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.