And with my awareness of the negative effects of implicit bias, specifically, its tendency to promote division, I feel that it is my responsibility to consistently do the work to acknowledge and overcome bias in myself so that I am not a part of this problem but rather a part of the solution.

Works Cited

Adichie, Chimamanda. “The Danger of a Single Story.” YouTube. Oct. 7, 2009.

Butler, Octavia E. Dawn. Headline, 2014.

Mullen, K., Darity, W. From Here to Equality: Reparations for Black Americans in the
Twenty-First Century The University of North Carolina Press, 2020.

In writing Paradise, Toni Morrison suggests to readers that through open communication, a community based on collaboration and understanding can be developed.  Playing off of Dante’s Paradiso, Morrison demonstrates how a lack of communication can lead to a collaboration aimed at violence, through the justification of interpretation.  Morrison’s Paradise challenges the notion of divinity and justice as not interpretable, suggesting that people should find meaning in their own lives, rather from a higher power.   

Through Dante’s many interactions with the souls of those in the Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso, it is when he comes upon the Eagle of Divine Justice that he and readers are able to gain an insightful understanding of justice through Dante’s conversation with the Eagle.  The Eagle itself is composed of the souls of rulers who displayed justice and mercy during their time on Earth and are introduced in with Dante’s arrival “within the torch of Jupiter” (Canto 18, 70).  The souls of Paradiso are content within their respected spheres, no matter how close or far away they are from “The Sun” (God).  This is verified through Dante’s description of the lights forming, stating “and they climbed, some high, some low, just as the Sun that kindles them assigned positions” (Canto 18, 104-105).  Dante is again confirming his repetitious belief that the souls in the Divine Comedy are exactly where they need to be from the souls suffering in Hell for their sins to those rewarded in Paradiso with Heaven’s light.        

In conversing with the light-formed Eagle, Dante pleads for the sinful transgressors of Earth to face justice from Heaven (Canto 18, 118-120), against those that belittle the values and practices exemplified by the souls that compose the Eagle.  The Eagle retorts with a lesson on divine justice from the perspective of mortals, “the vision that your world receives can penetrate into Eternal justice no more than an eye can penetrate the sea” (Canto 19, 58-60).  The Eagle in its address asserts the belief that people on Earth cannot perceive divine justice, even if they believe they are able to.  This is further expanded upon the Eagle’s relation of divine justice with the sea floor: “for though, near shore, sight reaches the sea floor, you cannot reach it in the open sea; yet it is there, but hidden by the deep” (Canto 19, 58-63).  The Eagle’s lesson on divine justice serves as an exclamation becoming a declamation for Dante, whose initial request for justice was a false pretense of knowledge on justice, gradually becoming an enlightening lesson for Dante and readers by the end.  From this, it can be claimed that judgment and justice are not the responsibility of people to establish or control, as they are not recognizable and clear to people on Earth.  This can be surmised from the Eagle’s statement “Now who are you to sit upon the bench, to judge events a thousand miles away, when your own vision spans so brief a space?” (Canto 19, 79-81).  Through the conversation with the Eagle of Divine Justice, Dante and the readers are better able to understand divine justice.

In reading Paradise, an observable, important foundation for the town of Ruby, is the Oven that lay at the heart of the town.  Originally built in 1890 in the town of Haven, the Oven was the first structure built by the former slave community after their rejection from society.  The Oven itself is composed of many pale bricks, with a chimney, plumb, iron plates, and a hearthstone.  Round and deep, the Oven in sense served as the source of nourishment for the community of Haven, who would collectively use the Oven for preparing meals.  The Oven had also come to serve as a monument to the struggles the men of Haven had to endure to finally form their own town, amidst their rejection.  Upon their return to Haven from their service in World War II, twins Deek and Steward Morgan dismantle the Oven to bring with them in their quest to establish a new community, after seeing and experiencing the unchanged bigotry of society.  Disassembled piece by piece, the Oven again became the first structure installed in 1952, in the newly founded town of Ruby.

With the Oven again becoming the center piece of a community, the representation and use of the Oven had evolved from its original purpose.  Where in Haven the Oven was used to “nourish them” and “monumentalize what they had done” (Morrison, 7), the Oven in Ruby had come to represent the troubling past of Haven and serve as a reminder to “what they might become if they did not begin anew” (Morrison, 6).  No longer serving the practical use of cooking food, the Oven has shifted in purpose to become a meeting place for the community.  However, the removal of the Oven from Haven to the town of Ruby causes conflict in its purpose and interpretation of the quote etched on it.  While the older community of Ruby fervently claim a quote on the Oven to read “Beware the furrow of His brow”, the younger generation of Ruby claim the quote to read “Be the furrow of His brow” (Morrison, 86-87).  The differing interpretations on the true meaning of the quote causes division in Ruby’s residents, with the older generation maintaining the Oven as “the meeting place to report on what done or needed or what needed” (Morrison, 111). 

While the Oven’s intended purpose is to establish a location within town that brings the community together, the town of Ruby becomes fractured through the differing interpretations of the quote etched on the Oven.  The separation between those that read the quote to be “Beware the furrow of His brow” versus those that read the quote as “Be the furrow of His brow” demonstrate Morrison’s ability to create tension and conflict through contrast on the perspective of authority.  This contrast in perspective does not completely divide the community, but more or less re-organizes the community into the older population against the younger population.      

The older population of Ruby adhere to the Oven exclaiming “Beware the furrow…”, as their memory of the hardships faced by their forefathers through slavery and during the Restoration has become associated with the will and power of God, something to be wary and respectful of.  The older population of Ruby’s belief in the quote to warn of the power and wrath of God is echoed through Reverend Pulliam’s claim “God’s justice is His alone” (87), as well as Harper Jury’s statement that “[The Oven] says ‘Beware’.  Not ‘Be’.  Beware means ‘Look out.  The power is mine.  Get used to it.’” (87).  The interpretation of the quote to mean the acceptance of God’s power and will transparently align with the older generation’s perspective of authority and governing ability, with this portion of Ruby’s residents accepting the rule of the Morgan twins within the town.  Several times, Morrison makes it clear that the Morgan twins have come to be viewed as the unofficial leaders of the town, through their own justifications, as well as the conscious acceptance of the residents.  The Morgan twins read the quote as “Beware the furrow…”, and through this unquestionable acceptance of their interpretation, the rest of the town unquestionably accepts their decision.  In this essence, the town does not question the authority of the Morgan twins, just as they do not question the power of God.  Even Richard Misner, who challenges the Morgan’s interpretation, recognizes an ownership of Ruby, stating “It’s sort of [Deek’s] town, wouldn’t you say?  His and Steward’s?” (115).

