Blog Post #6: write about how the last chapters have either changed or affirmed your previous interpretations of a character's behavior. Cite a specific quotation, from the chapter, that does so and explain why.
"She did not know it then, but it was the word 'baby,' said softly and with such kindness, that inaugurated her life in the world as a woman"
In the first two sections, I perceived Denver as someone who did not grow or mature because she was not 'mothered' by Sethe. I never thought that she would finally feel like a grown up when someone 'babied' her, moretheless, someone who knew her when she was still a child, before she retracted into herself and 124. The reason Denver was not able to feel like a woman before this moment is because she was not given the opportunities to grow and meet other people- the only person who she had to look up to was Sethe, who Denver did not perceive necessarily as a 'mother'- "the one who never looked away, this woman with the presence of mind to repair a dog gone savage with pain". Sethe acting as a strong person did not influence Denver to become more mature, including feeling like a woman. Had I not read Part III, I would've assumed that Denver would have latched even more so onto Beloved and identified herself as Beloved; therefore, never feeling like a woman herself, instead only feeling like the reincarnated baby who looked like a woman.
"Denver...decided to stop relying on kindness to leave something on the stump. She would hire herself out somewhere, and although she was afraid to leave Sethe and Beloved alone all day not knowing what calamity either one of them would create, she came to realize that her presence in that house had no influence on what either woman did" (296)
These past few chapters have changed my view of Denver, from being totally sheltered and unable to act on her own opinions to becoming her own advocate and maturing. In the quote above her transformation is clear as she stops reminiscing and mothering Beloved and does what is best for herself and detaches herself from Beloved. Previously, Denver was not even able to keep herself together after Beloved left her sight for a second and now she is able to voluntarily depart from her. This shows that Denver is maturing into her own individual person that puts her own needs first instead of others'. She stops being altruistic and deals with the neglect an lack of parenting she received. Additionally, it surprises me that Denver is able to make this radical change so quickly, taking into account that she was isolated for a majority of her life and would not have been able to build the endurance and social skills that she does build and uses when she goes out on her own to produce her own means. In spite of her detachment from Beloved and her mother, there is still a sense of love and care towards them but Denver has finally come to terms with the fact that she cannot always sacrifice herself for the sake of others.
After reading the first chapter in part III of the novel, it changed my perspective on Sethe’s behavior. In the beginning of the novel, Sethe was a strong woman who let nothing defeat her. Sethe is described as an “iron” like woman by her daughter Denver. However in part III, Sethe looks emaciated. Sethe’s eyes were “bright but dead, alert but vacant…” (285). This quote changed my idea about Sethe and the person she is. It is clear her physical appearance has declined dramatically. Sethe is looking worn and is tired of putting on this persona of a “strong” woman. She looks thin because of Beloved’s need for attention. Beloved’s id is taking over, and is it making Sethe exhausted. Sethe’s action towards Beloved is an example of altruism. Sethe is surrendering her own needs, and is doing whatever Beloved wants. After reading part III it changed my interpretation of Sethe’s behavior. I thought of Sethe as this strong “iron” like women, but in part III Sethe is a weak women, due to Beloved’s id.
" 'I'm a take care of you, you hear? Starting now.' ... Her tenderness about his neck jewelry--its three wands, like attentive baby rattlers, curving two feet into the air. How she never mentioned or looked at it, so he did not have to feel the shame of being collared like a beast. Only this woman Sethe could have left him his manhood like that. ... He leans over and takes her hand. With the other he touches her face. 'You your best thing, Sethe. You are.' His holding fingers are holding hers." (320-322)
I used to think that Paul D would continue in his nomadic ways, unable to stay in one place because he would keep letting others define his own masculinity. I thought that eventually he would kill himself, but I was wrong. He wants to define his own masculinity through his selfless acts. By staying to help Sethe, he can act selflessly as he wants to, finally able to define his own masculinity. I notice that Paul D lets Sethe somewhat define his masculinity, in that she helps him not feel like a beast when chained up ("he did not have to feel the shame of being collared like a beast.") However, she defines it in a positive way. She sees him as a human. Just as Mr. Garner defines Paul's masculinity in a positive light, Paul actually likes Sethe's definition of masculinity for him. I feel he likes it because it frees him to take those selfless acts. I realize it wasn't so much that people defined his masculinity, but how: whether they defined him as free and able to do as he pleases, or not. It seems silly to realize this now, but I hadn't really thought of it that way. He doesn't necessarily mind others defining his masculinity as long as they let him define it as well, and don't overtake his own definition of his own masculinity. At the end, when Paul says " 'You your best thing, Sethe.' " I see that as Paul also telling that to himself, finally able to know that he can be the best thing in his life, and in a way he can define his own masculinity through that.
