Motherhood

Reading "Motherhood in Toni Morrison's Beloved: A Psychological Reading" by Sandra Mayfield, she makes a claim that I agree with. Mayfield realizes that this theorist whose name is Jacques Lacan has a theory of that all unborn babies will go through something called a "mirror" stage. Lacan states that a baby while still in their mothers womb, they soak up the environment where the mother is. So Sethe had a troubled childhood because her mother first of all passed away and how Sethe had to escape through her freedom, and her memories at sweet home, she was pregnant while she was going through all of these things. So because of her trauma and hardships her children have what it seems to be a negative aspect of things, it is kind of weird how they ran away just like their mother. But because of going through the hardships in Sethe's life they did not want to experience  what their mother experienced even though I think that they are going to follow similar foot steps of their mother. Mayfield then goes on to say that Sethe damaged the baby in the womb which I agree with, then she goes on to say that it could be something darker which I actually disagree with. Sethe and her children were born into such different time periods that why I do not think anything dark will come to them at least not as bad as what Sethe experienced. This is kind of reminded me of the circularity in Beloved which was a different article but this whole idea that you just keep on going reminds me of motherhood because it is a circle of motherhood, they all follow their mothers footsteps. 

Mayfield brings up her main point which was that slavery for women they were still looked down upon. Mayfield goes on to bring up different points on how it is hard being a mother and how much a mother has to do for her children. I agree with what Mayfield says, mothers have to make a lot of sacrifice for their children and they try their best to make the life easier than it was for them. I overall agree with what Sandra Mayfield has to say about the mirror stage, but I respectfully disagree with Sandra's comment on how they have a dark future ahead of them. I like how Mayfield brings up her main point which was a touch of more of a feminist lens, so it appealed to both psychoanalytical and the feminist lens which was very interesting to see both lenses

Circularity In Beloved

In the short reading about "Circularity in Beloved" by Philip Page. Philip Page is scholar of English literature at Indiana State University, he describes Toni Morrison's books to be never ending circles. Page describes "Beloved" as a never ending circle, through different aspects of the book, and uses different quotes and other books to support his reasoning.
When talking about this idea of circles in the text, Page goes on to say "circles and circle metaphors dominate the novel", and he also goes on to say "this one is repetition which is a form of circularity". I agree with what Page has to say, I agree with is how everything is a circle in Beloved. The first reason why I agree is because of the fact that in the book everything does happen to come up again. Page uses family, and the past to convey to us that everything is a circle. By using family, Page goes on to say that Sethe and Baby Suggs are very relative in the fact that they both lost their family and both are yearning for them back. Both lost their family, but first it was Baby Suggs that lost her family and then as time went on the same thing happened for Sethe. Same for the past Page states that "Sethe and Paul D are prisoners of their past especially Sethe", I have written a lot about how the past may affect through Sethe and Paul D, and through writing about them I never noticed how their life is a circle but because of their past. Their past has a huge impact on this idea of circularity because the past for them always seems to come up, whether it is a tree, Beloved or a memory that may pass by. 
Page goes on to say that circularity in Beloved is not always positive or negative but it is a blend of both positive and negative. Circularity is also looked at as a metaphor for life. One is birthed then they grow up and live their life and then they die. At the end of the book we see this because when we see Beloved actually die. At first Beloved was a dead baby, who came back to be a spirit, but as time went on in the book she grew to be a better women than Sethe was. But then it all comes around in the circle and she dies.

Entry Type #5: Critical Lens Experts Blog Entry

Text: Beloved Toni Morrison

Critical Lens: Psychoanalytic Lens

“Circularity in Toni Morrison’s Beloved” by Phillip Page is written by a scholar of English literature at Indiana State University. As such, this provides a very useful treatment of the accuracy of Morrison’s work, including Beloved. Page is very honest about the areas in which novels like Beloved are useful in providing context about circularity and foreshadowing.

Page describes Morrison at his best as “this image of circling controls the crucial scene, for circles and circle metaphors dominate the novel.” This seems highly applicable to Beloved, which particularly explores issues of flashbacks and such. This is, of course, most clearly seen through all of the characters, who appear in the novel in flashbacks. The portrayal of circles in the novel is not always picked up considering the complexity of Morrison’s writing style. However, if a reader were to pick up on circularity in Beloved, it would be shown that such an idea is prevalent in most aspects of Sethe’s life, i.e. her family, her relationship with Paul D, the truth about Beloved’s passing.