The younger population of Ruby interpret the quote as “Be the furrow…” reflecting the belief that the leadership within the town should change in their perceptions and judgment of others.  The “Furrow of His brow” can come to represent the brow of the Eagle of Divine Justice, that holds the souls of just and merciful kings throughout history.  Being the “Furrow of His brow” in this sense is releasing judgment to a higher power, and acting more merciful in just in our interactions with others.  In relation to the context of Paradise, the younger population can be seen as demanding change from the town of Ruby’s rigid hierarchy, disapproval of outsiders, and overall strict nature that has been largely present since the town’s foundation.

Through interpretation, the debate of “Beware” vs. “Be” transpires into the debate whether to engage in violence or not, based on collective collaboration of the different interpretations. The townspeople’s decisions and actions are a result of their interpretations of the Oven’s quote.  Residents who read the Oven as “Beware the furrow…” act in what they perceive as divine justice in the form of massacring the Convent.  Deek and Steward Morgan, the town’s two “leaders” and proud proponents of the Oven reading “Beware”, organize nine other men in town to assist in eliminating the women of the Convent.  Their self-righteousness in killing the Convent women is further progressed by their belief that this act is for God: “God at their side.  The men take aim” (18).  While the men of Ruby believe they are carrying out Divine Justice, Dante’s Eagle of Divine Justice had already addressed human perception of divine justice as being short-sighted, unable to see the larger picture of justice at work.  It is even hinted that some of the men know what they are doing is wrong: “He does not want to see himself stalking females or their liquid” (9).  While the names of the nine men involved slowly is revealed, Morrison’s exclusion of revealing their names too soon suggests that anyone can fall into this dangerous mindset of carrying out violence. 

Residents who read the Oven as “Be the furrow…” act reserved in passing judgment, favoring more inclusion within the rigid system of Ruby.  “Be the furrow” readers can be viewed as the younger population of Ruby, who through Richard Misner, attempt to instill change within the unaffected Ruby.  At the culmination of the violence being perpetrated by the nine men of Ruby against the Convent women, Lone gathers the townspeople to save the Convent women.  Lone’s act against the men of Ruby, specifically against the Morgan brothers, demonstrate residents of Ruby beginning to act as the “Furrow” through the challenge of the unjust and the capacity for mercy.  Other residents such as Pete Best, demonstrate acts of mercy/justice in attempting to bury the bodies of the women from the Convent.  It is important that these two residents act as they are both victims of the unjust hierarchy of Ruby.  The collaboration between readers of “Be the Furrow…” act together to develop some form of change within the rigid system of Ruby, evident by the changing nature of Ruby at the Paradise.

A third category present, but largely in the backdrop is the Convent women.  This third category is particularly different from the other two, in that the women may or may not recognize what the meaning to the quote on the Oven readers, but simply don’t care.  As a third party outside the tension of Ruby, the Convent women live without concern of meaning.  The residents of Ruby believe in some divine intervention on the town of Ruby that has provided its stability.  The women of the Convent live in the Convent because they simply desire so, and it represents an escape from the pressure of societal living.  Upon first meeting, Mavis meets Grace sitting in the front yard of the Convent naked, with little care or regard.  The grand question of meaning in their lives in utterly washed away with the simplicity of the lives they are living at the Convent, thus this fixation of the meaning of a quote has no effect on them.  Life for the women at the Convent is free in responsibilities and overall worries, implying that a debate on an interpretation of meaning, whether it be an Oven or anything else, is ridiculous.  Morrison may be suggesting that life should be lived on our own terms, and not through the notion of being or acting on account of some divine power.   

In thinking about both collaboration and interpretation as a part of Paradise‘s appropriation of Paradiso, both can be viewed as crucial in instituting change, but also dangerous when they are used to justify violence.  Ruby is different at the end of Paradise than it was in the beginning.  There appears to be a more open line of communication between residents, such as Richard Misner and Deek.  Death has finally caught up to the town with the death of Save-Marie, however this demonstrates the passage of time and a change beginning to develop.  Division remains, but the town has changed nonetheless.  However, this change was a result of violence through the collaboration of men arming themselves to carry out a perceived interpretation of “divine justice”.  The contrasting interpretations between “Be the furrow…” vs. “Beware the furrow” produced an antagonistic attitude from the “Beware…” interpreters that resulted in the deaths of the Convent women.  From this, collaboration and interpretation can be viewed as dangerous when some individuals have the power and ability to impose their belief. 

Reflecting on the contrasting collaborations and interpretations of the residents of Ruby, Morrison can be seen suggesting true collaboration through accepting life with the given circumstances.  This is evident through the women of the Convent.  The residents of the Convent are attempting to escape from their past: Mavis from the death of her twins and un-supporting family, Grace and Seneca from their previous, abusive relationships, Divine from her family and previous boyfriend.  Coming to the Convent, the women find meaning in the freedom they experience while residing there.  They’re free to come and go as they please, their responsibilities are to themselves and maintaining the Convent, and the pressures of the outside world are almost completely lost to them.  In essence, through shutting themselves off from the rest of the world and finding meaning through their collected living, the women of the Convent attain the town of Ruby’s initial goal of building a prosperous, isolated community.  In the end, the women of the Convent are able to experience closure with the people they left behind, reconciling peace through communication.

Morrison’s trilogy persistently revolves around the lack of communication that drives characters further into conflict.  The lack of communication between Sethe and Denver welcomes Beloved into their home, further escalating the tension between these two women.  The lack of communication between Sethe’s family and their community also serves as a source of conflict.  Violet and Joe’s relationship issues in Jazz can trace back to their lack of communication, and inability to talk through their problems.  Again, it can be observed that these two intimate characters are shunned from their community, lacking an outside voice to communicate with.  The culmination of lack of communication is evident from the town of Ruby, that functions through a rigid hierarchy of families based off of color, shunning those with lighter-skin or marrying a person of lighter-skin.  Communication is again a major issue in the town, with competing interpretations escalating the division of the town, and as a result a division in communication.  Morrison’s focus on communication suggests that an open conversation on individual issues may present a more collaborative community and stronger relationships as a result.  In the end of each novel of Morrison’s trilogy, readers are able to witness the community of the novel growing through abrupt arrival of communication: Sethe’s community exorcise Beloved from her home after Denver’s plea for assistance; Joe and Violet’s relationship becomes mended through the open communication from Dorcases friend Felice; the women of the Convent are able to reach “paradise” after communicating with people from their past.  Through the resolves of each novel, it can be reflected upon that open and honest communication is the meaning behind a collaborative community. 

