Critical Lens Expert: Inhumane Actions

I analyzed an essay by Pamela E. Barnett titled Figuration's of Rape and the Supernatural in Beloved. She goes into depth on the impact of rape among women especially African American slaves. The author believes the book is haunted by rape and Beloved being the center of it all. Barnett reinforces the thought of rape in a supernatural way by comparing Beloved to a succubus, a female demon believed to have sexual intercourse with sleeping men. The author analyzes that Beloved is like a succubus that drains Paul D of semen and Sethe of vitality. The violations taken my Beloved demonstrates dehumanization because she takes advantage of both Sethe and Paul D in a strange way. The author also shows that African American women were suppressed by white men. Women would become vulnerable and let their bodies be used by white men who felt the need to violate a woman's body.

Barnett gives a clear interpretation of rape throughout the book. She explains women are rapes physically and emotionally. How they have to live with that memory all there life. It really goes into depth about how slaves specifically were treated as sex toys and not as humans. Barnett then also get into how characters would get emotionally violated. She explains how Beloved took advantage of her own mother, consuming her energy just by bringing up the past. The dehumanization brought up by Barnett shows that Beloved wants Sethe to not feel human and more like a ghost just like her. Beloved came back to make Sethe pay for what she had done. The interpretation by Barnett is at a supernatural level showing that not only the white men were capable of this inhumane act but also ghost like figures like Beloved. This all concludes that women have it hard emotionally and physically. Women can be sexually harassed leaving behind scars and marks in their body as a daily reminder. But also women can be emotionally harassed with exposing past memories and torturing them with those memories. That's because women have been stereotyped as vulnerable and weak and women believe it and people take advantage of that.

Critical Lens Expert: Motherhood

I decided to analyze Terry Paul Caesar’s article regarding Motherhood. The author specifies in the relationship between Motherhood and Slavery. The author goes more into depth that because of slavery many mothers have to make very difficult decisions. In the book Sethe makes a hard decision of taking her daughter's life. That option crosses her mind because she doesn't want her daughter to be born into slavery. If born into slavery there isn’t a purpose in life there is no reason to live because your opinions are pointless you become a “thing”. The article also goes into depth into the difference between being a woman and a mother. It specifies that women just think of themselves and make choices that would benefit them and help them out in the long run. In the other hand, being a mother you need think about another human being not just yourself and Sethe displays that in the book. Sethe is one out of many character portrayed as figure of motherhood. The article then concludes that “Morrisons critiques the notion of motherhood as a liberating bond between mother and child”. Meaning that Sethe’s role as a mother is something that is very important throughout the book.

What Terry Paul Caeser claims in the article relates to my own thoughts of the book and what motherhood truly represents. From the entire book what stuck out to me the most was how Sethe was able to sacrifice her own daughter to possibility free her from her own freedom. In the article it also analyzes Sethe’s choice in taking the life of her own daughter. The author questions if Sethe did it to save herself from misery or to save her daughter from misery. But from all that we have learned from Sethe we can assume her attention wasn’t really to save her own life but her daughters. When Sethe recognizes Beloved she gets a sense of relief because she has another chance to make things right.

Close Reading: Mother & Daughter Relationship

“The bigger Beloved got, the smaller Sethe became; the brighter Beloved’s eyes, the more those eyes that used never to look away became slits of sleeplessness. Sethe no longer combed her hair or splashed her face with water. She sat in the chair licking her lips like a chastised child while Beloved ate up her life, took it, swelled up with it, grew taller on it.”

(Pg. 295)

This excerpt is found towards the ending of Beloved going more into depth on the relationship between Sethe and Beloved. It explains metaphorically that while Sethe gets smaller Beloved gets bigger. Its as though Beloved is absorbing Sethe’s energy like a towel making her weak and weak. Beloved it taking in all that life out of Sethe by reminding her of her past and making her feel terrible about herself. Beloved would bring up past memories that Sethe always kept hidden because she didn't want the truth to come out and expose her. Everything that Beloved is doing is making Sethe weak and weak. She became sleepless because she thinks and thinks of what’s going to happen next. She worries that Beloved will take over her life and she will never have a life how she wished. It basically says that Beloved to over her like “ate her up her life” and is diminishing her own mother. What could have caused this was Beloved knowing her mom killed her when she was little and she doesn't recognize that her mother did out of love. In this passage Beloved is portrayed as a strong force of nature brought to destroy everyone in 124 especially Sethe.