Page claims that circularity in Beloved is not always either positive or negative but, rather, it is a mix of both. It is also widely accepted that circularity is a metaphor for life, from rebirth to growth to death. Beloved depicts that in all aspects of Sethe’s life, there was rebirth, growth, and death. For instance, when the character of Beloved appeared in front of Sethe’s house, it was as if her dead baby had been reborn as a spiritual entity. Eventually, she grew into a what seemed like a young woman who was willing to take over Sethe’s life. Finally, she finished the circle, and “died” by disappearing.

Entry Type #6: Responding and Reflecting Blog Entry

As I read Beloved, it gave me a perspective of the long-term effects of slavery on African Americans. I really think Beloved is how Morrison feels -- she is trying to show just how demeaning slavery was, even shortly after. The setting we see in the book is chaotic -- it is explicit and weird and saddening, and the character of Sethe helps us connect that to the effects of slavery. The mindset of some former slaves (like Sethe) is still stuck in slavery, and as a result, this makes things harder for them to immerse themselves into the post-Civil War setting. Usually, the way we learned about the Civil War (in California anyway) is always framed as a poorly made decision.

This changed my mind about slavery in general. Similar to Morrison, I still think that slavery was unnecessary and scarred many more than just those who were former slaves. However, it is making me think a lot of how America could have made up for these wrongdoings a little better (besides affirmative action), and if opportunities for African-Americans have truly gotten any better. For instance, police brutality and their treatment towards those not of their color is an issue that has been increasing in the past years. As a result, movements such as Black Lives Matter continue to take over social media platforms. Personally, I believe discrimination has not completely disappeared from American society. I believe other forms of discrimination are emerging from the shadows. Whether it be police brutality, or insufficient funds going towards inner city schools, it is questionable if African-Americans are actually receiving equal opportunities and treatment. It is ironic that this nation has been built upon the principle of wanting equal opportunity for all. However, when it comes down to it, so few actions have been made to bridge the gap between the rich and poor. The relationship between slavery and modern discrimination might not be an argument some people are willing to face, but when certain behaviors are accepted as norms in society, that is when we should start questioning if whether or not our nation is continuing to uphold the principles that our Founding Fathers have set forth.

Entry Type #7: Responding and Reflecting Blog Entry

As I read Beloved, it gave me a perspective on how slaves in general turned to the supernatural or religion as a means of escape from their reality. It is pretty clear to me that slaves continued their practices after they were free from slavery.

Morrison makes it seem like there is a good side to slavery, and it is that more people were able to turn to their beliefs in order to survive and get through their lives. I think that is how Morrison feels -- she is trying to show that a person’s faith can be strong enough to bring him/her out of his/her misery, no matter what the situation. Through the character of Beloved, the supernatural we see in the book is malicious and shows no mercy towards its familial members. The mindset of former slaves are filled with hope despite constantly being haunted by their brutal pasts, and as a result, they are all able to move on from Beloved’s disappearance. Usually, I did not learn about how religion helped these slaves since religion is a touchy topic at public schools.

This does not change my mind about the hope that religion can garner in individuals -- faith can do wonders for those who believe in it. I went to a Catholic elementary school from grades Kindergarten to third, so I might be a little biased. Being educated at an institution with a religious affiliation is completely different from being educated at a nonsecular institution. Of course it is expected that one is required to attend mass every Wednesday or participate in an extracurricular activity, such as being an altar server if need be. Even though I do not attend Catholic school anymore, this does not mean that I have been wholly stripped from my religious roots. I still attend mass on holidays, and pray whenever I feel as if I am trouble with myself or anyone else/anything. I still keep a rosary in my bedside table, and ask the Heavens to protect those who mean so much to me and/or are deceased. I may not have walked the exact same paths as those of former slaves, but I can empathize with the reliance on our beliefs to help us through the night and/or our personal hardships.