In reflecting on the current situation of the world, I find it more apparent that communication is necessary in building a community.  Given the pandemic the world is facing, I find it less scary when there is an open line of communication to work through.  Through open communication, this semester and course was able to progress through the efforts of those willing to work and talk, even if being separated by a screen.  The distance between family, friends, and classmates has presented new ways we as people are able to engage with each other. Leaders are actively engaging with each other on how to combat the Coronavirus, forging new ties and making it apparent those willing to communicate in order to meet success.  It is important that we hold on to the value of communication, even after the pandemic is resolved, as it has demonstrated through literature and reality that through an open conversation, people are able to collaborate and become stronger as a community.             

The understanding of Dante’s eagle of divine Justice doesn’t come easy to mortal beings. We simply can’t just look upon it and firmly grasp at all there is to tell us without having done either outside research and/or atoning for our sins and learning the true meaning of justice as in the pilgrim’s case. Dante’s journey began as he was wandering around in a forest, lost from the righteous path as he questions why his lover was taken from him as well as how proper justice is determined amongst individuals. He attempts to get her back, avoiding the necessary trials to do so, which lands him a place in hell, with Virgil, sent by his lover to guide him through his journey to Paradise, and ultimately to her, being a changed man who now sees the rights in his wrongdoings. 

If that sounds familiar in today’s world, it should. Like Dante, we as a society are lost in our own forest. We wrongfully question why we must be separated from one another, and try to find ways to hang out in person, despite being told by higher authorities that it’s wrong and careless to do so. Our judgments are clouded, and a select few care more about partying with friends than flattening a healthcare curve we can’t tangibly grasp at or see. If there was ever a time to read Dante’s Divine Comedy Trilogy it would be now. Like the pilgrim, we have been put into a hell that we could never have imagined taking place: quarantine and social distancing due to COVID-19. 

Dante and the eagle meet and converse in Paradiso throughout cantos XVIII, XIX, and XX of which Dante is in the sixth sphere of Heaven. The eagle is comprised of those who ruled with justice, namely David, Constantine, Trajan, William the II, Hezekiah, and Ripheus. Dante learns that humanity’s concept of justice is far from the divine, and that one simply can’t understand it as a whole by themselves. The souls of the rulers speak of God being the source of all that is good, and that believing in him is merely just a part of the whole truth, much like how the souls alone were great leaders in their own right, but together form a divine and devote being. 

This all ties into Morrison’s Paradise with the core lesson being community and collaboration help strengthen us and keep us on the path of morality, and only by helping one another can we all reach heaven. Simply put, one can’t make it on their own as they lack the knowledge and truth of the divine justice. Located at the heart of the town of Ruby, an all-black town, is the communal Oven with a faded inscription “the Furrow of His Brow.” The Oven was built to serve all, nourishing the community members by saving resources and representing the strength and achievements of the people. After Haven, the town preceding Ruby, fails, the families that leave forsake other supplies to move and rebuild the Oven, using it as a commual meeting place for all. 

There’s a rift forming in Ruby between the older, “more pure” residents and the younger, “more rowdy” generation as they argue behind the meaning of the inscription, and what it represents. Whether the word before is “be” or “beware,” both have a significantly different interpretation that widens the rift between the generations and is causing Ruby to held down the same fate as Haven. The question over who holds divine justice is Morrison’s modern interpretation of Paradiso and Dante’s learned understanding of it: is the power of justice only held through God’s will and his alone, or through the collective souls of the people who worship him? 

The older generation believes that “beware’ means that He alone holds the power and that it shouldn’t be questioned, but rather feared. They warn of such power and that the events that led them here are sealed and they should follow in the footsteps of the previous generation to avoid the wrath of God as seen in the old testament. To question Him, in this case the Morgan twins, Steward and Deek, who make up the leadership of the town, is to question the ability to lead, and the power and respect they have. On the other side, the younger generation takes from the new testament, in that Jesus was sent by God to be a symbol to the people, and that His will stretches beyond that of himself.  Instead, it is the duty of every individual working together in a less rigid leadership to take action and make sacrifices to help the town prosper and grow. They seek the Morgan twins to do more than just lead, and that if the “all” follow a select “few”, the path to heaven will diverge, becoming Dante lost in the forest, unable to achieve or find what he seeks. 

The main difference between these interpretations is how to handle problems that have arisen, and how to avoid others from coming about in the future. Is it one’s duty to sit back and let fate play out as deemed by God, using fear and power as their tactic, or should they work together to fix the issues now, and avoid being like the ones who came before: prejudiced and discriminating towards outsiders and their beliefs. 

The peak of the problem is how to handle the Convent, an all-female homestead who the elders believe to be the root of their problems. The Convent serves as a safe-haven for runaways, be it from abuse or neglect from husbands, or violence and betrayal from family and friends. However, nine men who can’t see through the smoke and mirrors massacre the Convent one night, reportedly killing many on sight, including a white woman, while taking injuries themselves. They deny responsibility for what has taken place, yet also fear trouble will come from white law. This causes a separation of power as Deek decides to take the blame unlike Steward, but then upon investigation, the bodies of the women are unable to be found and everyone has a different account of what actually took place, meaning justice and proper execution of law cannot be upheld.

It’s important to note that before this event, the town of Ruby lacked a jail or cemetery as death and sin have never come to Ruby, hence the belief of the older generation that they should keep doing as they have been. As Reverend Robert Misner and Anna Flood, wanting to know the truth of what happened, look through the Convent mansion and it’s surrounding land for any signs of struggle or death, they come upon an empty crib in a nursery with the word “Divine” on the door, which ties together the ideas of sacrifice and justice of God’s will as Save-Marie, a disabled child, has died and a funeral takes place for the first time in Ruby, signaling great change will inevitably come as faith, along with leadership and power distribution is now questioned by the townspeople. 

Acceptance, that’s the first step to solving any problem. It’s taken me so damn long to accept that this is life now. It’s remote, online learning, and I have to use the strengths I have gathered throughout my life to keep me going. I very nearly fell apart this semester. Just when I thought things were going well, another obstacle came to block my path. The town of Ruby, while good on paper— no need for jail or cemetery, strong community, efficient use of resources, etc. — has underlying flaws that stem from decision making, differing beliefs, and a deunified justice system. Morrison shows the strength a community can achieve. Each individual is prospering on their own, each town on their own, but coming together causes an unforeseen clash that could have been avoided from the start if the towns weren’t built upon isolation and denying of outsiders. 

