Thoughts on Paul D

Over the course of the book, we've all had time to develop our opinion on what Paul D's place is in the novel. He comes into play early on, and is a symbol of Sethe's past. He charms her and they rekindle their love, all while Denver is eyeing him menacingly from the sidelines. At first we thought this was just Denver's jealousy kicking in--she felt as though Paul D was replacing her in her mother's life. Upon Beloved's arrival, however, Paul D develops a dislike towards the reincarnation of Sethe's daughter. This cycle of jealousy and unrest makes for a very tense situation, and one could argue that this "family" dynamic is doomed to fail. Sure enough, Paul D abandons Sethe upon learning the truth about what happened that day in the woodshed, proving his general flakyness.

At first, I sympathized with Paul D. His reaction is justified, and I'm pretty sure that if any of us were in his shoes, we'd react the same way. However, I then had to consider where he stands in Sethe's life. As it was mentioned upon his arrival, he is a ladies man, and his presence can make even the toughest of women break down in front of him. This explains how intimate he and Sethe get when they see each other, but Paul D should understand that his comforter responsibilities don't stop at sex. When Sethe reveals the murder of her daughter from her perspective, she is hoping he will understand where she is coming from. At this point in their relationship, she isn't ashamed of her past when she is around him. However, Paul D is terrified and flees to the local church. It is at this point that I began questioning Paul D's character. It seems to me that, as much as he enjoys wooing all the women he encounters, he is not ready for the emotional consequences that come alongside the benefits. While his initial reaction is a given, I think it's about time that he return home and make things right with Sethe, or just leave the whole situation altogether.

Meanwhile, Stamp Paid is hitting himself over the head for revealing this to Paul D. He starts to think that he's meddling, and he just managed to ruin a relationship. While he did, I don't think it's entirely his fault. He didn't have any way of knowing that Paul D would react the way he did. Taking this into account, we can see that Paul D's presence in this town is affecting multiple characters in a negative way. Sethe, Denver, Paul D, and Beloved are all unnerved by his presence. While it is apparent that he doesn't mean any harm, I think his time has passed. Personally, I see Beloved's entrance into the novel a symbolism of a future and fresh start. Paul D, on the other hand, represents Sethe's past. While he tries to establish a promising future with her, it is clear that he is maybe pushing for the impossible.

The Four Horsemen & Racism

The chapter of the four horsemen was important in it gave the audience an inside look into the complex minds of southern whites. Not only was the imagery and mentality disturbing, but I also think Morrison was making a valid point in terms of the thought process of racists. Namely, the minds of modern-day whites who think they are progressive, but still retain their racist instincts. The reactions of the schoolteacher, nephew, slave catcher, and sheriff are all rash examples of the racism that exists today.

For starters, schoolteacher sees this whole situation as a disappointment. Based on what we learned about him so far, it is apparent that he plans on exploiting blacks to their full potential. However, upon seeing Sethe perform an unexplainable act, he sees his investment dwindling and knows that this isn't a good day. He goes on to recall the punishment he gave his other nephew. For beating Sethe too harshly, schoolteacher sees it fit that his nephew learns his lesson. He compares the slave woman to their animals in a very casual manner, and "made him stay there, feed stock, feed himself, feed Lillian, tend the crops. See how he liked it" (176). A shock to modern day readers, Morrison presents this as a perfectly reasonable decision in schoolteacher's mind. He represents society's general racism towards black people. In his mind, this is just the way the world is. Even though this book wasn't published until the late 20th century, schoolteacher's role is meant to serve as a reminder of the racism that is still present in the minds of white people; if not to this extent.

At the same time, the nephew is describing his total shock regarding the situation. He is bewildered as to what exactly Sethe's reasoning was for murdering her baby. "What she go and do that for? On account of a beating? Hell, he'd been beat a million times and he was white" (176). The fact that he mentions his race is an interesting twist. On one hand, he is saying that he has had his fair share of beatings, despite his being white. Therefore, he doesn't understand why this person in particular responded to discipline so drastically. On the other hand, he doesn't really seem to understand the luxury he has for being white. While Sethe realizes that there is no way out of this life, a point so strong that she murders her child for it, the nephew just sees beatings as a punishment. I would say that here, Morrison is using the nephew to represent the whites that think they can relate to the hardships of black people, but obviously can't. It's not fair of the nephew to relate himself to Sethe on this level, but continue to treat her as sub-human

I think this is a very pertinent topic for today, especially with all the chaos regarding Ferguson and white on black crime. Even a century after these mentalities were mainstream, we can't say racism has been discarded completely. I'm not sure what this says about our future, but I think this was a very wise point to make on Morrison's part. By showing us the minds of racists, it makes us question the fundamental values our society has been built on.

Denver the Sheltered Child

So far in Beloved, we seem to have come to the consensus that Denver is a very sheltered child. We learn that she has no friends, and her favorite spot to pass time is a patch of trees in her backyard. Though Sethe means well, I began to question whether her lengthy precautions were a necessity. From the start of the book we know 124 as being "spiteful," and all those who walk past it are overcome with a feeling of immense sadness. As a result, Denver does't have any friends who want to come over. Though Denver seems to be a relatively normal child when presented in the context of the house, it is soon apparent that she has unresolved issues within her.

In the novel, Denver is portrayed as a particularly possessive and lonely character. For starters, the idea of a time before she came into this world makes her very uneasy. This is why Paul D's appearance into their life angers Denver. She sees that they share a bond from the past she can't match, and he becomes an important part of Sethe's life. Thus, Denver is protective of Sethe. Once Beloved comes into the picture, Denver also can't separate herself from her. This clingy behavior is probably the outcome of the loneliness she has had to endure for a majority of her life. Interestingly, Denver favors Beloved's presence but is wary of Paul D. This is because Paul D represents the past, and while he has come back from a second round at the future, it is Beloved's turn. Additionally, her brothers abandoned her nearly a decade ago, and Denver is now Sethe's only remaining child. This predicament is what causes Denver to be so unnerved when it comes to human relations.

One thing this dynamic made me question was if this was a wise decision on Sethe's part. We learn that the concept of rememory is very important to Sethe. In this world, one can hear or stumble upon someone else's memories and remember them as their own. Considering her hard past, it is understandable why she wouldn't want to open up to Denver about these parts of her life. Sethe has lost so much in her life, and the memories are her only connection. The saying that the deceased "live on in our memories" is very applicable here. However, maybe Sethe doesn't want to share her memories. Instead of hurting Denver, she is worried Denver won't be able to appreciate her memories to the same extent Sethe endured them. We see an example of this when Sethe tells Paul D the story of her milk being stolen. She is frantically trying to make him understand the extent of her violation, but Paul D doesn't really get it. It is maybe at this point that Sethe realizes that the idea of rememory is something she should stray from, supporting her denial that Beloved is the reincarnation of her lost child.

Overall, I guess I'm just confused about where Sethe is coming from. I understand why she has sheltered Denver the way she did, but I wonder if this has some repercussions that may impact the plot later on. By not being taught her mother's, and country's, past, Denver may not be ready to face the world. I feel it's possible that her character may play a turning role later on in the novel.