Responding and Reflecting #2

Something that I have learned from Beloved so far is the fact that slavery took away African Americans humane rights and just degraded them as human. Through the psychoanalytical lens, I can see that both Sethe and Paul D both have troubles of slavery. Both of them saw things in their life that scarred them for life. Both of them were looked inferior and they did not get any respect from their white owners. Due to slavery they lost who they were as people, instead of doing things for themselves as their own individual they had to live under someone who beat them to do things that they wanted. African Americans had to struggle through getting taken away from their family, dealing with getting whipped, seeing people die, walking through forests to get to their freedom.

Toni Morrison contrasts that, when looking at Sethe and Paul D, even thought they have gone through a lot of slavery and a lot of hardships, that they can still find a life afterwards. Kind of like a second chance, and that is what Sethe and Paul D have to do, they get a chance to find themselves because they never got to. Even though slavery was so bad and it took away people's lives/identity, that the African Americans have found a way despite their past to move on and go through life and find their true identity.

This goes with my beliefs of giving people a second chance, slavery held them down and made them lose their identity, but the African Americans got back up and are on a path to find themselves and identity. It is really interesting to see how a negative past can affect a positive future. 

Entry Type #4: Critical Lens Experts Blog Entry

Text: Beloved Toni Morrison

Critical Lens: Psychoanalytic Lens

“Motherhood in Toni Morrison’s Beloved: A Psychological Reading” by Sandra Mayfield is written by an English professor from the University of Central Oklahoma. As such, this provides a very useful treatment of accuracy of Morrison’s work, including Beloved. Mayfield is very honest about the areas in which Beloved are useful in providing context about about motherhood.

Mayfield describes Morrison at her best as “defin[ing] an Africanist presence in the most unusual way.” This seems highly applicable to Beloved, which particularly explores issues of motherhood. This is, of course, mostly clearly seen through the character of Sethe, who is a black slave. The portrayal of Beloved as the supernatural in the novel is, indeed, very creepy and weird, exploring the ways in which she could have had the life she wanted. It seems almost to present the idea that Beloved is an entity who has come back to life in order to reclaim the life Sethe took away from her.

Mayfield claims that Sethe’s experiences with slavery has altered her viewpoints on motherhood, especially with her treatment towards Beloved. Beloved certainly presents the view that “blood is thicker than water,” and a mother’s unconditional love is stronger than most, if not all, bonds. At times, the story is critical of Sethe’s inability to let go of her children as a mother.

Entry Type #3: Critical Lens Close Reading Entry

Text: Beloved by Toni Morrison

Critical Lens: Psychoanalytic Lens

“It was not a story to pass on.

So they forgot her. Like an unpleasant dream during a troubling sleep. Occasionally, however, the rustle of a skirt hushes when they wake, and the knuckles brushing a cheek in sleep seem to belong to the sleeper. Sometimes the photograph of a close friend or relative -- looked at too long -- shifts, and something more familiar than the dear face itself moves there. They can touch it if they like, but don’t, because they know things will never be the same if they do.

This is not a story to pass on.” (Morrison 324).

In this quote, the narrator is at the end of telling Beloved’s story and her downfall. Throughout his/her narration, though the narrator considers many different situations in which Beloved was forgotten, it continually returns to this is “not a story to pass on,” culminating in this passage that appears at the very end of the last chapter of the novel.

The depiction of these situations and lingering presence of Beloved communicate Morrison’s belief that history should not repeat itself. Morrison emphasizes the causes and effects of forgetting history, describing the “unpleasant dream during a troubling sleep,” “the rustle of a skirt [when it] hushes” and shifting photographs’ faces. This vivid imagery is a reflection of the effects of forgetting history faced by the United States of America as the result of slavery. Not correcting the wrongdoings made in history, rather than correcting said wrongdoings in history, only served to bring about the United States’ modern discrimination. Morrison also describes the ability to touch the shifting photographs’ faces “if they like,” symbolizing Americans’ abilities to change history by doing more than Affirmative Action.

In addition, Morrison frequently uses language and imagery that adds a ghost-like quality to the disappearance of Beloved, such as when she describes the “the rustle of a skirt [when it] hushes” and shifting photographs’ faces, adding a supernatural quality to the final scene. Ghosts linger on in this world after their physical forms have gone; they cannot move on to the next life until it is their time to leave. Beloved is dead and gone, but unlike in the first chapter, her presence does not live on in the minds of Sethe, Denver, Paul D, and so on. The characters in Beloved are not haunted by Beloved’s physical (or supernatural) presence and can move on from it. In the same way, even after Beloved’s ghost is gone, they can still feel “the knuckles brushing a cheek in sleep.” This description demonstrates that Beloved’s presence lingers, but the power and violence of it ceases. The narrator and his/her repetition of not letting history repeat itself reflects how the modern United States of America in general is still facing discrimination that relates to slavery.