Being in a current state of isolation, it’s important to keep collaborating and working together so that when the time comes, we can build a stronger bond between each other, holding accountability and respect for our wrongdoings to avoid, or in this case, better handle issues that are likely to arise. Nobody is right on their own. It takes a wide arrangement of differing viewpoints to see the whole picture. We can’t see what’s behind us without either looking back, in which we lose what’s in front of us, or standing back to back with our community, speaking what we see and what we have learned in order to achieve divine justice and find our Paradise together. 

Two heads are better than one and three are better than two and so on; many hands make light work. The benefits behind the ability of “the many” may seem obvious at first glance, as it is apparent that tasks can be accomplished quicker in such a manner, but it is extremely rewarding when you observe the merit beyond dexterity and efficiency. When one takes into consideration the quality possible through cooperation and the growth possible to each party afterwards, the weight of collaboration becomes extremely apparent. Collaboration exists as one of the most powerful devices in human existence. Its weight has been constantly reinforced and acknowledged throughout history—some might even argue it a quintessential aspect or defining characteristic of humanity, as most substantial progress in this world has been realized through years and years of collaboration between a multitude of people passing on and exchanging information. This level of collaboration that expands beyond temporal boundaries or physical space is commonly observable through notated literature. Toni Morrison’s trilogy, specifically the novel Paradise, reinterprets some of the material from Dante’s The Divine Comedy and provides several layers of collaboration within and without (between the authors’ writing and the characters’ of her novel) the text that reveal the long lasting benefits of collaboration. Morrison’s novel allows for a modern perspective of some of the material from Dante’s Paradiso, offering a conversation on the justice system and the long lasting difficulties pushed onto African Americans within the United States as a result of slavery, injustice, discrimination and exclusion. Continue reading “The Limitations of Collaboration Revealed Through Morrison’s Trilogy and The Divine Comedy”

Exploring Paradiso within the context of Morrison’s Paradise, Dante’s Canto 19 is the main canto location where Dante is using the eagle of divine justice to explain earthly/divine justice. To begin, the eagle of divine justice seems to be ever-moving, and continually constructed to be in harmony. The eagle of divine justice’s continual movements are juxtaposed with the idea of “Primal will” or “Supreme good”. This “Primal will” is ultimately described as God’s goodness on earth included as scripture, and is deemed to be never moving by Dante. By having God’s earthly teaching be never-moving but the eagle of divine justice be ever-flowing and in-movement, Dante is preparing to unfold his main idea behind the boundaries between justice on earth and divine justice. Dante first lays out God’s manifestation in man, creating a difference between man’s justice and the personal souls’ justice. By highlighting the difference, Dante is engaging with the belief that earthly justice cannot be introduced to eternal justice, because the two cannot be viewed in the same light. This idea of “viewing” is a focal point in Canto 19, undoubtedly related to the strength of an eagle’s eyes. Dante uses the eagle of divine justice to explain how easy it is to judge others without thought but have no idea about the life of that person being judged. The eagle of divine justice is engaging the idea that even if you are a believer of God’s kingdom, your earthly judgement on others and how you view your perception of the world will be taken into your soul’s divine justice. Toni Morrison’s Paradise includes a number of examples of earthly vs. divine justice, as well as defining justice as both a force in the universe as well as a force in one’s personal soul.

                Within the context of the novel as a whole, I believe the oven to be the carrier of time for both Haven and Ruby, as well as a site where inter-relational conflict dwells. Within the course epigraph, Morrison’s statement “Black literature is taught as sociology” is the first sentence noted. I believe that through the oven, Morrison is constructing the sociological functions of Ruby and its society similarly to her conventions of how black literature is taught. When considering the oven as a bearer or holder of time, it is important to follow the chronology of the oven and how it has been physically changed.  We learn when the oven is first introduced that it has been brought from its original town of Haven by its founding fathers to the new town of Ruby. It is also said to have been a place of socializing, even towards the latter decline of Haven. With the slogan on the oven being not fully visible, the eventual conflict between the youth and elders of the town rises with reverend Misner’s meeting. With the elders lashing out on the younger generation of Ruby for believing they could believe in a God-mimicking slogan, there is an overall theme of time being explored. Morrison’s usage of time within the oven creates a difference between the elders and youth, a difference that can be seen between the town of Ruby and of the Covenant. With time, both the covenant and Ruby became their present selves, with one location being on the grounds of acceptance, while the other being on the grounds of difference and solitude. With time, the “disallowing” of Haven founders and the creation of Ruby to combat light-skinned/dark-skinned prejudice had come full circle, with the oven being the center of the city’s changes.

                The oven as a site is dominantly shown as a breeding ground for complications and conflict. It is the site where K.D. and Arnette’s relationship first declines, as well as where the Covent’s members are first outed as odd by dancing around the oven. Placing the oven as the center of disruption for Morrison’s plot, she is actively using the oven to engage and bring to light the concealed problems of Ruby. The physical appearance of the oven can be related to the relevance of Dante’s eagle. With the oven being marked with a black fist with red fingernails, along with eventual foundation destruction, I believe that the oven’s physical appearance is an explanation into the individual justice vs. overall justice within the town of Ruby. Dante’s eagle explains that the individual’s idea of justice cannot penetrate God’s divine justice, which maybe can be representative in the state of the oven. With each fingernail marked in red over a cast of a black fist, I think that the women of the Covenant could represent individual justices, intertwined within the overall justice structure of Ruby. Although I am still tackling this idea of individual justice being seen within the covenant, I plan to expand my ideas in the upcoming move. 

