Michael Thompson
AP Language
Period 3
March 25, 2013
Rhetorical Analysis:
Beloved
After Sethe, Paul D, and
Denver return from the carnival, they find a woman in an unhealthy condition on
the side of the road. Both Sethe
and Denver are held responsible for nurturing this woman, Beloved, back to
health. Throughout her
recuperation, Beloved is intrigued by Sethe’s stories, and these stories help
to bring her back to health.
During this scene, “Sethe was flattered by Beloved’s open, quiet
devotion. The same adoration from
her daughter (had it been forthcoming) would have annoyed her; made her chill
at the thought of having raised a ridiculously dependent child. But the company of this sweet, if
peculiar, guest pleased her the way a zealot pleases his teacher”(68). Sethe states that she “was flattered”
by Beloved’s admiration for her, but she also claims that this “same adoration
from her daughter would have annoyed her.” This statement shows dramatic irony because, as of this
point in the novel, Beloved seems to embody the spirit of Sethe’s
daughter. The thought of raising a
dependent child “made [Sethe] chill” because Sethe wants her daughter to take
care of herself, however, the fact that Sethe loves Beloved’s dependence on her
is ironic. Sethe also refers to
Beloved as a “zealot” and herself as “his teacher.” This description is symbolic of Sethe’s personality and
beliefs; Sethe refers to Beloved as a zealot, a person who is fanatical in
pursuit of their ideals, but this description most accurately describes
herself. Throughout the scenes in
which Sethe parents Denver, she shows strict uncompromising terms that both
Paul D and Denver must follow.
Similarly, Sethe’s description of herself as the “teacher” describes
Beloved’s role in this scene. Beloved
symbolizes the teacher who Sethe can tell her stories and recount her horrific
past.
Is Beloved really teaching Sethe? It seems to me that Beloved is more feeding off the stories that Sethe tells. Beloved shows her strong desire throughout this passage to hear more and learn more, making her the student. Both angles work, nice job.
ReplyDeleteLook at your word choice in the claim that Sethe and Denver were held responsible for nurturing Beloved; I think their attitudes towards caring for her reflect a voluntary devotion to her. I couldn't find a debatable thesis so you probably need that. Also combine your first and second sentences after the quote so there isnt any summary. At the end I feel you make some claims that don't have the evidence to back them up, but I like that you are pushing the analysis and looking at many aspects of the quote.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Zrb. Also, you analyze words themselves, but not the purpose they serve in the passage. This is critical because without context and how certain devices and word choice act, there is no way to explain your argument, which, at the moment, needs to be more substantiated.
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