“Sometimes coming upon them making men and women cookies or tacking scraps of cloth on Baby Suggs’ old quilt, it was difficult for Denver to tell who was who.” (283)
This part in the last chapters changed my view on Denver entirely. My thought process, regarding Denver was that she would never be able to escape the mental confounds of Sethe’s partial control. Denver’s fear of Sethe, especially after Sethe killed Beloved, would make her stay at 124. Denver’s objective anxiety, resulted in her having masochistic tendencies as she hurts herself, trying to force herself to be happy in an environment that is against her. However, Denver escaped the confines of Sethe and Beloved’s control and was physically and mentally able to leave 124. Physically, Denver was able to walk outside on the porch of 124 and “not die” and continue on to get a job and live her life. Mentally, Denver got rid of her fear of Sethe and Beloved as she realizes that she has the ability to take care of herself.
"So it was she who had to step off the edge of the world and die because if she didn't, they all would" (281).
This both reaffirmed and changed my previous thoughts about Denver. In my essay, I predicted that if Sethe or Beloved were to leave Denver, she would ultimately lose all sense of self and become a recluse like Baby Suggs. In one way, she believed she had to step off the edge of the world and die, symbolizing her lack of self. However, it also prompted a cathartic moment for Denver in which she was finally able to find a way to live without them.
"She was not like them... nobody said, Get on out of here, girl, and come back when you get some sense... God don't love ugly ways" (285)
My perception of Denver from the previous chapters had always been negative towards her strength and ego. Regarding Denver, I believed that she had the thought capacity of a child, even though she was an adult, and failed to absorb the reality around her as a result of her mother's overbearing. It was evident how she had an under-developed grasp on reality and it severely affected her ability to make decisions for herself. However, as this quote shows, Denver exemplifies her mature, realistic understanding of the unreasonable aspect of Beloved's behavior. She's able to determine Beloved's behavior towards Sethe as selfish; which leads to her belief that Beloved needs to be taught her limits. She's also able to relate the concept of God to one's behaviors on Earth. In this way, I believe she exhibits her advanced ability to think for herself, which was not evident within the previous chapters. I believe this development of her superego demonstrates Denver's initiative to take control of 124.
"In the brightest of the carnival dresses and wearing a stranger's shoes, she stood on the porch of 124 ready to be swallowed up in the world beyond the edge of the porch" (286).
When first beginning the novel I came to realize that Denver was a overly coddled un-assured girl who should have left the house a long time ago. It became immediately obvious that without some growth Denver would just be consumed with the fear of her mother and strange dependence of Beloved. This quote shows the first time in which Denver really puts herself out in to the world to finally find out who she is. Wearing a bright dress shows that she is willing to be noticed by other people. She is wearing someone else's shoes in order to show that she is finally comfortable enough to leave the horrible "comfort" of her own home. Denver has grown in a way that I thought she would. She has outgrown her dependence after seeing her mother become powerless.
"They mended the plates, swept the salt, and little by little it dawned on Denver that if Sethe didn't wake up one morning and pick up a knife, Beloved might" (285).
When Denver first began to engage with Beloved, she was desperate, weak, and thirsting for someone to take care of. Now, she sees the desperation within Beloved, and has finally become aware of the danger Beloved brings. Denver is able to see past Sethe's maternal blindness, and senses what she could not sense before when clouded with idealistic goals of fulfilling her emptiness. She sees Beloved's true essence.
In my essay I wrote about how Denver is overly protective of Beloved because she is afraid to turn into her mother. Therefore, she would become masochistic because she would believe that everything bad that happens to her loved ones would be her fault. However, reading the last chapters my opinion has changed because Denver is not being overly protective of Beloved because "if Sethe didn't wake up one morning and pick up a knife, Beloved might" (285). Denver explained how she feared her mother, but now she fears Beloved and wants to save her mother. This shows how Denver is becoming her own person because "it was on her"(286). Denver is the one to save her mother even though she fears her, proving that she does not see Sethe as an aggressor anymore and did not become like her mother.
