Hypocrisy of Mr. Garner and Mr. Bodwin in Toni Morrisons Beloved Essay

The Hypocrisy of Mr. collect and Mr. Bodwin in Toni Morrisons BelovedIn Toni Morrisons novel Beloved, both Mr. conglomerate and Mr. Bodwin are presented initially as proper workforce, with views on the black race that differ from all the respire of the dust coat work force in the book. The readers first impression of each of these manpower is favorable. With shape up reading and thought however, the reader notices more and more details that hightail it to change their initial impression. By the end of the book both men seem to have lost their appeal. Even though there is rattling little said against Mr. Garner, and even less against Mr. Bodwin, it seems that Morrison was straining to cause very mixed opinions about each one of these characters. In the end, Mr. Garner seems no less racialist than his fellow slave take iners, and Mr. Bodwin, though opposed to slaveholding also appears to be much more racist than he lets on. Mr. Garner is the owner of Sweet Home, the planta tion where Sethe, her family, and new(prenominal)s had been slaves before their escape. He is singled out from the rest of the white men right away. When his character is first introduced the narrator speaks of him engagement with other farmers about his slaves being men. Now at Sweet Home, my niggers is men all one of em. Bought em thataway, raised em thataway. Men every one he had told other farmers (Morrison 10). With this comment Mr. Garner was fishing for the answer he loved to hear, I wouldnt have no nigger men round my wife., to which hed retaliate neither would I, neither would I(11). On the scratch Mr. Garner is presented as a very admirable man. He ran a special kind of slavery, Baby Suggs had thought, treating them as paid lug (140). The way... ...s than noble. Both men seem to put on a mightier-than-thou aerate when in public, and try to appear as non-racist as possible. Yet Mr. Garner owns slaves, an obviously racist act, even if he does allow them more than oth er slave owners would. And Mr. Bodwin who claims to be against slavery, and has fought to end it, displays in his own house a figure that embodies slavery. It appears that the only difference between other slave owners and Mr. Garner, is that they dont try and hide their racism or pretend theyre better than anyone else. Mr. Bodwin does not own slaves, and does not believe in the practice, but he is still racist as we after part see from the figure in his house. Which of these is better? Who can say? But most people arent fond of hipocrits. Works Cited Morrison, Toni. Beloved. Markham, Ontario Penguin Books Canada Limited, 1987