Beloved 101-146

I will not lie. This reading left me quite uncomfortable. Let’s dive in.

After contemplating the disturbing information about Halle and his buttered face, Sethe returns to the Clearing as it is her place of refuge. The Clearing used to be a space where Baby Suggs would encourage the Black community to embrace their flesh and most of all, their hearts. The personification here is really beautiful. The woods almost come to life just like the “laughing children, dancing men, [and] crying women” (Morrison 105). The trees are described as “ringing” and the groundlife as “shuddered.” I love how well the setting captures the tone of this passage. 

Sethe then shares her last memory of Baby Suggs, who on her deathbed said, “There is no bad luck in the world but white folks” (Morrison 105). As Denver, Beloved, and Sethe walk towards the clearing, we are transported to another of Sethe’s flashbacks. This one is a story of how Stamp and Ella helped Sethe and Denver reach 124. When Baby Suggs first catches a glimpse of Sethe’s back, we are captivated by the euphemisms of the description. Sethe’s back is described as “roses of blood blossomed in the blanket” (109). I find it interesting how Morrison chooses to describe something so disturbing with a plant so beautiful.

Ah. I love this next part. We’ve seen this type of syntax before, but it’s back again. When describing Denver as a baby, the sentences start off with a lowercase letter. I have compiled these sentences into the following list for your pleasure: “girl were brought in,” “baby blinked,” and “girl in her arms” (110). This might just be a me thing, but this choice makes this moment feel so tender and precious. After hearing about Sethe’s strenuous journey, we finally find a moment of peace, and here we find proof that the journey was worth it. 

Okay pause. I need to speed this along because I’m only on page 110 right now. I’m going to go ahead and assume y’all don’t need a plot summary because y’all actually read the book, so I am going to skip to the parts of this reading that made me want to squeeze lime juice into my eyeballs. 

Denver accuses Beloved of being the one who choked Sethe. I believe her. This Beloved character is way too impulsive, which leads me to another scene. Beloved, who we think is the “true-to-life presence of the baby [ghost],” (141) tries to seduce the man whom her basically-mother is bedding. She demands, "I want you to touch me on the inside part and call me by my name” (137). Absolutely disgusting. To make matters worse, Paul D. succumbs, not once, but multiple times! 

Personally, I am not a fan of Denver, and here is some proof to support my opinion. Denver cares more about Beloved than her own mother, and regarding the choking scene, “Denver was alarmed by the harm she thought Beloved planned for Sethe, but felt helpless to thwart it, so unrestricted was her need to love another” (123). Denver apparently feels shame for this choice. Well duh, of course, she should.

Let’s also look at this quote about Denver: “The present alone interested Denver,” (141). Good for her for living in the moment, but I feel as if her having no interest in the past, specifically her mother’s past, is the reason for her lack of empathy. Sethe has given so much for Denver, and unlike Paul D, who only shares small amounts of love with the people around him, Sethe gave all her love to Denver. How does Denver pay it back? She picks a reincarnated baby ghost over her own mother and basically becomes a simp (for lack of a better word) for Beloved. However, this is just my opinion. I will never be able to understand how Denver feels, and there is probably a greater meaning behind Denver, Paul D, and Beloved’s poor choices, but this is my blog post, so I have the right to share my opinion.

Toodles,

Lena