Entry Type #2: Critical Lens Close Reading Entry

Text: Beloved by Toni Morrison

Critical Lens: Psychoanalytic Lens

“What tree on your back? Is something growing on your back? I don’t see nothing growing on your back.”

“It’s there all the same.”

“Who told you that?”

“Whitegirl. That’s what she called it. I’ve never seen it and never will. But that’s what she said it looked like. A chokecherry tree. Trunk, branches, and even leaves. Tiny little chokecherry leaves. But that was eighteen years ago. Could have cherries too now for all I know.” (Morrison 18).

In this quote, the character of Sethe is at the beginning of a tirade of why she will never leave the haunted house of 124 and how her milk was stolen at Sweet Home. Throughout Paul D’s inquiry, though Sethe attempts to unravel her flashback, Paul D continues to bring back their conversation to her chokecherry tree.

The depiction of this chokecherry tree on Sethe’s back communicates Morrison’s belief that the past is part of life; it is etched and intertwined with the present and future. Morrison emphasizes the decision to either grow from the past or to be stuck living in it, describing the “trunk, branches,” “tiny little chokecherry leaves” and “cherries.” This explicit imagery is a reflection of the dehumanization of African Americans as the result of slavery. Sethe, rather than choosing the decision to grow from her past, only served to bring about new hardships. Morrison also describes Sethe’s inability to see the chokecherry tree on her back, not only for immobile purposes but also for symbolizing how even though one cannot physically see his/her past, the past can leave scars that almost seem real.

Beloved is dead and gone, but her presence lives on in the mind of Sethe, who is still haunted by her captivity at Sweet Home and cannot move on from it. Sethe and her unwillingness to move on from her experience at Sweet Home, which negatively affects every aspect of her life including her relationship with Paul D and Denver, reflects how people of African-American descent in general are still currently facing the consequences of the slavery system.

Entry Type #1: Why I Chose This Lens

I decided to pick the psychoanalytic lens for this project because it interested me more than the other critical lenses. When I was a junior at Independence High School, I wanted to take Advanced Placement Psychology, but the administration could not fit it into my schedule. I do not have much experience with the topics covered by this lens since I have never taken an official class. However, I recently worked for a job that required working with patients in the Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences sector. Personally, I believe that the topics covered by this lens apply to all humans; the experiences of said humans are what shapes their state of mind. Another lens I considered was the feminist/gender lens because I am much more familiar with feminist issues, such as violence against women and social inequality. I am hoping to uncover a deeper understanding of Beloved in this project, since I had already read it during my junior year.

Responding and Reflecting #1

Reading through a Psychoanalytical Lens, it has taught me a lot about growing up and becoming who I am supposed to be. Paul D has gone through a lot of sadness and sorrow but he still keeps his head held high. Analyzing Paul D it seems that he is very unsure of who/what he stands for. Throughout the book it seems that his journey is him becoming a man. Due to slavery, he did not have a guide of how to become a man, slavery took that away from him. Since slavery took becoming a man away from him he now is looking to become a man through being a father figure to Denver and for being a male support for Sethe. This all began in Sweet Home because "of Sixo, and even Halle; it was always clear to Paul D that those two were men whether Garner said so or not" (220). Paul D really doubts himself and always compares himself to Halle and Sixo because Paul D really never got to start a family and have sexual relations with a women. His closest sexual relations was "fucking cows"(13). Having sexual relations with a women for a man is something that might start up "manhood", typically for men when they lose their virginity, they start becoming a man. After Sweet Home Paul D had to deal with a lot of hardships before starting his manhood journey in Sethes infamous 124 house. Paul D was part of the chain gang, and being in that he experienced a lot of sorrow and depression from being forced to preform oral sex, to escaping freedom to the north. When he goes to Sethe's house, I think that is where he starts to develop into a man. First thing he does when he gets to Sethe's house is he has sex with her which I said before is a huge thing for most males. Paul D also warms up to Denver and is looked at as a father figure. 

