A Tentative Study Of The All-black Town In Paradise

Paradise is the first novel after Morrison received the Noble Prize for Literature but the third one of her trilogy, covering the hundred years of black history. When it came out in 1997, Paradise with its profound implications immediately caught the attention of the critical circles. Paradise narrates the stories of a group of social outcasts who move west to create their own paradise, an all-black community, because they cannot bear racial discrimination from the whites. Though the black town has been prosperous for some time, as time passes, it declines in the end. Still worse, the massacre of the Convent women appears in the town. From the perspectives of history and politics, the thesis gives a profound analysis of the rise and fall of the black community in their paradise. Why does their paradise become a flash in the pan? Why do their efforts end in tragedy? How do human beings create and preserve their paradise? Those questions arouse our deep reflection.First, Ruby is built on the patriarchal system. The Morgan brothers are representatives of the patriarchs and control Ruby since its founding. Women and the younger generation are oppressed in the town. Next, being suffered a lot from racism, the Rubiers refuse to marry the white and light-skinned black in order to keep their blood pure. The marriage based on blood rule results in a new Racism generated in black community. Finally, Ruby is isolated with the ever changing outside world, which is one of the important factors leading to its decline. In a word, patriarchal system, gradations of skin color, the loss of traditional values and isolation, suggest the fate of their paradise.Based on the reflection, the thesis also discusses Morrison's ideal paradise. Paradise is not an enclave but an earthly paradise, which transcends race and gender and is accessible to everyone. Morrisonbelieves that black people will abandon isolationism to reconcile with others in the whole society. Morrison advocates unselfish and bearable love among people. That is to say, human beings can create a harmonious and happy paradise if they can overcome parochialism and respect each other.