Toni Morrison, the author of Beloved, doesn't feel like the majority of the criticism and analysis on her literature truly speaks to her original intentions and messages she was trying to get across. She would prefer getting criticism based on Morrison's own "art, culture, language, worldview, and milieu". The critical essay "The Mother-Daughter Aje Relationship in Toni Morrison's Beloved", uses the "Africana" perspective to interpret the relationships built throughout Beloved, specifically between Sethe and other female characters Denver and Beloved.
The "Aje" is described as a spiritual type of woman raised within Africana culture. They can be regarded as "owners and controllers of everything on Earth". They are also overseen as controlling creation, destruction, divination, healing, and the power of word. This type of powerful woman are mostly inherited and are genetically passed from mother to daughter. These types of women are known for leading their families and communities. Although the Aje have spouses or partners to keep "complementary balance", women tend to be the dominant characters due to the absence of a prominent male figure.
The "Aje" Africana people also have a reputation for needing a "safe or sacret space" to be comfortable with their spiritual selfs. Similarly, this seems to be a constant theme throughout Beloved. When Sethe comes to 124, she automatically emphasizes the comfort and love that Baby Suggs gave to her, possibly because Suggs recognizes the "Aje" that needed healing in Sethe. Baby Suggs also has a "safe" space, which also happens to be the place where she preaches for groups of people looking for a spiritual experience. She has her "safe space" in what is known as The Clearing, which is a beautiful spot in nature where people commonly feel at peace. All of these areas that create "comfortable" spaces for characters throughout Beloved create another tie to compare the "Aje" spirituality with the overall characterization of Sethe, Denver, Paul D, and Beloved.
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