Sethe is going through all of this because she love Beloved so much as a daughter. She is willing to do anything for child to happy because she doesn't want to see her leave how Buglar and Howard left 124 and never came back. She lost beloved once and she doesn't want to lose her again she wants to cherish every moment  with her. Sethe doesn't realize that with being with Beloved its killing her. Her love towards Beloved to blinding her from reality and she can't see past Beloveds dark past in which Paul D has noticed. Thats because as a mother she has a lot of love towards her no matter what she does.

This compares to real life because mothers when they have their first child they lose sleep and their social life because they become very invested in there kids. Its their responsibility to feed the baby in the middle of the night when the baby screams of hunger creating sleepless nights. Also she just giving away 18 years over their own lives to raise a child and leaving their own lives for their children gets tiring and eventually parents get used up and become very old with no energy because they have invested so much time and dedication to their kids.

Close Reading: The Nature of Nurturing a Child

All I knew was I had to get my milk to my baby girl. Nobody was going to nurse her like me. Nobody was going to get it to her fast enough, or take it away when she had enough and didn't know it. Nobody knew that she couldn’t pass her air if you held her up on your shoulder, only if she was lying on my knees. Nobody knew that but me and nobody had her milk but me. I told that to the women in the wagon. Told them to put sugar water in cloth to suck from so when I got there in a few days she wouldn't have forgot me. The milk would be there and I would be there with it.

Pg. 19

“They used cowhide on you?

And they took my milk

They beat you and you was pregnant?

And they took my milk

Pg. 20

What caught my attention from the expert was how much Sethe cared for her daughter Beloved. There is a lot of repetition with the “milk” in how it must be given to the baby even when she is gone and not near the baby. The milk is a symbol that a part of Sethe will always be with the baby. Breast milk is something only mothers have and it’s something that babies need on a daily to feed. She also repeats how “nobody” can ever replace her because she is the only one that can care for her daughter. Nobody can take the role of a mother because it's not an easy job it’s a responsibility that only brave women can take. On the next page it explains the reason to why Sethe brought up the discussion of why it's important to take care of her daughter. She tells Paul D that the “boys” took her milk, it's like a part of her dignity was removed, something very valuable was taken from her. What I mean by something valuable, I’m referring to how much her milk meant to her because the milk is a reminder of Sethe’s presence to the baby. Since they took her milk her baby is in danger of the memory of her own mother.

This passage connects back to feminism because it analyzes the role of a mother. It describes Sethe’s role in the book which is a protective women over her children. Women are brave in their own ways and being a mother is one of them. Sethe makes the effort to always be there for her baby girl at whatever cost. Women care for their children with so much love and patience. Typically children become closer to their mothers than fathers because mothers go beyond themselves to keep their children happy and healthy. Personally, I have a stronger bond with my mom then with my dad thats because my mom has nurtured me since birth and has given up everything for my happiness. Although my dad has done the same a mother's love is infinite.

Reflecting and Responding: Women Power

Sethe has become a strong women figure throughout the book. She demonstrates how it's possible to raise a family independently. Shes not the only female figure that remains strong though the book but also Denver and Baby Suggs. Throughout the book all female figures have remained strong giving each other support. Sethe tells Denver that when Sethe was about to give birth to Denver a white girl named Amy found Sethe in pain on the side of the road. Sethe explains that Amy didn't hesitate to help her. Even though they are not the same skin color Amy makes sure she has her baby and  that it able to restore her health. Amy could have easily left Sethe to suffer but she didn't. Many women around the world unite forces to defeat the stereotypes society has them placed. In Beloved it

illustrates the power of the women that women don’t have to rely on anyone to become a great success.

Sethe in the book is an independent women that is raising all her children because her husband Halle had died and she had no one but she herself. She had to learn how to confront her own struggles and Beloved and 124 being some them. She adored her daughter Beloved but the choice she took in killing her wasn't easy but it was the easiest solution in order to prevent Beloved from a miserable life. Her actions are reflective of how she had to make her own decisions without anyone’s opinion and demonstrates how capable she is with situations like these.

