In Toni Morrison's "History Trilogy," "Heaven" is set in the pure black town of Ruby and explores the success of the "Eight Stones" family in racial discrimination and its impact on future generations. The third generation of "Eight Layered Stones" led to the massacre of the convent due to their paranoid personality. The novel was published during the rise of multiculturalism in the United States, in contrast to the pursuit of pure black identity by the "Eight Layered Stone" movement. Through Boym's nostalgia theory, this paper analyzes the nostalgia of the third generation of "eight layered stones" for Haven Town, the cultural implication of the big stove, the restorative nostalgia caused by the convent and the reflective nostalgia caused by the funeral of Savi Marie, and discusses the enlightenment of Ruby Town on African American identity.

1、 Ideal Home for Haven Town

Explored the concept of nostalgia and its expression in Toni Morrison's "Heaven". Nostalgia is defined as the longing for a home that does not exist or has never existed, involving loss, displacement, and romantic entanglements between individuals and imagination. The "eight layered stones" in the book represent dark skinned black people, whose nostalgia for Haven town is a reflection of their ancestors' resistance against color politics. They were attracted by advertisements from autonomous towns in Oklahoma, hoping to establish their own homes, but were excluded due to poverty and dark skin color. This experience strengthened their determination to establish a pure black town. The construction of Haven town is not only a development of virgin land, but also a pursuit of agricultural utopia, where residents are self-sufficient and have their own churches, banks, schools, and shops. Material abundance allowed Haven to survive during the Great Depression, while other black towns fell apart. The prosperity of Haven town is based on the recognition of pure black identity and the pursuit of freedom by the first generation of "Eight Layered Stones". They see dark skin as a symbol of pride rather than a sign of racial discrimination. However, this excessive emphasis on pure blackness also foreshadows potential crises.

2、 Restoration Nostalgia: Stove and Convent

Explored the decline of Haven town in Toni Morrison's "Heaven" and the process of rebuilding homes in Ruby town with the third generation of "Eight Layered Stones", reflecting the concept of restorative nostalgia. Restorative nostalgia emphasizes rebuilding lost homes and filling gaps in memories, such as the "Eight Layered Stone" moving the Great Stove from Haven town to Ruby town to maintain memories and spiritual landmarks. The large stove is not only a public kitchen, but also the center that embodies the spirit of residents, carrying the official history of pure black identity. However, there are differences in the interpretation of the inscription on the large stove between the two generations, reflecting the struggle for power and the rigidity of the operating mechanism of the pure black town. The opposition between Ruby Town and the convent is not only reflected in physical space, but also in cultural identity demands. The multicultural identity of the convent contrasts sharply with the pure black identity of Ruby town, leading to inevitable violent conflicts. The massacre of the convent reflects the internal logic of restorative nostalgia, which is to defend the homeland through violence. Morrison revealed through this event the emotional power and paranoia behind nostalgia, as well as the lack of reflexivity in the operation mechanism of pure black towns. With the impact of historical trends, Ruby Town has to reconsider the issue of cultural identity.

3、 Reflective Nostalgia: "Save Mary"

Explored the theme of reflective nostalgia in "Heaven" and revealed Ruby Town's questioning of the concept of pure black identity through the funeral of Savi Marie. The funeral exposed the racial, gender, and intergenerational conflicts within Ruby Town, as well as the persistence in the belief in racial purity. The patriarchal system in Ruby Town puts pressure on women and the younger generation to maintain the bloodline of the 'eight layered stone'. Pastor Misna's eulogy hinted at the crisis in the town, and the "Eight Layered Stone"'s insistence on bloodline purity led to the innate deficiencies of future generations. Although Ruby Town has achieved material success, the shadow of racism still looms over it. Roy's mention of Africa echoes' Roots', emphasizing the difference between African Americans and black Americans, reflecting Dubois' concept of 'dual consciousness'. After the incident of the convent, the collapse of the large stove and the change of inscriptions symbolized the disintegration of official history, and reflective nostalgia replaced restorative nostalgia. Reflective nostalgia focuses on the vague meanings of nostalgia and belonging, without avoiding the contradictions of modernity. Misner and Deakin's reflective nostalgia made them think about the future and challenges of African American identity. Misner believed that the "eight layered stone" imitated white people and ignored the slave history of African Americans. Dickon realized through reflection on the experiences of his ancestors that Kofi's contempt for Ti stemmed from the shame imposed by white people. African American identity is not only an ethnic label, but also a writing of the history of resistance. At the end of the novel, the return of ships at sea symbolizes the prospect of racial equality, emphasizing the importance of learning from history and paying attention to current challenges.

4、 Conclusion

It emphasizes Toni Morrison's profound insight and realistic concern for the problem of African Americans, and points out that racism is deeply rooted in the history of African Americans, and the struggle against racism of African Americans has a long way to go. Morrison explores the issue of racism through the plot of his novel, calling for current consciousness and emphasizing the importance of addressing the problem of black people. In the post racism era, African Americans in the United States face many social problems and need to exert subjective initiative to break free from the shackles of racism.