                Ruby’s residents interpret the text on the oven’s lip in different ways, focused mainly around the idea of age and generational differences. On one hand, the elders of Ruby believe that the oven says “Beware the furrow of his brow”, with the younger generation believe the slogan says “Be the furrow of his brow” or just “the furrow of his brow”.  Through the text, we can see the overall reasoning behind the argument intersecting both history and respect. Although these interpretations of the oven are not the same, the connotations behind why the residents take sides and why they argue their points are extremely similar. Beginning with the older generation, we have a distinct opinion that Reverend Pulliam displays, shouting “Beware the furrow of his brow. That’s what it says clear as daylight. That’s not a suggestion; that’s an order!” (86). This quote in my opinion best encapsulates the relationship between the older Ruby members and their beliefs regarding the history of Haven/new presence in Ruby. With an adherence to preservation, I believe the elders in Ruby interpret the oven as a message from their past, a past that although they have left physically (Haven), the oven still stands as a message. A message that proves important to them because of its reminder; that they founded Ruby on the principles of justice for themselves, and to have anyone but the divine power of God over the townspeople would be a destruction of the freedom they set out to gain in Ruby. With the elders message directly pointed towards the younger generation in opposition to what they believe, Destry stands up  to defend the youth- saying “Sir, but we are obeying him, if we follow his commandments, we’ll be his voice, his retribution. As a people-” (87). Destry best describes the notion of acting out justice, with a focus on not trying to imitate or replace God but to live life with a direct correspondence to his proclamations. If the youth is interpreting the oven as “Be the furrow of his brow”, then the conversation must include a shift in power that both the younger generation need, and the elder generation do not want. It is obvious that both sides have different representations and beliefs when it comes to what the lip of the oven says/means, but their fight is actually quite similar. On one hand we have the youth fighting for freedom/power over authoritative figures representative in acting out the “Be” in the slogan. On the other, the elders trying to reclaim their past identity tied within the oven, an identity that previously had been fought for so that they may live in peace. Both arguments are similar in the way they are fighting for a group, a group that has been discriminated against in which they are trying to reclaim what they believe is rightfully theirs.

                The townspeople of Ruby try to reconcile their interpretative disagreement through an engagement of collaboration. Although this point may seem untrue due to the language and oppositional viewpoints being stated, it must be recognized that this meeting between citizens should be ruled as a collaborative effort (although eventually broken up into plain argument). In the beginning of the ovens discussion, reverend Misner seems to be the mediator between the two groups. When Pulliam asked reverend Misner to keep the young Beauchamp from interrupting, Misner replied, “Why would I want to? We’re here not just to talk but to listen too” (85). Just from this quote, we can see Morrison creating a somewhat balanced dialogue of collaborative disagreement. By at least engaging with one another’s thoughts, we see a connection of two ideas that previously were never brought to light. Within the debate on what the oven’s lip phrase may see, there is cooperation between the two parties to debate their points. Looking at Morrison’s use of collaboration and interpretation as a whole in Paradise, I ultimately see the covenant as the center of misunderstood collaboration. Creating an intersection between interpretation and collaboration, Morrison uses the covenant as a place of “looking-in” to see collaborative use. To the eyes of the men of Ruby, the covenant was a place that was good for nothing but enchantments and satanic worshiping, deemed unfit for society and needed to be exterminated. However, Morrison structured Paradise in a way that engages readers to view the covenant not just as a place of solace, but as a collaborative tool. The servitude of the covenant as a place for the women to divert from the implications of their past lives and start anew can and should be the main thought behind its reasoning. By constructing the covenant as a place of both paradise and evil for certain individuals, Morrison is using personal interpretation as a craft into what can be deemed collaborative. To the women of the covenant, this place provided them the strength to speak their minds and engage with each other (collaboration); to others, to fostered lawlessness and a disdain towards religion. Through a larger scope, this collaboration can be linked to the collaborative efforts made by my fellow peers during this pandemic.

                Morrison creating Paradise’s appropriation of Paradiso tells you not only the both/and of interpretation and collaboration, but the purposefulness to Morrison’s craft. The way in which Morrison has intertwined these works had produced an effect that could be best described as an understanding of possibilities. From looking into divine justice through the scope of a mortal man to the residents of Ruby looking into the view of the distant covenant, interpretation seems to be the focal point for actions made. This both/and logic when resonating Morrison’s work is a steppingstone into the bigger picture; to use the work presented to us in order to sought out truth. To find the reasoning and truth behind the problems we are given, interpretation and collaboration is a necessity. For the individual, it is important to engage personally with your interpretation, because without your own views to display for others to take notice, collaboration cannot happen. However if people work together and are not afraid to collaborate, make mistakes, and understand other viewpoints- beautiful things can happen. As a hopeful future educator, I feel as if this collaboration of peers to explore Morrison’s craft will stay with me, and will not be forgotten. I have always believed in that the truth will be better and more accurately found through working together, and with this collaboration with my peers I am now certain of it. Although this semester had been cut short and the complications in which individuals endure are complex and disheartening, this collaboration still survived. I admittedly had anxiety from the first time switching from a in-person to an online format to collaborate, but then I realized. I realized that even though everyone is going through personal issues, the collaboration continued. We still met as a group, still cared and listened to our peers opinions, and were able to grow as a student even amid stagnation in our world. The only thing I wish I could have done on a deeper level is to encourage motivation to others in my life. A collaborative space helped me stay on top of my daily motivation, and I just wished I had encouraged those around me to engage with their peers more often and find the motivation I have been feeling. Through this class and the collaborative space we all share, I feel as if I look at multiple outcomes for the future. I have destroyed my definition of the rigid absolute truth, happy to look forward to the future in a more inclusive way.

Through the collaboration Morrison composes with structuring her works in symphony with Dante’s, the reader is able to delve how valuable complexity and interpretation are. Throwing off universalized rhetoric, Morrison presents a new attitude of ambiguity when looking at topics such as righteousness and justice, while Dante’s trilogy harmonizes with this attitude; overall the melding of Paradise/Paradiso present the value in differing interpretations, and the assuredness that can be found in ambiguity. Collaboration can not occur alone, and progress can not occur without collaboration.

“Diligente Justiam…Qui judacis terram” is expressed within the song that prefaces Dante’s interaction with the Divine Eagle of Justice. Translated it states, “Cherish Justice….o judges of the earth”; this can be interpreted as an exclamation to all humans to pursue justice in their actions. The ambiguity of morality is a theme that can be traced throughout Morrison’s works; in Dante, there is a more dictated sense of morality as can be seen in Inferno.The Eagle of Divine Justice in Canto 19 expresses to Dante that justice, such as Morrison’s representation of morality, can not be fully perceived by mankind, as it states, “the vision that your world receives cannot penetrate into Eternal Justice, no more than an eye can penetrate the sea” (Canto 19, 58-60). Therefore a comprehension of justice that is expected by the Divine to be pursued however it must be accepted that it can never be fully understood. The Eagle, continuing, states that “for though near shore, sight reaches the sea floor, you cannot reach it in the open sea; yet it is there but hidden by the deep” (Canto 19, 58-63). This then expresses that there can be somewhat of a human understanding of justice as a concept, however the extent to which God practices and understands it surpasses this beyond all measures. To be drawn to Morrison’s work, in Paradise, the men who perform the massacre believe that they are enacting justice through it. In this, Morrison displays the danger and destruction that can come from believing one’s own ideals of righteousness and justice. Tied with the words of the Divine Eagle of Justice, the futility in pursuing a self serving and resolute ideal of justice can be viewed as it does not lead to redemption.