"She was the first to smile...Her smile is no longer the sneer he remembered, had welcome in it and strong traces of Sethe's mouth" (313)
In the beginning of the novel, Denver was not seen as independent or easy going. She seemed very defendant over 124 and her family and did not like or accept Paul D. Denver kept a lot of emotions to herself and struggled with identifying herself with Sethe because she was scared of her. Denver was seen as weak and self-defenseless because every thing she did in 124 seemed to revolve around Sethe and Beloved. In part 3 Denver seems to be more open. she is now independent and has a job of her own to take care of herself and Sethe. In the beginning, Sethe was the strong iron eyed woman; she was the one that had all the strong physical features. Now, Denver has "traces of Sethe's mouth". Denver is now seen as stronger and finally able to let go of the past. She's willing to accept what is in front of her and make the best of it. Which is why she smiles and greets Paul D first instead of grilling or running away from him.
" Aw no. Hey. Lay off Denver, Paul D. That's my heart. I'm proud of that girl. She was the first one wrestle her mother down. Before anybody knew what the devil was going on." (313)
This affirms my opinions on Stamp Paid and the fatherly role he had been for Denver in the past repeating in the present. He had always cared and looked out for Denver, which was evident since her birth. He made sure that she was looked out for and had everything she needed before and briefly after arriving at 124. Stamp's care and fatherly love for Denver while part of his altruistic personality, become more personal as Denver re-integrates herself in the community. Denver's new found independence was also a surprise, and an unexpected turn of events. Focusing on Stamp Paid, I was expecting him to maintain this fatherly attitude toward the community and Denver, and to defend her from a joke made by Paul D is not surprising. He had felt bad in the past when he believed to have taken her ability of a normal life, while Paul D lived in the house. He continues to try to make up for his mistakes, and while he feels that he does not owe any debts he does continue to help Denver, which may be out of respect for Baby Suggs like the community has helped her.
"'Sethe,' he says, 'me and you, we got more yesterday than anybody. We need some kind of tomorrow" (323).
This shows Paul D in a whole new perspective. Throughout the novel, I viewed him as a weak character. He was always facing an internal dilemma regarding his masculinity. He also seemed to be a leech. He would wander aimlessly and he squatted in 124. He was so weak that he felt threatened by Beloved and expects Sethe to dictate his life. For once, he takes charge for the better. Paul tries to motivate Sethe like Stamp Paid had done to Baby Suggs. The difference is that he does this with the future in mind. Paul sets his sights forward.This also shows that as migrates, he isn't just wandering aimlessly in sulking manner. Instead, he is in constant search for a better life. He does not search for any sort of redemption for his difficult history on plantations. This advice should give Sethe what she needs to reinvigorate herself and not follow Baby Suggs' path to eventual death.
"Denver decided to stop relying on kindness to leave something on the stump. She would hire herself out somewhere, and although she was afraid to leave Sethe and Beloved alone all day not knowing what calamity either one of them would create, she came to realize that her presence in that house had no influence on what either woman did" (296). When the novel started I though Denver was incapable of being able to take care of herself. However, now she is able to care for herself and even worry about her mother and sister. This proves how she was always stronger than we thought. She has a strong ability to be independent and proves that towards the end of the novel because in the beginning she seemed to be an extension of her mother and incapable of thinking for herself.
"They mended the plates, swept the salt, and little by little it dawned on Denver that if Sethe didn't wake up one morning and pick up a knife, Beloved might" (285). Before reading this section I did have some hope of Denver refusing to fall into Beloved's trap. Now that it is Denver who is ow independent, I wish I would've wrote about her in my essay instead. I can't say that it is surprising to see Sethe be so vulnerable to the Beloved's presence because of their past history, (guilt from Sethe murdering Beloved), however it is surprising to see Sethe giving up something like work, an act that she didn't even give up for Denver, for Beloved. Yes, it is easy to say that she feels guilty and so she will do anything in her power to free herself of this guilt but no. There's only so low you can stoop and clearly Sethe has gone over her tipping point. Beloved is back for revenge I believe in reading this last section, and with the line "124 was spiteful" (2) I think that my theory is proven to be true. This section affirmed my views on Sethe and Beloved's relationship, but changed my view on Denver who seems to be the only sane person throughout this novel.
"'Paul D?'" "'What, baby?'" "'She left me.'" "'Aw, girl. Don't cry.'" "'She was my best thing.'" (320) From the beginning, Sethe has put her children above all else (I wrote my essay on this behavior). In this dialogue with Paul D, Sethe shows how not much has changed. Despite the fact that Sethe has spent the past year withering away under Beloved's control, explaining and apologizing the whole time, Sethe still calls Beloved her "best thing". Sethe is incapable of looking down upon her kids, no matter what they do.
