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.
Great post, Pauline. What really struck me about the scene(s) you are describing is the fact that school teacher feels it isn't even worth his time to deal with Sethe and what she' s done. "Right off it was clear, to schoolteacher, especially, that there was nothing there to claim. The three (now four -- because she'd had the one coming when she cut) pickaninnies they had hoped were alive and well enough to take back to Kentucky, take back and raise properly to do the work Sweet Home desperately needed, were not" (175-176). This was one of the initial reactions in the book to the blood in the sawdust, etc, and I was really taken aback. You say that this was wise on Morrison's behalf, and I agree with you. She is so careful and smart about emotions and what it means to be a mother (that incredible bond), but then when this part comes, it's like "wow, she is brilliant." She puts focus on everything that makes the reader feel so passionate about her novel, but also frustrated etc. This racism that she portrays is really hard to read and grasp because it's obvious it's just a part of how things go.
ReplyDeleteThe perspective offered to us in this chapter it really interesting. By putting this scene through the eyes of the slave catcher and schoolteacher, Morrison completely changes the mood of the scene. If I saw it through Sethe or Baby Suggs, I probably would have blamed them for this because they are the cause of Sethe's suffering. But seeing it through their eyes we experience the shock that they feel when they encounter the scene and it changes the mood.
ReplyDeleteI think it's interesting that to make us understand Sethe's perspective on why she had to kill her daughter, we're never given her perspective, only schoolteacher's. It's from schoolteacher that we learn why she felt she had to do what she did. If we'd actually been given Sethe's perspective, with her attempting to justify everything she did in the moment, it probably wouldn't have been as moving, just because hearing the thoughts of the slave catchers gives us all the justification we need.
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