In 124 there is a dark force that doesn't allow people to approach it. The house is very isolated but Sethe, Denver, and Baby Suggs remain there. In the beginning of the book the house became too much for Denver she couldn't resist it was too much for her. She began acting weird and even threatened Sethe that she would run away. Sethe then knocked some sense into her and made her realize that was her home. Baby Suggs ends of leaving her full life and dying in 124. For Sethe there is nothing that can separate her from her home. All the female characters in the book are capable of resisting the dark force but the male figures cannot. Buglar and Howard end up running away from the house and Paul ends up leaving to because he can't take it anymore. Throughout the book women ally together to show women are stronger when they are together and also shows that women internally are stronger then men because they can handle more fear.

Reflecting and Responding: Mothers Love

Throughout the book Sethe has been a character with so much love and patience for her own children. She has displayed a role of a protective mother over her children, preventing any harm from them. Sethe is willing to give up anything for her children and in the book it explains that she has so much affection towards Beloved. At first she doesn’t recognize who she was until she mentioned what her name was, and when Beloved first appeared Sethe made her feel at home. Although it was extremely painful for her to murder her own daughter in order to save her life, she still feels guilt over the tragic occurrence. She feels although she got the second chance to be with her and comfort her again like how she should have. Beloved continues to torture Sethe with her past by bringing back the painful memories. Sethe accepts it all and doesn't really complain about it because she knows she created this monster known as Beloved. 

Sethe is also willing to give up anyone close to her for her “ghost baby” and Paul D being one of them. Beloved and Paul D have a very interesting relationship. They don’t connect with each other very well. They have a lot of hatred towards each other because Paul D saw the dark force Beloved brought with her the first day she came to 124. Paul D recognize that Beloved’s intentions were not the best she was out for “blood”. The blood is metaphorically because it seems although she wants her mom to suffer for what she did many years ago.

Sethe’s love is unconstitutional towards Beloved she continues to demonstrate it throughout the book. She has a responsibility to care for Beloved, even though Paul D senses Beloved’s negative force she becomes ignorant and disregards Paul D and his senses because she is blinded by the love of a mother. Sethe’s role as a mother is an important part about the book and she shows us that there are very protective mothers who are always giving up anything for their children.

The Mayflower Express to Mayfield's Interpretation

The Mayflower Express to Mayfield's Interpretation

Sandra Mayfield begins her analysis of Beloved with an examination of how Morrison has shown a great belief that American literature has been missing the psyche of African Americans.  Mayfield, quoting Morrison, continues by saying that not only is the history of American literature missing the psyche of African Americans, but more specifically the psychology and emotions of African American slaves.  In addition, the lack of these attributes in literature is carried with a sense of uneasiness by America to understand this psychology and emotions.  Morrison identifies American authors as main subjects to this belief, as Mayfield puts it, “white American authors were disturbed, confused, unsettled, by the Africanist presences that loomed large in their writings”.  Morrison continues, saying that the way for American literature to complete its history is to be able to, “analyze the absence of an understanding of Africanism,” and its role in forming American culture today.  Mayfield then transitions more directly to Beloved and her argument; Mayfield states that her argument is that slavery, even after its physical conclusion, became a standing metaphor for relations between men and women.  Mayfield also claimed that slavery was more a product of sexism rather than racism.  Mayfield also articulates the claim that Beloved is a book that is centralized around motherhood.  However, this is idea of motherhood is complicated.  Mayfield holds this notion that Sethe is affected by this disconnect as a result of her relationship between her mother and herself.  Along with this, Sethe is also trying to fight her past and provide a life much better than the one she experienced for her kids.  Therefore, in order to face this disconnect from her mother and provide a better life Sethe focuses on becoming the best mother she can.  Through this, Sethe holds this strong sense of love for her children, which can be related to the powerful bond between her and Beloved: her first daughter.  

This article takes a more feminist side to the psychoanalytic lens that helped me open my perspective of the psychoanalytic lens.  By approaching this lens in a different way, this article pushed me to think deeper in terms of Sethe and the specific relations to other female characters that aren’t as central to the plot, for example Mrs. Garner and Baby Suggs who for the majority of the book are absent.  By looking at these female figures in this book, it allowed me to see the role that motherhood had on Sethe and how it allowed her to be a mother herself.  Through looking at these relationships of mothers, and females it pushed me to almost a feminist lens mixed with psychoanalytic lens. With that, I was able to see the role that motherhood played within Beloved. I was also able to connect this to past claims and notions I had regarding Beloved, especially the role that the past has in the book. By mixing my past knowledge and the article, I was able to blend these two ideas of motherhood and the role that the past makes to have this broader mindset of the interconnectedness within the book.