"Something is missing from 124. Something larger than the people who lived there. Something more than Beloved or the red light. [Paul D] can't put his finger on it, but it seems, for a moment, that just beyond his knowing is the glare of an outside thing that embraces while it accuses." (319)
When Paul D first comes to 124, Sethe and Denver perceive him as a father figure and he represents their potential for a healthy family. But as Sethe's and Denver's neuroses come to light, and Beloved appears as a manifestation of them and progresses Sethe's deterioration, Paul D becomes less stable of a character. As the novel unfolds, Paul D becomes a character with a lot of inner conflict about his masculinity, his fate, and his decisions. He feels extremely insecure about every action he's taken, and this moment affirms it. Now that Beloved is gone, he can't blame her for any of his shortcomings. Sethe (at the moment) is nowhere to be found, and Denver is somewhere else. Paul D projects his feelings of insecurity onto an "outside thing" that doesn't even exist. He believes this thing is simultaneously comforting his actions while blaming him for their consequences, when in reality, he feels these ideas about himself. Thus, Paul D has not substantially changed since the previous sections because he still projects his beliefs to others.
Paul D was a character that I misinterpreted slightly. I believed that Paul was a man that was only concerned with preserving his masculinity, having it striped away through out the novel at different plantations. However, Paul D views his life and his masculinity through the lens of Sixo and Garner, the only two people that showed him how actions mean something. In the novel Paul sees himself "through Garner's eyes, [and] he sees one thing. Through Sixo's, another. One makes him feel righteous. One makes him feel ashamed"(315). In someways Paul never really had a self, just the mindless wanderer he turned out to be.
The last chapters changed how I viewed Denver, from seeing her as weak and immature kid, she transformed into a tough adult. Denver has always wanted her mother’s attention and feels threatened by Beloved and Paul D when they begin to take the little attention she gets from her mother. Most of the time she acts like a little kid and competes to obtain her mother’s love rather than proving to Sethe her value. Instead of hoping for a better life Denver began taking actions by deciding to get a job and leave her family behind. “Denver decided to do the necessary. Decided to stop relying on kindness to leave something on the stump. She would hire herself out somewhere, and although she was afraid to leave Sethe and Beloved alone all day not knowing what calamity either one of them would create, she came to realize that her presence in that house had no influence on what either woman did” (252). This was one of the first acts she took in order to overcome the isolation she was always in. Even though she leaves her family behind Denver is still thinking about her mom. Overall, Denver has a big transformation in which she finally decides to take control over her life.
"Dressed in Sethe's dresses, she stroked her skin with the palm of her hand. She imitated Sethe, talked the way she did, laughed her laugh and used her body the same way down to the walk, the way Sethe moved her hands, sighed through her nose, held her hand." (283)
Before reading the section I thought that Beloved's purpose at 124 was Sethe's destruction. I hypothesized this because Beloved causes Sethe to sever the only ties she had to her community with Sethe and Paul D, something that kept her from wasting away like Baby Suggs did. Therefore, I believed that Beloved would eventually make Sethe miserable because she was angry with Sethe for murdering her. However, after reading the section I think that Beloved is trying to identify with her aggressor and obtain closure from her brutal murder. She wants to understand why her mother would take the a life that she created, away. This explains why she has sex with Paul D, the same way her mother had, and is becoming more like Sethe every day. Identifying with Sethe also explains why Beloved pushes Denver's overprotective motherly affection away, when she subconsciously tries to shelter her from Sethe, and favors her mother's attention.
"Me and you, we got more yesterday than anybody. We need some kind of tomorrow...you your best thing, Sethe. You are" (322).
This changes my previous feelings of Paul D. Earlier in the book, I always assumed that Paul D was going to just leave when things got hard and never look back. When he did leave, I was sure he wasn't going to be back in the novel. So when he did return, that was surprising enough; but when he went to comfort Sethe and try to get her out of bed, he really changed my perception of him. Not only did he want Sethe to get out of bed and not repeat Baby Suggs' life, but he wanted a "tomorrow" with Sethe. Before, I never saw Paul D as the person to come back and sympathize with Sethe about loosing Beloved again. He chased her out to first time he got to 124, so I thought he would be excited to see her gone again. Instead, Paul D reminded Sethe of who she was before Beloved showed up, and made sure she knew that neither him nor Denver were going to leave her in bed like they did with Baby Suggs.