A theme of hierarchy can be revealed here as well; a theme expressed through the structures of Inferno and Purgatorio. Hierarchical presences can be seen in the understandings of Justice by mankind, by God, and by those who have been redeemed. In the depiction of the Eagle, David, as in the biblical David and Goliath, is exalted in the pupil. David additionally can be seen on the terrace of pride in Purgatorio, and through having been redeemed can be assumed to have some higher level of understanding of Justice as being portrayed in the pupil of the Eagle. However, men depicted in the stars on its eyebrow and eye are to be considered secondary in their understanding of Justice as it is established that God is the ultimate deciding factor in it all. Additionally in the depiction of the Eagle, it demonstrates the graciousness that despite the downfalls of the men, they are represented within the Eagle as symbols of the kind of justice mankind is capable of. 

The Eagle of Divine Justice institutes the deep complexities and ambiguous nature of justice for mankind. Through the representation of the Eagle, it is possible to perceive that whilst a divine understanding of justice is unattainable, those who pursue that which is, are in the running to be redeemed by the Divine. The voice and representation of the Eagle, both the reader and Dante are provided an understanding of justice and the ambiguity that lies behind concepts like it to mankind. This further establishes the power of the Divine in the narrative, and emphasizes to the reader the complexities of concepts such as righteousness and justice. 

In Haven, it had served a purpose, a hearth and gathering place for those in need, and a symbol of the founder’s endurance and unity. However, due to more modern appliances and the further development of the community, when it is moved to Ruby, its usefulness has dissolved. The community seems to cling to the symbol of the Oven, “Loving what Haven had been-the idea of it and its reach-they carried that devotion” (Morrison, 6). To the veterans and older generation, the Oven represents the solidarity of the people when they were rejected. However there is a menace in this devotion to the idea of something. While Haven was a community developed by unity, it was one that was forced to be due to racial gatekeeping and discrimination. Through holding tightly to an idea of something, a blind eye may be turned to the significant issues of the past that should not be repeated. The Oven being brought to Ruby can serve as a monument of what the people had done(6) as well as a grasp from older generations to preserve an idealized version of the past.

The Oven continues to be utilized as a gathering place, however there becomes a divide between older generations and new ones. The utilization of the Oven as a hang out spot or a place to discuss business causes tensions between the generations. This tension and division is furthered by the disagreements about the inscriptions on the Oven. The younger claim that it states “Be the furrow on his brow” while older believe it states “Beware the furrow on his brow”(86-86). Within this disagreement displays an Old Testament vs. New Testament interpretation of God. Destry argues for a more New Testament interpretation, expressing that Be the furrow on his brow means “being his instrument, His Justice…we’ll be his voice, his retribution”(87). Reverend Pulliam retorts that “God’s Justice is His alone”(87). Dante’s Divine Eagle of Justice serves to establish that although justice can not be fully interpreted by mankind, it should be pursued in the fullest extent possible according to God’s word. While Divine Justice may only be truly understood by God, Destry demonstrates an understanding of justice that can be likened to the men honored on the Eagle’s brow and pupil; he seeks to pursue justice as dictated by godly moral values. Steward Morgan ends the discussion, stating that if anyone takes action with the inscription that he “will blow their head off like you was a hood eye snake” (87). This threat of violence emphasizes the desperation with which the older generations strive to hold onto echoes of a familiar past even if that past is no longer useful or proven to be beneficial for the overall good. This claim can be applied to the Oven as well; once a place of solidarity, it is now a subject of discourse and division. 

Just as Dante’s Divine Eagle of Justice expresses the ambiguity and unattainability of divine justice, the Oven is a symbol of caution against absolutism. Its original purpose is eventually lost as the past fades into obscurity and idealization. Now to address the newspaper saying expressed at the beginning of this move, I would like to refurbish it. In application to the Oven, Older Generations felt as though they required such a monument in Ruby to remind them of their past and prepare them for the future. However when this symbol becomes the topic of disagreement, the older generation does not meet the younger generation prepared to meet them where they are. Instead of coming prepared with their past experiences and knowledge to learn from and collaborate, they came prepared with enforcing the ways of the past they were comfortable with. Enforcing ideals of the past onto the present, ends up replicating the same gatekeeping, and discrimination that was faced causing the founding of Haven and eventually the development of Ruby.

I would like to detail my claim made that the interpretations of the inscription on the Oven of the old generation replicate a persona of God that can be seen in the Old Testament; the interpretation of the younger generation leans more towards the persona of Jesus and God in the New Testament. 

With this and the tensions between past and present, old and new, Morrison weaves narratives within her works that pursue a discursive complexity. This replicates the realistic dualities of life as well as the equivocalness that surrounds concepts such as justice, and righteousness. By doing so, Morrison portrays the danger of having a mindset that is absolute, as well as the futility of a universal rhetoric for religion and spirituality. 

The older generation interprets the inscription as “Beware the furrow of his brow”. This reflects the behavior of the Old Testament God; stories such as Sodom and Gomorrah, the plagues upon Egypt, and Noah’s Ark display violent unforgiving nature in retaliation to wrongdoings. When the spirituality and behavior of the women of the Covenant are deemed to be unacceptable, despite “irreconcilable differences among the congregations in town, but members from all of them merged solidly on the necessity of this action: Do what you have to. Neither the Convent nor the women in it can continue” (9-10). The nine men act on a version of righteousness that they deem necessary; acting similarly to the behavior of the God they respected in the Old Testament. The massacre is Old Testament worthy. In addition to this perspective, I would like to tie in a point that Jamie made, that in this action, the men are acting as the furrow of God’s brow; they themselves are being the brow of the divine they interpret to be as they are acting on what they believe to be the right thing. The difference between Jamie and I’s interpretation depicts the complex style with which Morrison presents concepts such as these as there is no set in stone correct response. Morrison’s stylistic choice demonstrates the ambiguity surrounding religion. 

