beloved section 1

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1. “The responsibilities of her breasts , at last, was in someone else’s hands now.” pg 21

This shows how seriously Sethe has been taking the responsibilities of a mother. She feels the need to protect and provide for her family, yet is relieved to have someone to share the load. Paul symbolically doe this by supporting her breasts with his hands.

2. “maybe she could feel the hurt her back ought to” pg 21- again shows the oppressive nature of motherhood and the toll it has retracted from Sethe. She is so focused on caring for others she has no time or ability to feel her own pain, even the physical pain of her scars.

3. “Now her mother was upstairs with the man who had gotten rid of the only other company she had.” Page 23 This is the first look into Denvers character. Her mysterious birth leads to an even more mysterious mannerism in which she craves attention. Everyone is leaving her and so she clings to Sethe for stability and even the presence of the baby ghost for security.

4. “ How loose the silk. How fine and loose and free” Pg 33 Although Sethe is describing the corn which she has picked. She is actually making metaphors into her love life with Halle. She uses words like “loose”, “fine” and “free” to show that in the cornfield they were free from their duties. Sex is a form of freedom for Sethe.

5. “excitement that Denver could have all for herself in the boxwood” pg 34 This is an insight into Denver’s character as an attention craving and selfish child. The story will see the growth of Denver while virtually every other character is destroyed.

6. “a white dress kneeled beside her mother and had its sleeve wrapped around her waste.” Pg 35 the white dress is Sethe’s wedding dress which is possessed by spirits, perhaps the baby’s spirit perhaps Baby Suggs spirit. The dress comforts seethe as she prays showing that it doesn’t necessarily mean her harm. Furthermore her wedding was one of the freedoms which she was permitted to have on Sweet Home, this freedom she clings to and protects her.

7. “Down in the grass like the snake she thought she was.” Pg 39 Sethe is feeling guilty because she believes she has ruined her family by running from sweet home. Halle is nowhere to be found, her children are ahead of her, and she has no strength to care for her baby. Snakes represent trickery and evil which is ironic because seethe is said to spit the truth instead of fangs.

8. “Velvet is like the world just born clean and new” Pg 41 Velvet is being compared to the baby inside of Sethe. While Amy travels to Boston for exquisite velvet, so Sethe travels to free soil to give birth to her child. This could be why the baby feels so safe around the white girl and stops kicking.

9. “I was talking about time. Its so hard to believe in it” this is reflected in the way the book is written, with little notion chronological order. The book jumps forwards and back and looks at the same situation from many vantage points.

10. “well I think the baby got plans” the baby had just appeared in the apparition of a wedding dress, holding onto and protecting Sethe. This is a foreshadow for how the baby will protect the sanctity of the house against the invading presence of Paul D.

11. “It was clear why baby suggs was so starved for color”

This is one of the first times color is used which becomes a major theme throughout the novel. Color represents lifes and its many different emotions. From happy exuberant orange to dark brooding black combined with textures. Baby suggs was looking for colors because the real world had tired her so much, she was so shaken from life that she needed interaction without a chance of loss, the rainbow gave her such a relief.

12. “Bare feet and chamomile sap./took off my shoe; took off my hat.” Pg 49 This is the line which Paul D settle s to recite as he fixes the cabin. It is a long way from his gypsy-like nature and shows how he is tied down to the family.

13. “As for Denver, the job Sethe had of keeping her from the past that was still waiting for her was all that mattered.” Pg 51 Shows Denvers sheltered/childish nature. All Denver cares about is that she is cared for. Exposeses her greedy nature which is only disturbed once beloved comes and steals seethes attention.

14. “risky very risky for a used to be slave woman to love anything that much was dangerous” page 54. Shows major insight into both Paul D and Sethe’s history. Both of them have lost virtually everything they love and contrasts them. Where Paul has resigned to never love anything again because it is too painful to have It ripped away seethe loves things so strongly that no-one would dare to take them away.

15. “all were in high spirits… the smell of dying roses”57

Foreshadows the coming of the evil beloved. The fact that everyone was enjoying themselves which was extremely rare for this family yet this smell of doom hangs over them is quite picturesque. Roses may symbolize life or romance and at this time which is the peak of the relationship between seethe and Paul D there s this smell. Could symbolize that the relationship has no real passion, or that they are both too dead to have any passion left.

16. “two pennies and an insult were well spent if it meant seeing the spectacle of white folks making a spectacle of themselves” 58

The contempt which blacks have for whites was all the advertising this fair needed. Also ties into the role of colors. White here is meant to seam foolish, not mean, but still shown in a negative light.

17. “the shadows of the three people still held hands” 59

Described as their shadows holding hands, this is important because they themselves might not hold hands, but perhaps they all wish to be united. The bond is not there yet. Shadows may represent the past or the future, as they all have ties to sweethome and seem to be forming a family. They may also represent hopes or dreams, yet Denver does not necessarily wish to be united with Paul.

18. “ no more like flooding the boat when Denver was born” 61

Ties the rebirth of Beloved to the birth of Denver.

19. “heavy this place is heavy” heavy is often used in places where other words seem to fit better, your love is heavy is another example. Heavy must take on a different meaning similar to important.

20. fielding I promise to enter 45 by the end of the book im coming so you can sign my yellow sheet