"She did not know it then, but it was the word 'baby,' said softly and with such kindness, that inaugurated her life in the world as a woman"
ReplyDeleteIn the first two sections, I perceived Denver as someone who did not grow or mature because she was not 'mothered' by Sethe. I never thought that she would finally feel like a grown up when someone 'babied' her, moretheless, someone who knew her when she was still a child, before she retracted into herself and 124. The reason Denver was not able to feel like a woman before this moment is because she was not given the opportunities to grow and meet other people- the only person who she had to look up to was Sethe, who Denver did not perceive necessarily as a 'mother'- "the one who never looked away, this woman with the presence of mind to repair a dog gone savage with pain". Sethe acting as a strong person did not influence Denver to become more mature, including feeling like a woman. Had I not read Part III, I would've assumed that Denver would have latched even more so onto Beloved and identified herself as Beloved; therefore, never feeling like a woman herself, instead only feeling like the reincarnated baby who looked like a woman.
(292)
Delete"Denver...decided to stop relying on kindness to leave something on the stump. She would hire herself out somewhere, and although she was afraid to leave Sethe and Beloved alone all day not knowing what calamity either one of them would create, she came to realize that her presence in that house had no influence on what either woman did" (296)
ReplyDeleteThese past few chapters have changed my view of Denver, from being totally sheltered and unable to act on her own opinions to becoming her own advocate and maturing. In the quote above her transformation is clear as she stops reminiscing and mothering Beloved and does what is best for herself and detaches herself from Beloved. Previously, Denver was not even able to keep herself together after Beloved left her sight for a second and now she is able to voluntarily depart from her. This shows that Denver is maturing into her own individual person that puts her own needs first instead of others'. She stops being altruistic and deals with the neglect an lack of parenting she received. Additionally, it surprises me that Denver is able to make this radical change so quickly, taking into account that she was isolated for a majority of her life and would not have been able to build the endurance and social skills that she does build and uses when she goes out on her own to produce her own means. In spite of her detachment from Beloved and her mother, there is still a sense of love and care towards them but Denver has finally come to terms with the fact that she cannot always sacrifice herself for the sake of others.
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ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the first chapter in part III of the novel, it changed my perspective on Sethe’s behavior. In the beginning of the novel, Sethe was a strong woman who let nothing defeat her. Sethe is described as an “iron” like woman by her daughter Denver. However in part III, Sethe looks emaciated. Sethe’s eyes were “bright but dead, alert but vacant…” (285). This quote changed my idea about Sethe and the person she is. It is clear her physical appearance has declined dramatically. Sethe is looking worn and is tired of putting on this persona of a “strong” woman. She looks thin because of Beloved’s need for attention. Beloved’s id is taking over, and is it making Sethe exhausted. Sethe’s action towards Beloved is an example of altruism. Sethe is surrendering her own needs, and is doing whatever Beloved wants. After reading part III it changed my interpretation of Sethe’s behavior. I thought of Sethe as this strong “iron” like women, but in part III Sethe is a weak women, due to Beloved’s id.
PAUL D
ReplyDelete" 'I'm a take care of you, you hear? Starting now.' ... Her tenderness about his neck jewelry--its three wands, like attentive baby rattlers, curving two feet into the air. How she never mentioned or looked at it, so he did not have to feel the shame of being collared like a beast. Only this woman Sethe could have left him his manhood like that. ... He leans over and takes her hand. With the other he touches her face. 'You your best thing, Sethe. You are.' His holding fingers are holding hers." (320-322)
I used to think that Paul D would continue in his nomadic ways, unable to stay in one place because he would keep letting others define his own masculinity. I thought that eventually he would kill himself, but I was wrong. He wants to define his own masculinity through his selfless acts. By staying to help Sethe, he can act selflessly as he wants to, finally able to define his own masculinity. I notice that Paul D lets Sethe somewhat define his masculinity, in that she helps him not feel like a beast when chained up ("he did not have to feel the shame of being collared like a beast.") However, she defines it in a positive way. She sees him as a human. Just as Mr. Garner defines Paul's masculinity in a positive light, Paul actually likes Sethe's definition of masculinity for him. I feel he likes it because it frees him to take those selfless acts. I realize it wasn't so much that people defined his masculinity, but how: whether they defined him as free and able to do as he pleases, or not. It seems silly to realize this now, but I hadn't really thought of it that way. He doesn't necessarily mind others defining his masculinity as long as they let him define it as well, and don't overtake his own definition of his own masculinity. At the end, when Paul says " 'You your best thing, Sethe.' " I see that as Paul also telling that to himself, finally able to know that he can be the best thing in his life, and in a way he can define his own masculinity through that.