Due to the Psychoanalytical Lens, it has showed me Paul D's journey even through having no father as a father figure in his life, comparing himself to Sixo and Halle, and surviving through slavery, he is still pursuing his one goal in life which is becoming a man. He has put all of his past behind him so he can allow himself to achieve his one goal in life. He does this through becoming a father figure in Denver's life and becoming a male support for Sethe. Even through everything he has been through he is still striving for what his one goal is, that is one thing I will take away from analyzing Paul D. Nothing is going to stop him from achieving his goal of becoming a true man. 

Close Reading #2

"Saying more might push them both to a place they couldn't get back from. He would keep the rest where it belonged: in that tobacco tin buried in his chest where a red heart used to be. Its lid rusted shut." (86).

When analyzing Paul D, he has overcome a lot throughout his years, and that is what pushes himself to forget the past. When Paul D says "Saying more might push them both to a place they couldn't get back from", this conveys that Sethe and Paul D both have a horrible past from being in slavery and seeing the things they saw. They both look at the past and are extremely haunted by it. Paul D has the ability to put away the past by "He would keep the rest where it belonged: in that tobacco tin". Through the Psychoanalytical Lens, the biggest thing Paul D wants is change. He decides that facing and putting away your past will help you change into someone who is loving and caring. He thinks that putting the past behind him and never remembering it will help him learn how to love Sethe and start a life with her, Sethe is having a little trouble realizing that she needs to face her past and then put it away, whether it is in a tobacco tin or a container. The past for Paul D also did not teach him how to be a man, this could also be a part of him that he wants buried away. He wants to learn about himself, a clean slate kind of. He is now just looking toward the future, he can change the future but not the past. He is looking to be more of a man figure in Sethe and Denver's life. His past to him is like a chain that he can never get rid of, always just hanging on to him, never letting go. Paul D has been running against the chain, trying to escape it, but he can't and never will. But by accepting the chain for what it is, he has learned that he should not run against it, but run with it. 

FINAL REFLECTION

After reading Beloved through the Feminist Lens, Morrison goes against the typical view of women and introduces the new idea of their independence. We especially see this in Sethe’s character. Sethe is a single mother who takes on the both parent roles and plays mother as well as father to her child. To be a mother as well as a father to a child is a huge responsibility. Sethe shows that she is able to take on this responsibility and not dependent on a husband or father figure.

In my culture, I have been taught the complete opposite. It is sad to say that most stereotypes of women are true of Tongan women. Tongans believe that women in general are weak. They believe that women are made that way for the easier tasks in life such as cleaning, cooking, and babysitting. And because of this, a man is needed in their life for the tasks that require strength. Marriage is an expected obstacle for all Tongan women. According to tradition, a man is needed in the Tongan family to handle all the manly work. However, if marriage is not a met obstacle, then a male family member takes over whether that is a brother, cousin, father, or grandfather. A man is needed because women cannot handle the work meant for men. To put it briefly, the Tongan belief is a woman needs a man which is very different from what Morrison suggests in Beloved.

Although this is my culture, my personal beliefs are completely different. Just as Sethe was independent and strong, I believe many women can also be independent and strong. Sethe serves as proof that it is possible for women to do everything a man can.

Slaves are the lower class that knows it is trapped

Slaves, as a social class, are those who have no choice and no freedom in their actions. They know it as well, as clearly demonstrated in Beloved; the slaves try their best to maintain their mental freedom as they lack any control over their physical state. Slaves try everything, from escape to stealing fabric to make their own wedding dresses. Nothing allows them freedom as they are always taken back and reduced to an inhuman state. Even their children are slaves and doomed to the same fate as them. The lower class, the blue collar workers, of both the time and today are extremely similar to slaves. They have no way to leave the lower class, many work more than one job to survive, certainly not thrive or even make money in the long run. Many work from paycheck to paycheck, job to job, and have to take any job offered to them. They have no freedom to choose. Lower class workers often take any job that is offered to them. They do not have the luxury of choice. The children of lower class workers are doomed to education systems that do not support to help them as much as upper and middle class schools. Lower class workers are dehumanized to a similar extent as slaves. News reporters will claim that they do not need money because 98% of them have fridges. In the eyes of the other classes, these are not people, these are workers and robots designed to ake life easier for them. There is no way to escape for a lower class worker. However, what separates them from slaves is that they are blind to this fact. Many believe they can be lucky like the few celebrities that come out of that area. This false hope keeps them far more complacent than slaves who are acutely aware of their inhumanity.

