Throughout many of Toni Morrison’s novels, the plot is built around some conflict for her characters to overcome. Paradise, in particular, uses the relationships between women as a means of reaching this desired end. Paradise, a novel centered around the destruction of a convent and the women in it, supports this idea by showing how this building serves as a haven for dejected women (Smith). The bulk of the novel takes place during and …showed first 75 words of 1726 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1726 total…a means of transforming the town into how it should be. Unfortunately, the men of Ruby are unable to deal with these changes, which leads to the destruction of the convent. Morrison’s knowledge of psychology and its focus on identity is strong and shows through her portrayal of the women of the convent. She not only paints the lives of the characters through the discourse, but also bases her resolution upon real life psychology.