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.
No comments:
Post a Comment