The younger generation interprets the inscription as “Be the furrow on his brow” (87). This interpretation does not instill fear but instills actions of witness and activism. Jesus in the New Testament is depicted as being sent by God his father to be sacrificed for the world’s sins while also serving as a prophet and miracle worker. Through Jesus’s witnessing and the display of sacrifice from the Godhead, a more gentle portrayal of the divine is presented. Additionally this interpretation symbolizes the younger generations desire for a renewing of their town, tired of the isolationist, and racial divides that still prevail. 

Through portraying realistic, tense dichotomies within religion, Morrison critiques the inconsistencies with normative Christian practices, while still displaying that there can be hope. The town of Ruby itself cannot be successful as it is founded on similar dichotomies and revives the discriminatory, gatekeeping practices that caused the founding of Haven, simply flipped. The insight provided by Morrison, a black woman and a Catholic, provides a perspective that binaries are flawed and that disjuncture between past and present is unsustainable. 

In the discussion of how the inscription is interpreted, there is a respect on the basis that there is a discussion at all. As seen throughout the novel, older residents specifically the Morgan twins have been looked to as leaders of the town, overall authority; therefore the initiation of a discussion displays a respect that there are decisions and potential to collaborate on issues as a community. While the discussion is not peaceful, the Oven once again has brought the town together as “The Oven didn’t belong to any one denomination; it belonged to all and all were asked to show up at Calvary”(83). This acknowledgment alone displays collaboration in a way. 

The character of Reverend Misner can be claimed to be a symbol of intended collaboration in this debate. He shocks the group when in response to a request to reprimand Ray Beauchamp, he states “We’re here not just to talk but to listen”(85). Portrayal of Misner as bridging the two sides, gives a glimpse into the possible collaboration that could occur. However the juxtaposition of the binaries that Morrison prevents restricts this. 

Neither old nor young is guilty of truly approaching the debate collaboratively. The younger generation abruptly challenges the authority of their elders, as “They didn’t want to discuss; they wanted to instruct”(84). The older generation finds issue not just with the proposal of changing the inscription but with the audacity of the younger generation to approach making a change in the first place. They feel as though their intellect, authority, and histories are being collectively challenged by the younger generation. Roy Beauchamp, in an outburst states that “You all just don’t want us to talk at all. Any talk is ‘backtalk’ if you don’t agree with what’s being said” (85). Steward’s inner thoughts reflect this attitude as well as he wonders if this generation needed to be skipped over in order to have “…grand-and great-grandchildren who could be trained, honed as his own father and grandfather had done for Steward’s generation”(94). Tensions run high during the debate as what was originally intended to be collaboration and discussion dissolves into argumentation. 

Through this depiction, Morrison shows the reader not only the flaws of one side, but how both sides fall short of collaboration. As I’m sure many of us can agree, within debates such as these, whether they’re with our family, friends, or even in classes, it is comfortable to resort to an angry us vs. them mentality. The binary of one side or the other provides an agreeable structure, however Morrison, through the depiction of this intergenerational debate, challenges falling in line with this structure. Looking in on it provides insight not only to the overall narrative but to our own lives as well: When are we instructing instead of discussing? When are we labelling something we don’t agree with as backtalk? Through this commentary, the Oven not only becomes a symbol of the history of the town but the future as the intergenerational dispute is centered around it. Therefore in order to have true collaboration, we must approach situations with open arms, which can be done whilst still sticking to your guns. 

With collaboration, Morrison emphasizes that the rhetoric of a final definition and an absolute point of view must be discarded in favor of a better outcome. Therefore expectations and reservations about the “other side” must be removed in favor of the greater good. 

The structure of binaries, especially in “uncertain times” such as these are comfortable. Even before quarantine, at the beginning of the semester, I found myself comfortable in my views, in my role as a writer, a scholar, a student. I fell into the structure and binaries that existed within my political world, my intellectual world, and my world overall. This course, its material, and its influence on my mindset upset that comfortableness in the best way. Morrison’s outlook on Paradiso, calls attention to the deepest concepts such as justice, love, and righteousness; her approach demands that you reflect upon it in relation to your own life. The ambiguity called to these concepts in Morrison’s works and how they are related to Dante’s, relays an assuredness in complexity; it along with this course has taught me how truly valuable diverse interpretations are and how the complexities of each allow for a fuller understanding as well as the best collaboration possible. 

As a stubborn perfectionist, disagreement of the inscription resonated strongly with me. I’ve been seeing so many posts on Facebook about how we need to open back up, how Jesus would want the churches open, heard my own family members gripe about how they can’t go out. I wanted to be quick in reprimanding them, quick to instruct rather than discuss, as the younger generation had been with the inscription. The debate in Paradise truly allowed me insight, I felt like I was an outsider looking in. Although I strongly disagree with the posts I’ve been seeing, this relayed to me how true emotional collaboration cannot occur if I am ranting just as they are, instructing them on what they should be doing with their autonomy. The perspectives and interpretations of others in situations such as these are far more valuable to me now. I was incredibly hesitant for collaborative essays, while excited to work with others in a new format, I underestimated how beautiful our final works could be, truly displaying the “two heads are better than one” to me. We were able to produce genuine, thoughtful pieces that not only displayed our own interpretations but brought all of our interpretations together, making it even stronger. Collaboration cannot occur when you are on your own, nor can it occur when you underestimate the process itself. 

As for the concepts of love, justice, and righteousness, I found comfort in the proposed ambiguity in Morrison’s works and the Divine Comedy. The lesson taught by the Divine Eagle of Justice I believe can be applied to many aspects of life, these concepts are to be treasured and pursued but we cannot expect ourselves to ever fully comprehend them. Nor is there one universal interpretation. This adds even more depth to the valuing of diverse interpretations. 

This course and its material have shown me how much I still have left to learn, and given me a deeper understanding of how to work with others and a greater appreciation for it. Morrison’s trilogy along with Dante’s delves a penultimate mindset around the concepts and the collaboration that it offers, the collaboration that Morrison formed when she connected her works with Dante’s. Collaborative efforts to their fullest extent are not possible without valuing diversity of interpretations, and this appreciation can not occur if we’re too wrapped up in our own interpretations to acknowledge others. I not only have a better understanding of collaboration academically and intellectually, but emotionally and spiritually as well. The friendships formed from this course as well as the support that we have all provided for each other is collaboration. I have found out how truly the collaboration produces a better final result in many situations. Just the disjuncture between the older and younger generations in Ruby prevents progress, collaboration cannot be fully achieved if we do not set our sets on it and our expectations aside. 

