Anne Kim
Period3
April 7, 2013
Beloved Analysis #2
In
Beloved, Paul D questions his manhood
after being taken advantage of by Beloved, who despite being young and a woman,
is able to breakdown Paul D’s dominance within the 124 household, eventually
forcing him out of the house and away from Sethe. Morrison inverts Paul D’s
previous conception of manhood by using Beloved as way to make him feel
vulnerable and mistaken. Paul D explains how he sees himself as a “rag
doll—picked up and put back down anywhere any time by a girl young enough to be
his daughter”(148). Morrison uses the description of a “rag doll” to refer back
to the emotions Paul D once felt while enslaved by schoolteacher, as though he
is powerless and breakable like a doll. Furthermore, Beloved is able to strip
away his manhood, like schoolteacher, by dehumanizing him into one her toys,
being able to physically move him at “any time.” The imagery of the scene
denotes to a previous incident where the spirit of Beloved intentionally moves
Paul D after feeling threatened by his presence. In this sense, Beloved has
always obtained physical control over Paul D; who’s presence she does not want
to compete with. This ability to dismantle Paul D’s masculinity and authority
within the household causes Paul D to also feel sick and ashamed with himself.
Morrison writes, “because he was man and a man could do what he would:… fight
raccoon with his hands and win, watch another man… roast without a tear…, that man, who had walked from Georgia to
Delaware” (148). Morrison demonstrates the actions of Paul D, and of “man,” to
contrast how Paul D has lost his rights of manhood because of Beloved. The use
of “that,” transforms Paul D’s
strengths into weaknesses now that he can’t “do what he would,” like a true
man. When these strengths are compared to how Paul D is incapable of simply staying
within 124, this ultimately shows how Paul D has become completely broken
because of Beloved.
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