The article, “Figurations of Rape and the Supernatural” by Pamela E. Barnett.
Talks about how beloved is a reminder of everyone's past. When anyone speaks to her, like Paul d and sethe memories flood their mind of rape. Sethe, and Pauly D try to block all the negative memories, of rape, torture and lynching, but beloved's presence brings them back to life.
For example, Beloved feeds off the , “memories” of Sethe's past who she only willingly shares with beloved and no one else. Beloved is in some way a supernatural presence appearing out of nowhere. Barnett's s interpretation of Beloved in spot on. Every time someone interacts with Beloved she uses them as a, “catalyst” of bad memories and in a way she does feed off them. Beloved brings back the horrors that Paul D and Sethe had to experience in their old plantation, "Sweet home." For example when Paul D is approached by beloved in the barn she seduces him and has sexual interactions with him. During these occurrences he feels like a, "puppet being pulled by a string", as he is filled with bad memories regarding his past as soon as Beloved touches him. These memories make Paul D feel miserable and feels him with pain. He does go along with Beloved's intentions but only because he felt like he was being pulled into it. She is making them feel vunerable.
Although I don't entirely believe that she is a complete supernatural being, that came to feed off the family's bad luck and experience. She does use these memories for evil intentions. With people opening up with her and telling Beloved what they have come up against, they are really exposing themselves and Beloved ends up using these interactions for her own agenda. In a way, she uses these bad memories to bring down Sethe's family and tear them apart from one another. In reality her goal is to get Sethe for her own and take Paul D out of the picture. That is the reason she acts the way she does with him, to hurt him and make him go away.
Beloved feels like she needs to do this because she wants to fill her emptiness, that need for a mother and the care that one gives. Its almost as if she is actually needing to fill that void, that's the supernatural part about beloved. Her need for a motherly figure and attention. Thats all beloved wants, she's not a bad person, she's just acts immaturely, not on purpose but out of instinct. Beloved is not dangerous, she's just a kid, with kid motives and ideas.
Although I don't entirely believe that she is a complete supernatural being, that came to feed off the family's bad luck and experience. She does use these memories for evil intentions. With people opening up with her and telling Beloved what they have come up against, they are really exposing themselves and Beloved ends up using these interactions for her own agenda. In a way, she uses these bad memories to bring down Sethe's family and tear them apart from one another. In reality her goal is to get Sethe for her own and take Paul D out of the picture. That is the reason she acts the way she does with him, to hurt him and make him go away.
Beloved feels like she needs to do this because she wants to fill her emptiness, that need for a mother and the care that one gives. Its almost as if she is actually needing to fill that void, that's the supernatural part about beloved. Her need for a motherly figure and attention. Thats all beloved wants, she's not a bad person, she's just acts immaturely, not on purpose but out of instinct. Beloved is not dangerous, she's just a kid, with kid motives and ideas.
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