Florens： Epiphanies in Initiation in A Mercy

【Abstract】： A Mercy， a typical initiation story， explores the black women’s psychological journey to find their own identity in the multicultural and multiethnic American society. Therefore， this paper， from the perspective of initiation， mainly analyzes Florens’ epiphanies in initiation： epiphany of identity； epiphany of independence； awareness of women’s consciousness.

【Key words】： Epiphany； Initiation； A Mercy

The initiation story is a fictional story and the protagonist in it endures an experience which is life-changing，and epiphany is a crucial breaking point in the young protagonist’s process of initiation， making the protagonist gain an insight into the adult and outer world. A Mercy is a typical initiation exploring the black women’s psychological journey to find their own identity in the multicultural and multiethnic American society.

In A Mercy， Florens’ sense of inferiority is the reason for her epiphany of identity. Toni Morrison explores her eternal theme of the identity of the black woman. Florens’ initiation and epiphany of her own identity cannot go without young Florens’ race and her recognition of herself.

As a black mother’s daughter， Florens is born as a slave， which identity decides her sense of inferiority. Thus， Florens is doomed to be controlled by the slavery at the beginning of her journey of life. For example， when the slave owner asks Jacob to take a slave as the payment of his debt， the black mother prays for Jacob to take her daughter but not her son： “Please， Senhor. Not me. Take her. Take my daughter”（ Toni Morison，2008： 26）. Florens is shocked， saying， “Me. Me”（ibid，7）. It shows that Florens feels confusion， but she has no consciousness of resistance at all and silently receives her fate as a slave who can be sold and has no freedom at all. Then the eight years life on Jacob’s farm， “She was deeply grateful for…any smile of approval”（ibid， 61）. It indicates that Florens’ action is out of her hunger for love and shelter， but on the other hand， out of her being controlled spirit.

From the above examples， we know that Florens has a sense of interiority all the time. But it is Florens’ being enslaved both physically and mentally that makes her have a chance to get her epiphany and psychological initiation. It can be noted that Florens’ defiant statement“… I am also Florens”（ibid，161） served as an example of her reclaiming her name and consequently her identity. She gains herself and stands up to fight for the slavery society.

In the novel， Florens’ journey to seek love turns to be a journey to find independence.

On the one hand， the blacksmith’s identity， a black freeman， encourages Florens’ epiphany of independence. In A Mercy， the blacksmith is actually an image to forge human being’s personality and build their independent spirit. For example， he enjoys the same rights and privileges as any other white person including his employer Mr. Vaark： “He could marry…sell his own labor”（ibid，45）； He even calls the indentured labor of the farm， Willard： “Mr. Bond， good morning”（ibid，150）. Florens is encouraged by the Blacksmith to go up the mountain and has a taste for freedom herself.

On the other hand， emotionally refused by Blacksmith triggers Florens’ epiphany of independence. In A Mercy， devastated by her abandonment of her own mother， Florens is hungry for love. When Jacob asks Blacksmith to help to design a majestic gate for his new home， Florens falls in love with the Blacksmith at the first sight of him. But as a black girl whose spirit is controlled and enslaved， Florens is only love-disabled. Thus it is doomed that her love will be a failure. Only after her conversation with Blacksmith， Florens realizes the importance and essentiality of self-identity in choosing her fate： “Why are you killing me I ask you...You are nothing but wilderness” （ibid， 141）. Through the conversation， Florens realizes that without the self independence， one could only be a slave， and her spiritual bondage and sense of inferiority are not her fate. In the end， she writes her own words with nail on the wall “Slave. Free. I last”（ibid，161）.

According to the above， it can be found that Florens’ quest for Blacksmith’s love is immature， but it is transformed into the journey of self independence.

Writing is not only a way of spiritual relief for Florens， but also a weapon to fight patriarchal society for women. The most powerful example is Florens narration of her return to the farm without shoes and love： “I walk the night through…Then walk. Then float.”（ibid，157-158）. This example shows that Florens has a further understanding of her identity as an independent human being and she is no longer a black girl inferior to anyone. Eventually she finishes her narration， claiming： “I am also…Slave. Free. I last”（ibid，161）. From the claim， it can be found that Florens gets her completely independent identity and spirit.

From the above examples， it can be concluded that served as a way of spiritual relief and a weapon， writing witnesses Florens’ initiation： awareness of woman’s consciousness.

In the young protagonist’s process of initiation， epiphany is a crucial breaking point. In A Mercy， the protagonist， Florens gains her epiphanies from her life experiences： Florens’ sense of inferiority causes her epiphany of identity； influenced by Blacksmith’s identity and abandoned by him， Florens gets her epiphany of independence； the way of writing reflects Florens’ awareness of women’s consciousness. Finally Florens has recognition of her own identity and gains her spiritual freedom and completes her life journey of initiation.

Work cited

Marcus. Mordecai. “What is an Initiation Story” in William Coyle（ed.）. The Young Man in American Literature： The Initiation Theme. New York： The Odyssey Press. 1969.

Morrison. Toni. A Mercy. New York： Alfred A. Knopf. 2008.