Blog Post #6
ReplyDelete“Sometimes coming upon them making men and women cookies or tacking scraps of cloth on Baby Suggs’ old quilt, it was difficult for Denver to tell who was who.” (283)
This part in the last chapters changed my view on Denver entirely. My thought process, regarding Denver was that she would never be able to escape the mental confounds of Sethe’s partial control. Denver’s fear of Sethe, especially after Sethe killed Beloved, would make her stay at 124. Denver’s objective anxiety, resulted in her having masochistic tendencies as she hurts herself, trying to force herself to be happy in an environment that is against her. However, Denver escaped the confines of Sethe and Beloved’s control and was physically and mentally able to leave 124. Physically, Denver was able to walk outside on the porch of 124 and “not die” and continue on to get a job and live her life. Mentally, Denver got rid of her fear of Sethe and Beloved as she realizes that she has the ability to take care of herself.
"So it was she who had to step off the edge of the world and die because if she didn't, they all would" (281).
ReplyDeleteThis both reaffirmed and changed my previous thoughts about Denver. In my essay, I predicted that if Sethe or Beloved were to leave Denver, she would ultimately lose all sense of self and become a recluse like Baby Suggs. In one way, she believed she had to step off the edge of the world and die, symbolizing her lack of self. However, it also prompted a cathartic moment for Denver in which she was finally able to find a way to live without them.
"She was not like them... nobody said, Get on out of here, girl, and come back when you get some sense... God don't love ugly ways" (285)
ReplyDeleteMy perception of Denver from the previous chapters had always been negative towards her strength and ego. Regarding Denver, I believed that she had the thought capacity of a child, even though she was an adult, and failed to absorb the reality around her as a result of her mother's overbearing. It was evident how she had an under-developed grasp on reality and it severely affected her ability to make decisions for herself. However, as this quote shows, Denver exemplifies her mature, realistic understanding of the unreasonable aspect of Beloved's behavior. She's able to determine Beloved's behavior towards Sethe as selfish; which leads to her belief that Beloved needs to be taught her limits. She's also able to relate the concept of God to one's behaviors on Earth. In this way, I believe she exhibits her advanced ability to think for herself, which was not evident within the previous chapters. I believe this development of her superego demonstrates Denver's initiative to take control of 124.
"In the brightest of the carnival dresses and wearing a stranger's shoes, she stood on the porch of 124 ready to be swallowed up in the world beyond the edge of the porch" (286).
ReplyDeleteWhen first beginning the novel I came to realize that Denver was a overly coddled un-assured girl who should have left the house a long time ago. It became immediately obvious that without some growth Denver would just be consumed with the fear of her mother and strange dependence of Beloved. This quote shows the first time in which Denver really puts herself out in to the world to finally find out who she is. Wearing a bright dress shows that she is willing to be noticed by other people. She is wearing someone else's shoes in order to show that she is finally comfortable enough to leave the horrible "comfort" of her own home. Denver has grown in a way that I thought she would. She has outgrown her dependence after seeing her mother become powerless.
"They mended the plates, swept the salt, and little by little it dawned on Denver that if Sethe didn't wake up one morning and pick up a knife, Beloved might" (285).
ReplyDeleteWhen Denver first began to engage with Beloved, she was desperate, weak, and thirsting for someone to take care of. Now, she sees the desperation within Beloved, and has finally become aware of the danger Beloved brings. Denver is able to see past Sethe's maternal blindness, and senses what she could not sense before when clouded with idealistic goals of fulfilling her emptiness. She sees Beloved's true essence.
In my essay I wrote about how Denver is overly protective of Beloved because she is afraid to turn into her mother. Therefore, she would become masochistic because she would believe that everything bad that happens to her loved ones would be her fault. However, reading the last chapters my opinion has changed because Denver is not being overly protective of Beloved because "if Sethe didn't wake up one morning and pick up a knife, Beloved might" (285). Denver explained how she feared her mother, but now she fears Beloved and wants to save her mother. This shows how Denver is becoming her own person because "it was on her"(286). Denver is the one to save her mother even though she fears her, proving that she does not see Sethe as an aggressor anymore and did not become like her mother.
