“SHE BE DEAD:” BLACK FEMALE SUBJECTIVITY IN TONI MORRISON’S HOME

Abstract

Toni Morrison’s Home explores the effect of trauma and abandonment on people’s decisions, life and desire for self-fulfillment and self-actualization. The two focal fields in the novel, army and medical, are subjected to close observation and serious criticism. Brother and sister, Frank and Cee, who inhabit these spheres, struggle to survive against the odds in extremely hazardous surroundings. Their journey through life exposes hidden and frequently forgotten sides of the 1950s. The current paper chooses to trace Cee’s path to her own self while at the same time it comments on the historical period, the idea of belonging, the male-led narrative, family relations, and the ever-present depiction of the community.