The Power of the Strength of Love

The Power of the Strength of Love

When I first started reading Beloved, I didn’t guess that this book would teach me much about strength and love.  To me, I pictured a book that focused on slavery and being able to mentally overcome slavery.  Yes, that does embody strength, but the strength I pictured was much different than the one I come away from Beloved with.  Whether it be Denver, Paul D. and Sethe, strength and love are these characteristics that is flooded throughout this book, and something that I have been truly been able to take away from.

In my last journal blog reflection, I focused on strength in terms of perseverance.  In this blog, however, I want to focus on strength in terms of love.  It might sound weird, but strength in the form of love is something that I picture as the power to sacrifice oneself or make certain decisions for the ultimate benefit of someone else.  The immediate connection I have is two scenes, one in which Halle buys Baby Suggs’ freedom and Sethe’s act of hurting, and killing one, her children in order to keep them from possibly returning to Sweet Home.  In these two acts, we see this unselfishness to sacrifice oneself, and one’s morals to try and provide a better life for both Baby Suggs and Sethe’s children.  

To create a modern day interpretation and lesson, what this shows is that sometimes the best thing we can do for others is hurt them, or hurt ourselves.  That sometimes when we truly care about someone, sometimes the lengths that we have to go to, to protect them, may be wrong and may hurt ourselves.  To me, this is a harsh reality of the situations that we face, but also a bright reality of how strong love can be.  But the flip side to having a strong power of love is that it can also distort our sense of morality and ethics.  By having both an example of one person sacrificing themselves for the benefit of someone else, and one person acting immorally for the benefit of someone else I was able to see the two sides to the power of having a strong love.  On one hand love can drive us to sacrifice for others, while on the other hand love can drive us to ignore our morals and ethics.    

Responding And Reflecting - New Historical #7 B.H

After finishing the book Beloved and reading through all the historical context, the other historical piece that stuck out to me was the article that was published about how Sethe was running away from white males, got into a wooden shed, and proceeded to kill her children. Paul D didn't believe that story at all since the picture that was included in the article didn't look like Sethe. This made me to believe that not all articles that were about slaves were true and that it was intend to give African slaves a "bad image," to not be trusted. Whenever Paul D sees an article and it has a picture of a slave, it usually meant something daunting. The publishers of every newspapers at that time wouldn't dare to put a story of an African slave that gives them a good image. Additionally, the audience who weren't African slaves did believed what the article said and believed they were all the "same", but what I realized to this day is that history is "repeating" itself on this subject. People will believe whatever the news says, whether it is bizarre or not. The thing is that whenever a person commits the unthinkable, people will believe that the person and his or her race are all the same. For example, police brutality is a very big issue as of today. A handful of cops were reported of using excessive force to an individual, resulting in killing of them. Now that people were aware of the force the cops used, it led to the conclusion that every cop was the same, that they treated a certain race way differently than another race, that they all use excessive force to do their job even if it meant killing the suspect. People need to realize that not all cops will do the same, there are a great amount of cops out there that do good service to their citizens. Connecting this to newspapers in the 1800s about slaves,  even though the news puts a bad image of a certain race or a group of people, it doesn't always mean that all of them are the same. To this day people still think that if one person did this, the person's race or group of people he or she is with will do the same, but not all of us are alike, there is human kindness everywhere.

The Distortion of Right and Wrong

The Distortion of Right and Wrong

“Your love is too thick,” he said, thinking, That bitch is looking at me; she is right over my head looking down through the floor at me. “Too thick?” she said, thinking of the Clearing where Baby Suggs’ commands knocked the pods off horse chestnuts.  “Love is or it ain’t.  Think love ain’t love at all.”

“Yeah.  It didn’t work, did it? Did it work?” he asked.

“It worked,” she said.

“How? Your boys gone you don’t know where.  One girl dead, the other won’t leave the yard.  How did it work?”

“They ain’t at Sweet Home.  Schoolteacher ain’t got em.”

“Maybe there’s worse.”

“It ain’t my job to know what’s worse.  It’s my job to know what is and to keep them away from what I know is terrible.  I did that.”