ReplyDelete"She was the first to smile...Her smile is no longer the sneer he remembered, had welcome in it and strong traces of Sethe's mouth" (313)
ReplyDeleteIn the beginning of the novel, Denver was not seen as independent or easy going. She seemed very defendant over 124 and her family and did not like or accept Paul D. Denver kept a lot of emotions to herself and struggled with identifying herself with Sethe because she was scared of her. Denver was seen as weak and self-defenseless because every thing she did in 124 seemed to revolve around Sethe and Beloved. In part 3 Denver seems to be more open. she is now independent and has a job of her own to take care of herself and Sethe. In the beginning, Sethe was the strong iron eyed woman; she was the one that had all the strong physical features. Now, Denver has "traces of Sethe's mouth". Denver is now seen as stronger and finally able to let go of the past. She's willing to accept what is in front of her and make the best of it. Which is why she smiles and greets Paul D first instead of grilling or running away from him.
" Aw no. Hey. Lay off Denver, Paul D. That's my heart. I'm proud of that girl. She was the first one wrestle her mother down. Before anybody knew what the devil was going on." (313)
ReplyDeleteThis affirms my opinions on Stamp Paid and the fatherly role he had been for Denver in the past repeating in the present. He had always cared and looked out for Denver, which was evident since her birth. He made sure that she was looked out for and had everything she needed before and briefly after arriving at 124. Stamp's care and fatherly love for Denver while part of his altruistic personality, become more personal as Denver re-integrates herself in the community. Denver's new found independence was also a surprise, and an unexpected turn of events. Focusing on Stamp Paid, I was expecting him to maintain this fatherly attitude toward the community and Denver, and to defend her from a joke made by Paul D is not surprising. He had felt bad in the past when he believed to have taken her ability of a normal life, while Paul D lived in the house. He continues to try to make up for his mistakes, and while he feels that he does not owe any debts he does continue to help Denver, which may be out of respect for Baby Suggs like the community has helped her.
"'Sethe,' he says, 'me and you, we got more yesterday than anybody. We need some kind of tomorrow" (323).
ReplyDeleteThis shows Paul D in a whole new perspective. Throughout the novel, I viewed him as a weak character. He was always facing an internal dilemma regarding his masculinity. He also seemed to be a leech. He would wander aimlessly and he squatted in 124. He was so weak that he felt threatened by Beloved and expects Sethe to dictate his life. For once, he takes charge for the better. Paul tries to motivate Sethe like Stamp Paid had done to Baby Suggs. The difference is that he does this with the future in mind. Paul sets his sights forward.This also shows that as migrates, he isn't just wandering aimlessly in sulking manner. Instead, he is in constant search for a better life. He does not search for any sort of redemption for his difficult history on plantations. This advice should give Sethe what she needs to reinvigorate herself and not follow Baby Suggs' path to eventual death.
"Denver decided to stop relying on kindness to leave something on the stump. She would hire herself out somewhere, and although she was afraid to leave Sethe and Beloved alone all day not knowing what calamity either one of them would create, she came to realize that her presence in that house had no influence on what either woman did" (296). When the novel started I though Denver was incapable of being able to take care of herself. However, now she is able to care for herself and even worry about her mother and sister. This proves how she was always stronger than we thought. She has a strong ability to be independent and proves that towards the end of the novel because in the beginning she seemed to be an extension of her mother and incapable of thinking for herself.
ReplyDelete"They mended the plates, swept the salt, and little by little it dawned on Denver that if Sethe didn't wake up one morning and pick up a knife, Beloved might" (285).
ReplyDeleteBefore reading this section I did have some hope of Denver refusing to fall into Beloved's trap. Now that it is Denver who is ow independent, I wish I would've wrote about her in my essay instead. I can't say that it is surprising to see Sethe be so vulnerable to the Beloved's presence because of their past history, (guilt from Sethe murdering Beloved), however it is surprising to see Sethe giving up something like work, an act that she didn't even give up for Denver, for Beloved. Yes, it is easy to say that she feels guilty and so she will do anything in her power to free herself of this guilt but no. There's only so low you can stoop and clearly Sethe has gone over her tipping point. Beloved is back for revenge I believe in reading this last section, and with the line "124 was spiteful" (2) I think that my theory is proven to be true. This section affirmed my views on Sethe and Beloved's relationship, but changed my view on Denver who seems to be the only sane person throughout this novel.
"'Paul D?'" "'What, baby?'" "'She left me.'" "'Aw, girl. Don't cry.'" "'She was my best thing.'" (320)
ReplyDeleteFrom the beginning, Sethe has put her children above all else (I wrote my essay on this behavior). In this dialogue with Paul D, Sethe shows how not much has changed. Despite the fact that Sethe has spent the past year withering away under Beloved's control, explaining and apologizing the whole time, Sethe still calls Beloved her "best thing". Sethe is incapable of looking down upon her kids, no matter what they do.
