Magical realism is by far the most important style utilized by Toni Morrison here. The character "Beloved" (since she doesn't actually know if that is truly her name, it is just what she remembers) is entirely based on magical realism. First, she just kind of appears out of the water, never eats anything that is not sweet, can hardly walk, and yet is completely healthy. Not to mention nobody ever hears her approaching them. Or the scene where Denver thinks that she choked out Sethe in a field without actually touching Sethe, only for Beloved to reply that it was the chains. Weird that she would know exactly what caused the random bruising on Sethe's neck. Just a bit odd.
Next, the idea of everything being cold comes in to play a lot more once Beloved arrives. There is always an aura of coldness surrounding her throughout the section. When Beloved goes to touch Sethe's neck right after the bruising from being magically choked appears, Sethe remarks about how cool Beloved's hands were. Or right before Beloved scandalously meets Paul D in the cold room, the narrator is commenting on how cold the Autumn weather was in Ohio, how chilly the cold room is, and how that was what was on Paul D's mind at the time. Another instance where cold and Beloved are intermingled is when Denver somehow, magically loses Beloved in a tiny storage room. Denver thinks of how cold she feels inside without Beloved there, as Beloved kept her company and was exactly what she needed after everyone else had left her life.
This all points to one thing ultimately that is semi-obvious. Beloved is the ghost baby from earlier in the book that Paul D chased away, only now in human form. It explains why nobody can hear her walking or entering rooms. It explains why she magically disappeared for a bit. This also explains why she magically appeared right after Paul D chased away the ghost. Only now she has been reincarnated to the age she would have been had she not been killed. That is why she acts like an infant, according to Sethe, when Sethe is hurt, because mentally she is still an infant. Or her inexplicable, child-like curiosity with everything. And also why she doesn't actually know her name, but that everyone calls her Beloved, because that is what was left on the gravestone by Sethe. Beloved is a freaky character.
Good job developing the insights about Beloved's role in the novel. Now the question, of course, is why? Why have the baby come back? What idea might this be developing?
ReplyDeleteThere is no doubt what you said about Beloved is strange and important. I think one thing to keep in mind throughout the novel when analyzing Beloved is the prologue, " I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved." (ROMANS 9 : 25) Why would Toni Morrison put this as the prologue, and how does it tie in with Beloved as a character?
ReplyDeleteAlice, I have a feeling that Beloved betrays Sethe and her family. Between her leaving and returning for Sethe and her apparently injuring Sethe, it seems as though her agenda is to exact revenge so far upon Sethe. Not entirely sure though but will be interesting to find out.
ReplyDeleteAlex, this post is great. To start, it clarified some things about Beloved that I must have glossed over during the reading (thanks :) ). I had a different reason for the name of Beloved though. I thought she had mentioned that Beloved was what she was called in the bedroom by various partners, but your reasoning seems viable as well (again I must have missed this in the book). Other than that, do you think that Beloved will interfere with the relationship between Sethe and Paul D?
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