The eagle of divine Justice that appears to Dante in Paradiso is composed of the souls of the just, who speak to him as a collective being. Their individual accomplishments combine to form an image of divine justice, a concept beyond the mortal world and the comprehension of those within it. The Eagle says to Dante, “therefore, the vision that your world receives/ can penetrate into Eternal Justice/ no more than eye can penetrate the sea” (Paradiso 19.58-60). Therefore, the combination of these individual accomplishments may be the closest one can get to understanding true divine justice on earth. However, Dante still strives to understand the damnation of those who did not know God, yet were still just in their time on earth. He finds it difficult to comprehend the logic behind this damnation. Certain knowledge is necessary for salvation, but is not easily accessible by all. It seems that some are predestined for damnation when they are not put in a position to readily receive that information. The Eagle once again tells Dante that he is unable to understand divine justice, that he is not in a position “to judge events a thousand miles away, when your own vision spans so brief a space” (Paradiso 19.80-81). The most any single person can achieve while on earth is a small piece of true justice. On their own, they are unable to understand divine justice. However, through collaboration between multiple individuals, some version of divine justice can be reached.   

The generational conflicts within Toni Morrison’s Paradise reflect Dante’s conflicting feelings concerning divine justice in Paradiso. The oven was transported from the original town to the new town, Ruby. While it is a gathering place, it seems that the memories of past hardships have been transferred to this new town along with the oven. Thus, the oven has become a center for conflict. In the conversation surrounding which quote to place on the oven in Ruby, we are faced with an argument similar to the one between Dante and the Eagle. At the core of this argument is the younger generation’s belief in being an instrument of God, or to try and attain divine justice in the best way we can, to be a piece of his justice on earth. The elder generation believes that this is a form of blasphemy, that they should be wary of venturing into the realm of things beyond mortal knowledge, into the territory of God. he older generation the phrase “beware the furrow of his brow” calls them back to their past. The oven stands as a symbol of what they’ve gone through to reach Ruby. Their interpretation of the text is respect for where they’ve come from, as well as respect for their God. Reverence for their past holds the highest meaning. In this interpretation, the blasphemy in “be the furrow of his brow” is not only against blasphemy against God, but against their past. In order to “be” the furrow of his brow, the younger generation would be part of Him. To be his voice would indicate a sense of control over oneself, rather than being controlled by Him. This can be frightening, especially to an older generation who wants to retain a feeling of control by allocating power to that higher power.

Ruby is not Haven. Whether the oven in Paradise once read “beware” or “be” the furrow of his brow, the oven no longer says either; the letters fell off, the text no longer says what it once did. The different interpretations of the text are similar because they are what each generation knows the quote to be, what they have always believed it to say, even if not in words. The interpretations come from a similar place. However, through the failed attempts to agree on a quote brings the town farther apart. As with the pieces of the eagle’s brow, each interpretation in Ruby is a piece of the larger interpretation, and brings the community one step closer to truth. By failing to recognize this, the community is taking themselves farther away from truth, from divine justice. 

The men of Ruby also seem to feel a sense of responsibility for and power over the women, even those outside of their town, at the convent. They are brought together only in their need for control, over the quote on the oven and over their town. They are united in their disdain for the women at the convent, and their way of life. Until the argument over the text on the oven, the leadership in Ruby had never really been challenged. The younger generation, through their text, holds reverence for the future over the past, and the possibility of what their town can become, rather than what it once was. The younger generation has not lived through all the same things that the older has, they did not help to shape the town into what it is now, but rather, are participating in the process of shaping what it is about to become. They will “be the furrow of his brow” because they could help to define the new standards of justice in Ruby, or, leave it behind. Ruby is united, though, in this need for control over the future. The women at the convent are a threat to their interpretations of justice and of what is acceptable in society. After the events at the convent, the citizens wonder how their town can preserve “this hard-won heaven defined only by the absence of the unsaved, the unworthy and the strange? Who will protect them from their leaders?” (Morrison 306).      

The oven’s readers focus on the differences in their interpretations and become defensive rather than cooperative. There’s no room for open communication here. The oven breeds anger, argument and the violence against the women at the convent, as well as violence amongst the members of the town against each other. They’re trying to interpret the past, a past they were not present for, so they will never truly be able to reach a conclusion based in fact on their own. The residents of Ruby are not interested in compromise, so they would not be happy with any conclusion. True collaboration requires compromise and a genuine attempt to consider and understand other points of view. This argument seems to be a distraction from the real problems in their town, which leads to terrible action based on interpretations of divine justice. Sometimes, you can understand the present through the past. However, the residents of Ruby are too caught up in the past to evaluate their present. This prevents them from achieving a rational, honest debate. Additionally, interpretation itself is a collaboration between two parties. In this case, each resident and the text on the oven, rather than the two generations against each other.   

Paradiso does not always offer concrete answers, but rather points of interpretation that spark thought and conversation, and Morrison’s work highlights these points. The same can be said about Paradise. I tend to look for concrete answers when I read, and I struggle to make sense of things without them. However, there is a validity in each interpretation that lends itself to a both/and. Each interpretation that is based on and in conversation with the same source material could be true. No interpretation is any more true than another, yet each one contributes to a greater whole truth. This is something I continue to struggle with, as it’s difficult to know that you might not stumble upon a correct, concrete answer. The most correct answer is the one that is the most meaningful to you, based upon your own life experience and the moral system that you use to inform your decisions and interpretations. There is no proof that the oven said anything other than “furrow of his brow,” yet to some, it is fact that it once said something more simply because they believe in it. 

In terms of this process, it seems we are closer to finding truth through our combined efforts. Each individual interpretation contributes to a collective truth. Right now, as we’re all struggling to maintain a sense of normalcy, collaboration and communication are becoming more difficult, but are all the more vital. This is something I’m trying to hold onto personally right now amidst all the chaos, as it’s becoming more and more difficult to find ways to be creative. As creative people, we often feel unproductive, even useless if we aren’t constantly working on something. While this isn’t the case at all—it’s totally okay if you don’t feel like creating all the time right now given the state of the world—I find it’s so much easier for me to stay inspired while working on projects with or just bouncing ideas off of friends. Beginning a project outside of school with my friend gave me the inspiration I needed to come up with an idea for a creative project for class, and create something truly meaningful to me. Before, I had been struggling to find the motivation to work on the project. The connections we establish and foster during this time inform everything else going on in our lives. We are parts of a greater whole, a bigger picture, right now and always.