Out of Body: Depersonalization in Toni Morrison's Novels

Abstract My thesis will explore how Morrison uses formal techniques to bring the depersonalization many of her characters experience to life for her audience: specifically, nonlinear narrative structure, fragmented sentence structure, and internal dialogue highlight the characters' depersonalization. I will explore this idea through Morrison's novels The Bluest Eye, Beloved, and A Mercy, which feature characters who have experienced extreme traumas and seem to have developed depersonalization as a result.