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

The Hypocrisy of Mr. Garner and Mr. Bodwin in Toni Morrisons BelovedIn Toni Morrisons novel Beloved, twain Mr. Garner and Mr. Bodwin argon presented initially as decent custody, with views on the black race that differ from all the rest of the white men in the book. The readers first impression of to each one of these men is favorable. With further reading and thought however, the reader notices more and more details that tend to change their initial impression. By the end of the book both men seem to know lost their appeal. Even though there is really little said against Mr. Garner, and even less against Mr. Bodwin, it seems that Morrison was trying to cause very mixed opinions about each one of these characters. In the end, Mr. Garner seems no less racist than his fellow slave owners, and Mr. Bodwin, though opposed to slavery besides appears to be much more racist than he lets on. Mr. Garner is the owner of Sweet Home, the plantation where Sethe, her family, and another(pren ominal)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 fighting with other farmers about his slaves being men. Now at Sweet Home, my niggers is men every 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 reaction 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 surface Mr. Garner is presented as a very estimable man. He ran a special kind of slavery, Baby Suggs had thought, treating them as paid labor (140). The way... ...s than noble. Both men seem to put on a mightier-than-thou air 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 other slave owners would. And Mr. Bodwin who claim s 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 kill 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 post 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