Symbolism in Beloved In the novel Beloved, the author, Toni Morrison, attempts to promote a variety of different themes and ideas by symbolizing them in smaller events and situations. This symbolism is evident throughout the novel and is very crucial to understanding and analyzing the text. A good example of this is the ice skating scene. Morrison uses this scene to represent the slow, but steady, deterioration of the family living in 124 and to foreshadow the family unit's ultimate demise. Morrison repeatedly writes, “No one saw them fall,” yet in all reality they were falling, and falling fast (Morrison 174). There are a number of details, including the setting, Sethe's emotions, the choice of ice shoes/skates worn by each of the three female characters, and the ultimate goal of reaching heaven, that demonstrate this idea. The ice skating scene takes place on a frozen stream, not too far from 124. The ice is seemingly solid, so it provides a pretty solid surface to skate on. Unfortunately the ice is slippery. This is the symbol of the three women in the story. They all have a strong foundation, a sincere love for each other, but no matter how hard they try to stand tall and proud, they always end up slipping and falling on the ice. The frozen stream represents the family's future. The ice will slowly but steadily melt as the climate gets warmer, over time. As the ice melts, even the solid foundation that supports skaters and family members will have nowhere to stand. As the story unfolds, it becomes more and more apparent that Sethe is emotionally unstable. Starting with her life at Sweet Home, facing the daily trials of sla... middle of paper... solitude and solitude. By isolating Beloved and herself from the rest of the world, Sethe attempted to hide from the ugliness that existed outside of 124. "They were lulled into a false trust because they had each other," neglecting even the basic necessities of life ( Finkbeiner 1999 ). Sethe and Beloved each had a pair of shoes, Beloved had two skates and Sethe had two shoes. Conditions in Denver were more difficult. She was forced to skate on a single skate, which was very unstable. To stay standing she was forced to ask the community for help, to reach out to people outside 124. Through this act she managed to bring healing to the family. By connecting with the community, she was able to combat the horrors of loneliness and racism. Works Cited: Morrison, Toni. Beloved. New York, Penguin Books USA Inc, 1988.