“What you did was wrong, Sethe.”

“I should have gone on back there? Taken my babies back there?”

“There could have been a way.  Some other way.”

“What way?”

“You got two feet, Sethe, not four,” he said, and right then a forest sprang up between them; trackless and quiet.  (194)

This passage embodies two people with similar experiences and influences, but different perspectives.  On one hand Paul D. is condemning Sethe for her act when Schoolteacher came to 124.  While on the other hand there is Sethe who is trying to justify her acts when Schoolteacher came to 124.  Both Paul D. and Sethe lived a big part of their life in Sweet Home, a part of their life that has undoubtedly shaped the people that they are.  Interesting enough, with both characters living in Sweet Home and having similar experiences, the outcomes of those experiences on them as people are very different in the situation.  This is evident in this argument between the two characters.  In this argument, although the debate is centered around Sethe’s actions the day Schoolteacher came, the true debate here is the debate of right and wrong, and through this we are able to see how each character’s decision has a basis in each other's scars from the past.

“They ain’t at Sweet Home.  Schoolteacher ain’t got em,” and in Sethe’s mind that is the worst scenario she knows.  With this in mind, Sethe tries to protect her kids from ever experiencing that way of life she experienced: even if that means going to the extreme of killing them.  It is in one sense ironic, but is in another sense a testament to all Sethe knows.  Sethe grew up in Sweet Home, and when she escaped she not only struggled to keep herself alive but the life of the baby inside of her.  The struggle of keeping herself alive and her baby, taught her to do everything she could to accomplish two things: escape Sweet Home and live.  Those two things became the purpose of her living.  It is evident in this passage when she says, “It’s my job to know what is and to keep them away from what I know is terrible”.  So, in terms of the debate between right and wrong of hurting her children to prevent them from being taken to Sweet home, her perspective is clear in that the right thing was to keep her children away from the worst thing she knew.  

Paul D. had a much different experience after leaving Sweet Home.  Unlike Sethe, Paul D was sold to another slave master where then he was arrested for trying to murder the man.  Paul D was then able to escape jail with other Black prisoners.  This experience in its own explains why Paul D pictures what Sethe did as “wrong”.  Paul D, believes that, “there could have been a way.  Some other way”.  We can attribute this to Paul D’s past and the scars that came as a result of it.  Paul D has once experienced what it was like to try and kill someone and by using his belief of what Sethe did was wrong, it shows that Paul D’s past has taught him that murdering in any form is not the right course of action.  In addition, what this did was cement a right and wrong in the mind of Paul D.  

What this passage, in all, displays is the influence of both characters past and their impact on not only their actions but their beliefs and morals.  

Circling Through Beloved

Circling Through Beloved

Throughout Beloved, this symbol of a circle is scattered throughout the book within different scenes and sequences of events.  A strategy that is also a popular a characteristic in many African American folklores, something Morrison believes should have a more popular role in novels.  The book itself is a circle in that it begins with a story, a message that is carried from character to character and is ultimately brought back around to the reader to create their own interpretations.  In that way, as said in the article, the reader is the co- author of Beloved.  The content itself also features many examples of circles holding great significance, none other than the overarching theme of overcoming the past.  This overarching theme is portrayed within both Paul D. and Sethe and in their attempts to not only overcome their past but defeat the ghosts of their pasts haunting them.  So it makes sense that in order to conquer their present that is troubled by their past, both characters must conquer their past in order to ease the problems of the present: the ghost and Beloved.  Not only does the article talk about circularity, but also the paradoxes and lessons from the book itself.  One of the lessons mentioned in the article is the lesson of ownership, and the tangle that is created when everyone in 124 Bluestone tries to take ownership over another.  This can be related to the most extreme of ownership, slavery, and how any form of ownership in general is wrong.  An example of one of the paradoxes is at the conclusion of the book, once all the characters are able to face their own past.  After doing this, the narrator says that the story is one to not be passed down.  This is in its own a paradox because the narrator had just retold the whole story even though she believes it is one not to be told.  