I feel like this is the entire purpose of the marxist lens, to expose this more acutely and blatantly that there is such injustice within society that is designed to support its members. I believe that without the constrictions and conflict generated by social classes, humanity can progress at a much faster pace and work towards the benefit of all society instead of the more common "the rich get richer and the poor get poorer."

Breaking down society into many subclasses

Reading Beloved has given me the opportunity to see how the world looks through a finer lens. Instead of separating society into lower, middle, and upper class, I realize that the lower class can be divided into much more specific sections: women in the lower class, mothers in the lower class, men in the lower class. Classes can be drawn across gender lines, occupation, economic status, and social status.

In realizing that classes can be divided into many more categories, I have seen that there is much greater depth to life and generalizing even an extremely fine subclass can be guesswork at best because of the variation present within it. This has contradicted my viewpoints in the past as I tend to see the world in a very black and white fashion. I feel that reading the book has helped me enlighten myself and develop buance in my viewpoints.

For example, reading mothers as slaves. I see that slaves easily have their own class that is below the lower class as their decisions are even more limited. When comparing mothers to slaves it becomes immediately apparent that a mother has many of the limitations and lack of freedom that a slave does. Thus mothers in every other class is now a separate subclass with their own beliefs, desires, and restrictions. And if we think of women as separate even from that we now have 3 categories per previous class. If we now include sexuality as a divider within class we get exponentially larger number of classes. This demonstrates that there are an infinite number of way to divide classes until you reach the individual as a class unto themselves. This is the ulitmate goal as the role of classes is one that only serves to subjugate those below you.

Mothers as a class below slaves

Terry Paul Caesar analyzes the role of mothers in Toni Morrison's novels. She claims that Morrison describes mothers as slaves. Toni depicts a life for mothers filled with "an anger handed down through generations of mothers who could have no control over their children's lives, no voice in their upbringing." This concept is clearly related to the context of slavery, where slaves have no choices in their lives. There is a direct relation to this if mothers are considered as a class of people separate from society. Being a mother immediately relinquishes some control of their lives and their children's lives. As mothers exist in every other class in society, mothers are inherently lower in every class. Therefore, a slave who is a mother (Sethe) is the lowest on every social class. We can see how Morrison makes this brutally evident in the scene where Sethe has her breast milk stolen from her. This is clear indication of how she can and is humiliated and diminished by her treatment which she cannot defend herself from.

Women as a social class is clearly indicative of the fact that they are treated as inferior in the society they exist in. There needs to be a change that raises women and mothers to the level of the men that dominate society. The conflict between the classes of women and men is drastically one-sided as the men who are dominant remain dominant and continue to suppress the lower classes. By reducing mothers to the level of slaves, society opens itself for conflict and causes many problems within it that can only be fixed by the removal of class. In order to remove class, the ruling class must have its power relinwuished or forcibly taken away.

Slave Songs in the Marxist Lens

Peter Capuano writes that Toni Morrison uses slave songs in order to evoke intense emotion and to further her purpose. The slave songs describe "bitterest anguish." This anguish comes from the plight of the slave within the class structure. A slave is below any class, slaves are not people. Upon being freed, a slave joins the lowest class of society. The form the group of people that are criminals, beggars, and just above slaves. That slave songs are still sung by Paul D even as he is in 124 and free is a demonstration of the clear feeling he still feels as a slave and lower classman.

The slave songs themselves tell of conflict between the ruling classes and masters of slaves and their slaves. slaves want freedom, rebellion, and control of their lives. However, being deprived of these things as slaves, when freed seek what they have been missing all their lives. What soon happens is a realization that there is a very minor difference between slavery and the class they have just entered. These slave songs are still sung in order to demonstrate that the lower class consists of people that are more slaves than people. Without change within the class structure. The slave songs become ever more potent as the lower class is trapped and unable to escape from its chains unlike the ability for a slave to escape a master.

While the lower classes are suppressed, the upper classes reign supreme, never needing to experience the bitter anguish of the lower classes, never needing to cry or suffer in order to maintain their fortunes. They form the privileged and elite, who will never know the suffering of a system they cannot escape from that tries to hurt them more and more.

