The following version of this book was used to create the guide: Morrison, Toni. The Source of Self-Regard. Vintage Books, 2020.

The Source of Self-Regard is divided into three parts, each of which contains numerous chapters of various lengths which are essays, speeches, and other forms of non-fiction writing by the author. For the purposes of this guide, the book is divided into five sections which do not correspond directly to the aforementioned parts but which move in chronological order through the book.

The first section begins contains all of the chapters from “The Dead of September 11,” to “Sarah Lawrence Commencement Address.” These chapters begin by introducing the reader to the idea of globalization as a force not only of movement and integration but also one of divisiveness. Morrison posits that in an era of globalization, a person’s sense of self is defined through the dichotomy of ‘us’ versus ‘them,’ the creation of a ‘foreigner’ even at ‘home’ so as to supposedly facilitate grouping, belonging, and stability. She finds these forces dangerous and notes the outsized effect of this focus on ‘foreignness’ on black communities in America. She then examines art as a vessel for examining the true nature of ‘foreignness’ and belonging, especially in Afro-American literature and the patronage of Afro-American art.

The second section contains the chapters from “The Slavebody and the Blackbody” to “Race Matter(s).” It opens with a rumination on how slavery, even as an extinct institution, to this day affects how black bodies are viewed in the modern world, with an emphasis on the power dynamics which persist in American society and which harm black communities. It then examines different avenues of social progress, from supposedly inclusive art exhibitions featuring Afro-American art to first-world feminism and beyond. Morrison highlights forms of sabotage and treachery within even the most high-minded social movements.

The third section contains the chapters from “Black Matter(s)” to “Gertrude Stein and the Difference She Makes.” Here, Morrison digs deeper into the ‘othering’ of black people in American society but especially in American literature. She examines the Africanistic presence in American literature by white authors and then compares it to the works by Afro-American writers – including and especially herself – in order to demonstrate the challenges of dismantling oppressive viewpoints, exclusive and elitist fields such as literary criticism, and more.

The fourth section contains the chapters from “Hard, True, and Lasting” to “On ‘Beloved.’” Morrison once more explains to the reader how her own work is influenced by and rails against traditional ‘canon’ American literary practice whereby black bodies are ‘othered’ and their humanity only barely recognized, if at all. She explains to the reader how she writes, using what literary techniques and ideological purpose. She focuses a great deal on the power of imagination in creating social change, using the example of paradise in literature to show how limiting contemporary language and imagination can be, and how much writers must think outside of the box in order to envision worlds which do not exist yet.

The fifth section contains the chapters from “Tribute to Romare Bearden” to “Invisible Ink.” It more heavily focuses on Morrison’s own writing style, her techniques, and the meaning behind her stylistic choices which inform her literary ideology. She returns to the subject of aesthetics and black artists in order to demonstrate to the reader that there is no ‘correct answer’ to the polemic she poses, rather the world as a whole must grapple with these issues to create the kind of society deemed necessary and desirable.