The biggest problem I had when analyzing Beloved is that I kept finding myself zooming in to narrowly; I wasn’t able to look at the book as a whole.  This article, though, pushed me to be able to connect the thoughts that I had that were zoomed in, and zoomed them out and related them to the book as a whole. In doing this so, it allowed me to expand my point of view and my perspective and see much more bigger picture.  For example, the thought about Paul D. and Sethe being haunted by their past and the only way for them to be able to defeat this ghost is to be able to face that past is a thought that has a lot of symbolism to because of what their past entailed.  It is symbolic that Paul D. and Sethe’s past is resisting them from defeating this ghost, because Paul D. and Sethe had fought for freedom once, and the only way to attain freedom from the ghost is to face this same past.  

Critical Lens Close - Reading Entry #5 B.H

In page 183 from the book Beloved, there is a passage about Paul D grabbing an article to which he finds a picture of a African male. He doesn't want to read what was about the article since whenever there is an African male or female on the article, the story is horrifying to them. It always meant that whenever there is a picture of African slaves in any article, it meant something bad. Usually the article talks about the actions of one African slave will mean they are all alike, which makes the audience, or white males, either excited or nervous. Stamp Paid read the article to Paul D since he can't read and it talked about how Sethe was running away from white men and went to a wooden shed, where she killed her children. Paul D doesn't believe that story since the picture of her isn't really her. According to Paul D, the mouth wasn't right and didn't have any resemblance to Sethe's mouth. That's when Stamp thinks Paul D's memories have been lying to him the whole time. It had happened eighteen years ago but it seems to Stamp that Baby Suggs and Paul D were looking at the "wrong direction."
In the early 1800s, newspaper articles would post bizarre stories only for African slaves. Newspaper publishers wouldn't make articles about how a white male killed another white male since it will put out a bad image for themselves. Relatively, they also didn't publish articles that makes African slaves have a good image. Instead, publishers put up horrifying stories of African slaves to their newspaper so that they'll have a bad image and wouldn't be trusted. An article I found dated back in 1856 mentioned two slaves, both male and female, cut the throat of their child from one ear to the other. It also included other slaves that were wanted, which to the white males it brought excitement to them. For the audience, this makes them believe that all slaves are like this since there were more articles where that came from. It didn't matter if it was fake or not, the audience still believed them. To this day, people still think that if one person from one race did a horrifying thing, they are instantly convinced that the race are all alike.

Critical Lens Experts - New Historical #6 B.H

From this essay "The Mother-Daughter Aje Relationship In Toni Morrison's Beloved" it describes the relationship of Sethe and Denver using this old spiritual human called Aje. Aje is a Yoruba word that means an empowering, spiritual force that is thought to be included in African women. It also means to describe spiritually humans. In other words, Aje can be considered a witch since they use earthly and cosmic laws. These Aje humans are used to balance society by giving them laws, and if they don't follow them they'll be punished. When one daughter inherits her mother's Aje, both spiritually and physically, it becomes a love and hate relationship. This relationship starts to happen when Paul D and Beloved enter into their homes as Denver is jealous that Sethe isn't paying much attention to her and more to Paul D and Beloved. For one, this spiritual force requires a man to function properly but in the book Beloved, Sethe's husband Halle has passed away and doesn't play a big role in the book. Additionally, there were discussions about the mother "killing" their daughter, either spiritually, mentally, or physically. In the book, Sethe "kills" her daughter by keeping her "where they'd be safe." What that means is that Sethe is so overprotective and attached to her daughter that Denver would have a difficult time leaving her mother in the future. Sethe doesn't want her daughter to experience what she had in the past, and in order to do that she keeps Denver away from any threat, or "White males."
African mythologies, like most cultures, believe in one God but there are more spirits and elements that are included in their culture. Spirits can be considered as The Sun, The Moon, The Rocks, The Earth, and many other elements from Earth. There are other spirits as well inside their soul that show their values and beliefs. For example, in Yoruba there are three spirits in every one of them. The Emi spirit keeps the man alive, sort of operating the lungs and heart and is fed by the wind. Ojiji is a form of shadow that waits in the person until he or she dies. Lastly, Eleda is fed by sacrifices but the connection between these three spirits is that the person will meet these spirits in heaven, waiting for them.