The One Good Dress

When Paul D, Sethe, and Denver go to the carnival, they all dress differently. Sethe felt the need to dress well for her first social outing in years. Despite traveling to a all Black carnival day, Sethe feels the need to dress well using her only good dress. Sethe "felt obliged wear her one good dress, heavy as it was, and a hat. Certainly a hat." Sethe feels the need to look good and above her normal social standing for the carnival. This desire by Sethe to appear above her class demonstrates the disapirty between herself and the upper classes. Because Sethe is not actually of the upper classes, she is trying to appear as though she is, despite the discomfort of wearing a heavy dress in the hot summer. She goes further by being certain that she need to wear a hat. The focus on the hat demonstrates her desire to be seen as someone who has sense and is well off as there is a need to add a hat. This hat protects her from the sun and demonstrates that she is more frail and delicate than those of the lower classes.

Sethe's choice in her clothing demonstrates that there is a need to try to be above her status and to strive to join the upper classes. The social classes here are dysfunctional as there is a deep seated desire to attain the status of the upper classes with no feasible way of doing so. As such, the lower classes simply emulate the upper classes at their own expense and discomfort. A lack of social classes would create this need to inconvenience themselves.

Working on the Railroad Line

Paul D was on a chain-gang in Georgia busting rocks by the railroad tracks. During his time there, he picked up many working songs. The songs were sung by the workers in order to dull the monotony of the work. He claims that his song is too loud and full of power. He sings,
"Lay my head on the railroad line,
Train come along, pacify my mind.
If I had my weight in lime,
I'd whip my captain till he went stone blind."
Paul D's song demonstrate the hard life that the working man must experience. He speaks about whipping his captain "till he went stone blind." This demonstrates the extreme conflict between the middle and upper class against the lower classes. Paul D is a demonstration of the most direct and dysfunctional society that exists. When the proletariat is subjugated by the bourgeoisie and there is no sign of change. Paul D needs to be strong within his class in order to stand up against his oppressors. This disparity is an exact example of the failures of capitalist society and the need for a system that allows the lower class to defend themselves against the oppression and dominance of the upper class.

The song asks that he have his weight in lime. This comes from the limestone that they are breaking. Paul D wants to be strong and sturdy like limestone in order to be able to fight against his captain. Paul D needs the strength because the government and socitey he is in does not give him the social or legal power to be strong. Instead he needs to be strong physically in order to be able to stand up for himself and his people. This exposes the immense problems in the system and the need for improvement.

Mother and Daughter Relationship FAIL

 

 

 

In one part of her article The Bonds of Love and Boundaries of Self in Toni Morrison’s Beloved, Barbara Schapiro speaks on the ways in which slavery affected Sethe’s ability to follow the typical role of a mother as well as the relationships between the characters. According to psychology, we need the company others in order to create our identities which is known as mutual recognition. Without the company of others, we fail to establish our own selves. Schapiro connects mutual recognition to the relationship between Sethe and her two daughters. They have failed to fully define their identities because of the walls they put up that blocks and disables them from being entirely connected with each other. Although they strive for connection, they fail to be open to because of the fear of their pasts. Because of this, Sethe and Beloved and Denver cannot have the relationship they long for. They cannot take the next step in establishing and strengthening their bond. I agree with Schapiro and it is exactly how I thought of the connections between these three women. It is ironic that they have this hunger for a mother and daughter relationship yet they choose to push each other and not fully allow each other in. Their love for each other is present, however, their efforts for making the relationships work are not present. If they want to have this strong bond between each other, they are going to need to put down their barriers.

Motherhood

In his article Slavery and Motherhood in Toni Morrison’s Beloved, Terry Paul Caesar writes of the mother and daughter relationship between Sethe and her two girls, Denver and Beloved. As he read Beloved through the Feminist Lens, he came to realize the weak bond between Sethe and Beloved in their mother and daughter relationship. According to Caesar, although Sethe fails to show affection towards Beloved the way a mother normally would show to her daughter, her love for her daughter is great and powerful. She shows her love through the killing of her baby. As a slave mother, she knew exactly what was in store for Beloved’s future. She knew that she would suffer in the future, so to keep that from happening, Sethe did what most would consider to be the unbelievable and ended her own baby’s life. She did what she believed was best for her child. By taking away her life, she took away the pain that Beloved was bound to endure if she had stayed alive.

