These prompts can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before or after reading the novel.

Pre-Reading “Icebreaker”

Think of a moment in your life that has defined who you are as a person. It can be good or bad, but it should be something you think of as a moment that has helped you understand who you are. How does that understanding influence your behavior or the way you think about yourself?

Teaching Suggestion: This discussion question can get students thinking about the relationship between significant experiences and how they influence choice and identity. Much of Beloved is rooted in the unspeakable traumas Sethe experienced that led her to murder her own child, and discussing how our past affects our present can prepare students for a more intense conversation about the trauma and memory of slavery.

Personal Response Prompt

Beloved presents a far more intimate portrait of the effects of slavery than students are exposed to through history textbooks, historical records, and other depictions of slavery in America. How does this change your understanding of the institution of slavery? Why do you think it’s important to engage with narratives that portray American history from the perspective of everyday people who experienced it rather than through significant historical figures and movements?