"Something is missing from 124. Something larger than the people who lived there. Something more than Beloved or the red light. [Paul D] can't put his finger on it, but it seems, for a moment, that just beyond his knowing is the glare of an outside thing that embraces while it accuses." (319)
ReplyDeleteWhen Paul D first comes to 124, Sethe and Denver perceive him as a father figure and he represents their potential for a healthy family. But as Sethe's and Denver's neuroses come to light, and Beloved appears as a manifestation of them and progresses Sethe's deterioration, Paul D becomes less stable of a character. As the novel unfolds, Paul D becomes a character with a lot of inner conflict about his masculinity, his fate, and his decisions. He feels extremely insecure about every action he's taken, and this moment affirms it. Now that Beloved is gone, he can't blame her for any of his shortcomings. Sethe (at the moment) is nowhere to be found, and Denver is somewhere else. Paul D projects his feelings of insecurity onto an "outside thing" that doesn't even exist. He believes this thing is simultaneously comforting his actions while blaming him for their consequences, when in reality, he feels these ideas about himself. Thus, Paul D has not substantially changed since the previous sections because he still projects his beliefs to others.
Paul D was a character that I misinterpreted slightly. I believed that Paul was a man that was only concerned with preserving his masculinity, having it striped away through out the novel at different plantations. However, Paul D views his life and his masculinity through the lens of Sixo and Garner, the only two people that showed him how actions mean something. In the novel Paul sees himself "through Garner's eyes, [and] he sees one thing. Through Sixo's, another. One makes him feel righteous. One makes him feel ashamed"(315). In someways Paul never really had a self, just the mindless wanderer he turned out to be.
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ReplyDeleteThe last chapters changed how I viewed Denver, from seeing her as weak and immature kid, she transformed into a tough adult. Denver has always wanted her mother’s attention and feels threatened by Beloved and Paul D when they begin to take the little attention she gets from her mother. Most of the time she acts like a little kid and competes to obtain her mother’s love rather than proving to Sethe her value. Instead of hoping for a better life Denver began taking actions by deciding to get a job and leave her family behind. “Denver decided to do the necessary. Decided to stop relying on kindness to leave something on the stump. She would hire herself out somewhere, and although she was afraid to leave Sethe and Beloved alone all day not knowing what calamity either one of them would create, she came to realize that her presence in that house had no influence on what either woman did” (252). This was one of the first acts she took in order to overcome the isolation she was always in. Even though she leaves her family behind Denver is still thinking about her mom. Overall, Denver has a big transformation in which she finally decides to take control over her life.
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ReplyDelete"Dressed in Sethe's dresses, she stroked her skin with the palm of her hand. She imitated Sethe, talked the way she did, laughed her laugh and used her body the same way down to the walk, the way Sethe moved her hands, sighed through her nose, held her hand." (283)
ReplyDeleteBefore reading the section I thought that Beloved's purpose at 124 was Sethe's destruction. I hypothesized this because Beloved causes Sethe to sever the only ties she had to her community with Sethe and Paul D, something that kept her from wasting away like Baby Suggs did. Therefore, I believed that Beloved would eventually make Sethe miserable because she was angry with Sethe for murdering her. However, after reading the section I think that Beloved is trying to identify with her aggressor and obtain closure from her brutal murder. She wants to understand why her mother would take the a life that she created, away. This explains why she has sex with Paul D, the same way her mother had, and is becoming more like Sethe every day. Identifying with Sethe also explains why Beloved pushes Denver's overprotective motherly affection away, when she subconsciously tries to shelter her from Sethe, and favors her mother's attention.
"Me and you, we got more yesterday than anybody. We need some kind of tomorrow...you your best thing, Sethe. You are" (322).
ReplyDeleteThis changes my previous feelings of Paul D. Earlier in the book, I always assumed that Paul D was going to just leave when things got hard and never look back. When he did leave, I was sure he wasn't going to be back in the novel. So when he did return, that was surprising enough; but when he went to comfort Sethe and try to get her out of bed, he really changed my perception of him. Not only did he want Sethe to get out of bed and not repeat Baby Suggs' life, but he wanted a "tomorrow" with Sethe. Before, I never saw Paul D as the person to come back and sympathize with Sethe about loosing Beloved again. He chased her out to first time he got to 124, so I thought he would be excited to see her gone again. Instead, Paul D reminded Sethe of who she was before Beloved showed up, and made sure she knew that neither him nor Denver were going to leave her in bed like they did with Baby Suggs.