Article Critique

In reading the article: Motherhood in Toni Morrison’s Beloved: A Psychological Reading written by Sandra Mayfield I noticed a different analysis of Sethe's character than my own analysis. The article states that the novel is about motherhood, and how Sethe's early childhood trauma has awoken her maternal instincts. When a person undergoes severe trauma often times they shut down.

This instinct to be maternal does not make sense in her case. The trauma has shut her down over the years and she herself looks to be cared for more than to care for another not care for another person. This is seen on page 114 when Sethe is having Beloved comfort her. She talked about how “beloved's fingers were heavenly. Under them and breathing evenly again, the anguish rolled down.” Before this she had been daydreaming about Baby Suggs comforting her when she is having a hard time. The fact that her daughter and Beloved, who symbolizes her other deceased daughter, are the ones who are caring for her shows that she does not have maternal instincts as much as the need to be cared for.

The article states that "the violent dis-junction between mother and child, the complete existential break between mother and child that Lacan considered so powerful occurred in its most graphic form with the death of Beloved." This is true in the sense that Beloved's views of Sethe are emotionally unhealthy. They are obsessive and have a level of instability that causes the reader to question her state of emotional health. She claimed that "[Sethe] is the one. [Sethe] is the one [she] need[s]. [Denver] can go but [Sethe] is the one [she has] to have." (pg 89). She obsesses over caring and getting affection from Sethe. It would be expected that Sethe would be the one with the need for connection with Beloved and Denver as she is their mother, however she appears to be very distant from them. This shows how she is more inclined to be taken care of mostly by Paul D.

I believe that the reason Sethe and Denver are so connected to Beloved is not due to the fact that she represents a deceased family member as much as how she acts as they both feel inside. All three of the characters feel the need to be cared for. Sethe seeks this care from Paul D, Baby Suggs, Denver, and Beloved. Denver seeks it from her mother at first but later starts to put more focus on Beloved as they have a greater connection than her and her mother especially with Paul D involved.