Summary Of Jazz By Toni Morrison
There are many book titles that only have a small part to do with the actual book, but the title Jazz by Toni Morrison is significant throughout the whole book. This is because Jazz was a very popular music style in the 1920s, which is around the time the book is set. During that time, Jazz was very popular in the African American culture, this is significant because the main characters of the book are African American. Toni Morrison incorporates elements of Jazz music throughout the whole book, she does this by using rhythmic sentence structure, expressive language, and deep messages. Despite the title being very short, the book is filled with many prominent examples of Jazz.
One key element of Jazz music is rhythmic language and sentence …show more content…
In Jazz, rhythmic verses and expressive language are used to portray the deep messages, and make the audience feel what the artist feels. An example of a deep message is found when Violet falls in a ‘crack’. Morrison says, “I call them cracks because that is what they were. Not openings or breaks, but dark fissures in the globe light of the day”(22). The ‘cracks’ Violet falls into are due to the events that happened in her past. Her day will be going fine, but then she falls in a ‘crack’ which causes Violet to make bad decisions or have unpleasant memories. This concept is important because it really shows how much the past can affect the future. Another important deep message is, “It was the music. The dirty, get-on-down music the women sang and the men played and both danced to, close and shameless or apart and wild”(58). Alice thinks the ‘dirty get-on-down music’ causes problems and riots in the African American community, but in actuality, the riots and depression caused the music. This is significant and important because it shows how strong and influential music is. The music allows the African American community to express themselves and deal with all the wrong that is being done to them. In the book, music is not just music, but a form of expression and
One key element of Jazz music is rhythmic language and sentence …show more content…
In Jazz, rhythmic verses and expressive language are used to portray the deep messages, and make the audience feel what the artist feels. An example of a deep message is found when Violet falls in a ‘crack’. Morrison says, “I call them cracks because that is what they were. Not openings or breaks, but dark fissures in the globe light of the day”(22). The ‘cracks’ Violet falls into are due to the events that happened in her past. Her day will be going fine, but then she falls in a ‘crack’ which causes Violet to make bad decisions or have unpleasant memories. This concept is important because it really shows how much the past can affect the future. Another important deep message is, “It was the music. The dirty, get-on-down music the women sang and the men played and both danced to, close and shameless or apart and wild”(58). Alice thinks the ‘dirty get-on-down music’ causes problems and riots in the African American community, but in actuality, the riots and depression caused the music. This is significant and important because it shows how strong and influential music is. The music allows the African American community to express themselves and deal with all the wrong that is being done to them. In the book, music is not just music, but a form of expression and