Its more than that... - Isaac Barrios Perez

Toni Morrison’s novel “Beloved” is tragic story which explores the repercussions of sexual interactions.  Throughout the novel, countless recollections to rape and sex showcase much of the internal thoughts and development of a character.  Interactions between characters are illuminated in a dark light.  Likewise, sex in society today is referred to as taboo, not socially acceptable to talk about.  Similarly, slavery isn't spoken upon casually, only taught briefly.  So it's not a surprise that the two intertwine within the novel. Sex in the novel awakens memories of slavery a character had previously subsided, and brings them back to haunt them.

Ultimately, Sethe, the main protagonist of the novel, is scared the most.  Back in Sweet Home, the plantation which she escaped from, Sethe’s rape incident had traumatized her for life.  This would eventually lead her to commit the atrocious act of killing her baby, Beloved.  Sethe’s recollection of being raped, justified her action when her supposed slave owner came to reclaim Sethe and her family.  Most people who criticize her decision, might never known what it must have been like to be in her shoes; at both the time of killing her baby, and when she was being raped.  Sethe weighted the outcomes, and decided death was far better than the possibility of her children being rapped and enslaved for life. That was ID working in her head.  ID is one of three components for three parts of the human personality which is a part of Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic personality theory.  According to Freud, it’s the explanation for human behavior.  ID is basic gratification and in this case it was to relieve her children of the burned which is rape by a white man.

Later on, Sethe overcomes her trauma and in doing so, her way of thinking shifts from ID to Ego.  The scenario is recreated again and in defending Beloved she adds reality into her decision.  She faces the threat head on but fails to add morals to her rational.  She satisfies the need to relieve her children by trying to kill the supposed slave owner.  If Sethe defended Beloved using a more peaceful approach her way of thinking would be Super Ego, which is based on judgments of good and bad.  Killing would be extremely bad so Sethe isn't quite at that level, and never quite is at the end of the story. In the article, “Figurations of Rape and the Supernatural in Beloved”, Pamela E. Barnett shares similar ideas.  She explains how rape was used to “dehumanize enslaved persons” and used to “physical[ly] and psychological[ly]” scar black people.  And would eventually torment them throughout their lives.  The biggest example of this would be Sethe, as she is haunted by her memories at Sweet Home.

Paul D is another character whose memories come flowing  back to him because of sex.  For Paul, Beloved was the “catalyst” which made him remember his years enslaved.  Beloved "reminds me of something; something, look like, I'm supposed to remember".  Although Paul doesn't directly say he was reminded about his years enslaved and his experience being raped, it's inferred by the reader because, like Sethe, Paul D once lived on the same plantation s Sethe.  For Paul D, his experience at sweet home left him with a tin heart and ripped away his masculinity and pride he had.  Overall, it may be said that rape, or any traumatic moment for that matter, will forever plague someone and make them feel less of a person.

Can you blame someone that ain't never had things? - Isaac Barrios Perez

I analyzed a quote embedded in chapter twenty-two of Beloved.  Chapter twenty-two comes right off Beloved’s monologue, where she rants about owning Sethe.  The aim of chapter twenty-two is to give Sethe a chance to express her thoughts on Beloved.  The following quote is the introductory paragraph of this chapter:

“I am Beloved and she is mine. I see her take flowers away from leaves she puts them in a round basket the leaves are not for her she fills the basket she opens the grass I would help her but the clouds are in the way how can I say things that are pictures I am not separate from her there is no place where I stop her face is my own and I want to be there in the place where her face is and to be looking at it too a hot thing.”

Sethe opens up chapter twenty two in a fit of rage.  The first sentence introduces the tone to set up the rest of the chapter.  “I am Beloved and she is mine.”  Claiming another human as your property is not something you expect to come out the mouth of a former slave.  Sethe also claims to be Beloved herself, meaning Beloved is a part of her.   As a mother she nurtured and created Beloved in her womb and now her logical is flawed and still holds on to Beloved as an extension of herself, yet Beloved has created her own  image for herself.  They are not the same, the new Beloved isn’t like the old.  She isn’t bound by blood.  Sethe then continues speaking, and the tone of the passage then begins to shift.  Sethe’s tone changes to an anxious and tense one.  Continuing, she describes Beloved’s innocence as gathering flowers and arranging them around a basket.  Sethe shows her love for Beloved, and in this sentence it alludes to a childhood picture she creates.  Sethe has fixed mind set when Beloved is brought up, she still pictures Beloved as child.  A child she never had and a mother daughter bond that she robbed herself.  

Sethe has an urge to help this child version of Beloved.  But she can’t, ”the clouds are in the way”.  The clouds that block her are a roadblock in her head that Sethe has not yet come to terms with.  The memory of Beloved’s death is re-winded in her head and has traumatized her, leaving her with woe.  A couple of words later, and Sethe then recognizes her fantasy is just a picture.  A still image which bound by what the painter drew.  In this case Sethe is the painter and her image of Beloved failed to captivate her love for Beloved.  Although it can be interpreted in many ways, the fact remains that the image is just an inanimate object, not real.  

Later on in the text Sethe becomes envious of Beloved.  “...her face is my own and I want to be there in the place where her face is...” .  This statement is very possessive which supports the super “overprotective mom” theme that resonates through the novel.  Specifically in this chapter ownership over her child is well over what it should be.  Sethe’s approach came off as too serious, when it come to protecting and loving her children.  She doesn't consider morals or reality at this point and only desires instant gratification for her need; demonstrating id in Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic theory.  Her reasons for coming off so strong can be explained by her experiences at sweet home.  Being raped and beaten scared her and lead to her super “overprotective mom” attitude and possessive vibe.  She doesn’t want any of her children to go through her experience, and in doing so she discarded any logical reasoning behind her thoughts.  Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery but Sethe crosses the line and transcend to a creepy and tragic mental state.  Which isn’t new to her.  Sethe once came to the same mental sate years back when she killed Beloved.

It ironic to think that both Sethe and Beloved think they own each other.  Their thoughts seem trivial and childish, like a rebellious daughter fighting with her strict mother.  In the two chapters, Sethe claims the reason for which Beloved returns is for her.  That she is here for her.  Previously Sethe was a slave, and for her to say that another human came for her, doesn’t add up.  You can interpret it as her motherly instinct claim her child, showcasing the ultimate protection, not as a slave.  But on the other side, Beloved claiming Sethe as hers is more viable justification in my eyes.  My interpretation is that Beloved is claiming Sethe as hers because she owes her something.  Beloved right now is playing the role of slave owner and Sethe is her slave, whom she is torturing until, Sethe performs an apologetic act as a mean for her freedom.