Responding and Reflecting - New Historical #4 B.H

Reading the book Beloved while looking through New Historical Lens gave me knowledge that I haven't known from History classes. What surprised me were these slavery songs that were used in many different ways to show emotion, to communicate with another former slave, or even entertain each other through rough times. Initially, songs were a way to gain happiness once more where they work. Whenever there was a huge amount of labor to do, slaves sing a song to uplift their spirits once again. Most of their songs consist of praising to the lord; asking their Lord to help save them from slavery and guide them to

freedom. Additionally, songs are a way to express feelings or entertainment but slaves used their songs as some form of code that only they could understand. These songs could mean going to heaven or how they feel right now, but in a deeper meaning the song means the pathway to freedom is a dangerous road. Other songs can mean a new way to freedom or rumors they have heard, which gives crucial information to slaves all while their owners think its just a song. One famous song Wade In The Water had important information about how to escape when bloodhounds are finding them, to hide in water so that their scent won't be exposed to the dogs. Another famous song Follow The Drinking Gourd gave full insight to slaves exactly how to escape slavery and find freedom. It included what time the slaves should escape and what direction they should be heading, referring to The Big Dipper in the sky and the sound of Quail. From the beginning, their songs were used to bring back happiness in them while doing labor. From there on, it led to secret coding in their songs that are so descriptive that it gave out pinpoint locations and time to where freedom was.

Critical Lens Experts - New Historical #3 B.H

Toni Morrison's book Beloved references Frederick Douglass' book Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass in a variety of ways to the reader. Frederick Douglass was an ex-slave in the United States (1800s) and became an influential writer in the North. His book Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass was his autobiography and is considered to be the most significant African-American works from the 1800s. Douglass knew most of his audience would be white so he didn't publish his book as an "attack to America" but to give the white audience the knowledge of slavery itself. He uses actual evidence in his autobiography of slavery work and treatment instead of writing emotional slavery songs, while in some sections in the book Beloved, Paul D sings one of his songs. Around the time Beloved was published, Morrison could have put any slavery song without the fear of some uproar with the citizens of the U.S, while in Douglass' era it wasn't wise to write them in his autobiography. Morrison uses the songs not to inform the reader about the cruelty of slavery but shows what the characters have gone through in Sweet Home and other places. She relies the songs from Douglass' book to give the reader more than general view of slavery's brutality. The reason why Douglass never included any songs was because it was viewed as "a testimony against slavery and a prayer to God for deliverance from chains." Connection to New Historicism, Africans carried their rich culture to the U.S more importantly their songs. These songs have many uses; singing them while doing chores, show emotion, and hearing the history of Africans. For Africans, songs were a way to lead to freedom and to communicate with each other. These songs, known as spirituals, were passed from one group to another which give information about pathways to freedom without white people knowing what they are talking about. In one's mind, the songs could mean abut going to heaven but in different meanings, it could mean going up North for freedom or the dangerous path to freedom. A very smart concept during slavery to give other Africans very crucial information.

Comparison of Feminist Lens: Beloved #2

For this last blog, I decide to compare my feminist views on Beloved by Toni Morrison with another feminist article. This article was The Bonds of Love and the Boundaries of Self in Toni Morrison's "Beloved" by Barbara A Schapiro, a college student from Rhode Island.

In this article, Barbara A Shapiro writes about the emotional and physical consequences a slave faced after they were released into the free world in Beloved. She mentions multiple times how past slaves that are eventually released will never be mentally released from their tragic pasts in plantations.

She later mentions the character of Beloved and how she significantly affects the novel, and why her traits are unlike any other characters. Barbara says, “Beloved Does not delve into the roots of white domination,but there is a suggestion of fear and inadequate selfhood underlying the problem”. In this short phrase, the writer of the article expresses how she believes Beloved evokes fear in others, and does not feel like white people have any rights over her. Beloved leads the analysis of the feminist lens in an opposite direction. Women are not suppose to evoke fear in others, and black women in this time had no reason to believe they were equal or just as good as the whites.

Barbara also brings up the character of Setha had no mother figure, only what others had told her about her mother. The article says, “When she becomes a mother herself,she is so deprived and depleted that she cannot satisfy the hunger for recognition,the longed for "look," that both her daughters crave.” This phrase is trying to say that Sethe was so obsessed with this idea of being the long-loving mother she never had that she never got the chance to listen to her children and pay attention.

I completely agree with all of Barbara A Schapiro’s article, the character of Beloved is a mystery during the entire novel and complete opposite of what most view a women as. I also agree with the fact that Sethe is driven by an obsession of mothering her children protectively.