Although I had never thought of it that way, I totally agree with Caesar’s interpretation of Sethe’s motherly love. Sethe was stuck with a dilemma. It was either she allow her baby to grow up and face the pain she once did or she take her baby’s life and save her from the misery that is doomed to occur in her life. It is a mother’s instinct to protect their child from any dangers or trouble. And it was Sethe’s mother instinct that caused her to choose to kill her baby. That is the worst crime any mother can commit. Sethe committed this big crime  but did not view it as a crime because she was doing what she believed every mother would do and took the pain away.

RESPOND AND REFLECT

Reading Beloved through the Feminist Lens, I came across many typical stereotypes affiliated with the two genders, so it was no surprise when a certain character displayed a certain characteristic. It was no surprise because I see many of these stereotypes in my own life.

For example, with Sethe’s character, her strong, independent single mother figure does not come as a shock to me. In our society, there is a great number of single mothers who take on both the mother and father figure so this is not something new to me as a reader. Not only that, the sacrifices she makes as a mother for her children are incredible. Connecting that to my own life, my mother makes countless sacrifices for my siblings and I. Many of our mothers do this!

One thing that stuck out to me was Denver’s character, more specifically her desire for a mother and daughter relationship with Sethe and a sister relationship with Beloved. I found her need for love and attention somewhat relatable. As a child, growing up, I was given plenty of attention and love from my mother. If I was not given that, I would not have the close mother and daughter relationship I have with her today. I love the relationship we have, and I cannot imagine how it would be like if our relationship did not exist. So I can understand her desire for Sethe’s affection. Denver grew up with little affection from her mother and she now longs for it because her mother is the only person she has around. She has no friends, so a mother and daughter relationship is all that is in store for Denver. She also desires a relationship Beloved. I understand this because my sisters are a big part of me and our relationship is very strong. You can never get rid of your sister; she is stuck with you for life. The bond between sisters is incomparable to the relationships of others. It is understandable why Denver would want a sister relationship with Beloved. Having Beloved as a sister would give Denver the love she desires and that is all she longs for.

So, if there is one thing I can connect to in the book Beloved through the Feminist Lens, it is the daughter/sister role that Denver takes on.

PLOT CHANGE: Women > Men

“‘What you come in here for?’

‘I want you to touch me on the inside part.’

‘Go back on in that house and get to bed.’

‘You have to touch me. On the inside part. And you have to call my name.’

‘Call me my name.’

‘No.’

‘Please call it. I’ll go if you call it.’

‘Beloved.’ He said it, but she did not go. She moved closer with a footfall he didn’t hear and he didn’t hear the whisper that the flakes of rust made either as they fell away from the seams of his tobacco tin. So when the lid gave he didn’t know it. What he knew was that when he reached the inside part he was saying, ‘Red heart. Red heart,’ over and over again” (138).

Beloved and Paul D have just had sex. With the power of her body, she seduces him. He falls into her trap and is weakened by her touch. In fact, he is so weak that he enters his own world and becomes unaware of reality. His unawareness is shown through his constant, mindless uttering of the phrase “Red heart.”

During this sexual interaction, power is in the hands of Beloved. She is dominant throughout the event. She forces him to do something he does not want to, and this is considered to be rape. When the word rape is mentioned, a man forcing a woman to act out a sexual activity automatically comes to mind. Men are normally the rapist because of the popular belief that they are strong, and women are the victim because of the popular belief that they are weak. However, in Beloved, it is the opposite- the woman is the rapist and has the upper hand while the man is the victim and has no say in what is going to be done. Beloved’s raping of Paul D goes against the stereotype regarding rape. It is rare that women are powerful in certain situations, especially sex. Morrison chooses to display women as tough and powerful, and we see this in this event.

In addition, we see another stereotype in Paul D’s weakness. Beloved’s ability to easily compel Paul D into having sex with her makes visible his lack of masculinity. Again, power is not in the hands of the man but in the hands of the woman which is very rare. Readers are shocked by this because society has craved this image that men are greater than women and will always have control. However, Morrison breaks this standard image and has placed women on a higher status.