Question:
What struck you as the most obvious or perhaps the most ambiguous (if you're brave) clue that Beloved, a fully dressed woman who walked out of the water, is the physical manifestation of Sethe's dead child? Explain the clue in detail and why it signifies the relationship between the "two" Beloveds.
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Brianna Jenkins: Week 3
ReplyDeleteIt's obvious that the fully dressed woman that walks out of a stream is the reincarnation of Sethe's dead child or an actual living human who is inhabited by the spirit of her dead daughter. Although the human figure appeared to be a woman, she has characteristics of a baby. There are many clues in the story that suggest that Beloved is Sethe's dead child. For example, She "had new skin, lineless and smooth, including the knuckles of her hand(61)". Meaning her skin is as smooth as a baby’s. Other clues: the fever, constantly sleeping, single-minded(not knowing), and Here Boy’s disappearance, The clues that most caught my attention were her unbalanced walking and impaired speech. She moved by "holding on to furniture" while she walked(67). This is what baby's do to keep them balanced when they learn how to walk. Paul D ask her what's her name and she says Beloved "so low and rough"(62) as a baby would if it could talk. An also in the beginning of chapter five when Sethe, Paul D, and Denver leaves the carnival and finds the women; Sethe’s feel a strange sensation of her "water breaking". Like she having a baby again.
Tranelle Davis: week 3
ReplyDeleteIt’s obvious that the fully dressed woman who walked out of the water later known as Beloved is the reincarnation of Sethe dead daughter because as Beloved walked out of the water, Sethe feels a strange, irrepressible need to urinate and it reminds her of the time her water broke before Denver’s birth. This action made me to believe that Sethe was rebirthing her dead daughter. Beloved skin is as smooth as a baby and that signifies that Beloved physical characteristics is lead to be a child just like Sethe dead daughter. As I read the chapters I realized that Paul D felt uneasy by beloved presence and he feel the same way when Sethe Baby ghost appears in the house. Beloved develop a strange attachment to Sethe. Beloved was really interested in Sethe’s past. Beloved ask Sethe questions about earring and her mother leaving Denver to wonder how Beloved knew this things.
Tranelle Davis: Week 3
ReplyDelete@Brianna.
I agree with your assumption that not only that Beloved had the physical characteristics of a baby like her skin being smooth but she also had the personality. As you stated in your response that she didn’t know anything, she slept most of the time, she only took in liquid which was water as babies drink milk. Also the fact that she had to hold on to furniture to walk to balance herself lead me to believe that she is a child that still in a learning process.
Patrick Evans: Week 3
ReplyDeleteThere are many clues that reveal the identity of Beloved as Sethe's dead child. I say the most obvious clue would be her name and how she came to 124. I say this because Beloved appears out of no where on their property and appears to have travelled a long way to get there. Then she introduces herself and immediately Sethe starts thinking about the headstone of her dead child. Beloved's actions are also reflect those of a new born baby. She has trouble walking and speaking even though she appears to be nineteen. The fact that Beloved is infatiuated with Sethe is also a clue. She asks question that are even peculiar to Denver like the diamond earring question which causes Denver to start thinking about Beloved in a different way.
Patrick Evans: Week 3
ReplyDelete@Tranelle
I agree with your look on the how Beloved is recongized as the Sethe's dead child. I believe that if you look closely at how Sethe returned to her home and used the restroom and the arrival of Beloved can be looked at as Sethe giving birth just as she gave birth to Denver. Also I agree with the characteristics of Beloved are consistent with that new born baby.
Romaire Roussell: week 3
ReplyDeleteI was stunned when a fully dressed woman walked out of the water and to add to the surpise her name is Beloved. The same as Sethe's dead daughter; without a doubt she is tied to Sethe's dead daughter. When beloved enters the house both Sethe and Denver care for her as if she's one of their own; particularly Denver. Denver takes the intiative to nurse Beloved back to health. At this point it seems that Denver is the mother of Beloved. When Beloved returns to stable health she finds a particular interest in asking Sethe questions about her past. Although Sethe was uncomfortable reminding herself of her past, she was amazed by the sheer satisfaction Beloved received from hearing her stories. This caught my attention the most because Beloved is basically a stranger to the household, it ponders me wht Sethe is so ope with her. It implies that Sethe does indeed feel some sort of connection as if she's known Beloved longer. Also, I wonder what makes Beloved so curious and interested in Sethe's past.
Kaci Foster: Week 3
ReplyDeleteThe main clue that signified Beloved being a manifestation of Sethe's daughter was the was Beloved is described physically. She is described as having skin like a baby and not speaking much, very similar to how a child of almost two years would behave, like Sethe's child. For this to be an adult woman, it is curious that she is described as having such smooth skin and that it is seemingly wrinkle free. This just adds to the conclusion that can be drawn that Beloved is coming back in the form of Sethe's daughter.
Some other clues that address Beloved's manifestation are the way she does almost nothing but sleep and drink for four days, just as a baby would. Also, the simple fact that her name "Beloved" matches the engraving on Sethe's daughter's headstone gives a clear sign that there is some relation between this mysterious woman and Sethe's daughter.
@Brianna...
ReplyDeleteI very much agree with your interpretation of the way Beloved move around, holding on to furniture, as if she needed assitance getting around. Also, the low tone of her voice was another interesting detail that I did not pick up on. Both of these really do clue the reader in that Beloved is child, even baby-like, resulting is the conclusion being drawn that Beloved is indeed a manifestation of Sethe's daughter.
The most obvious sign that Beloved was a reincarnation of Sethe's daughter, for me, is her coming out of the river as if she was being born. The second clue was the recognition of how soft and delicate her feet are; just like a newborn. The most obvious connection that the two Beloved's are one in the same is the interest that Beloved takes in Sethe. Beloved hangs on Sethe's every word and just wants Sethe to tell story after story like a young child. Denver even takes care of Beloved like she is a baby, and shows some sibling jealously when Beloved is asking Sethe so many questions.
ReplyDelete@ Kaci..
ReplyDeleteI agree with your statement about Beloved's behavior that clues the reader on who she really is. Her physical characteristics do back up the symbolic ones that point to who she really is.
When reading the next chapters it made me wonder,when a fully dressed women who walked out the water and her named was beloved. That's the same name of her dead daughter. From there I knew the spirit of her daughter got into her and she came out of the water as her daughter. The clues were when Sethe hold on to furniture to get around and sleeping too much. That's what a child does. Then she was describe for having soft skin which is another feature of a child. Dever was taking care of her like a child. Sethe ask him questions about her past which means she dont remember anything. Then Dever started to wonder about her. Thats how Sethe and her daughter have a connection.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the most obvious clue that Beloved was the physical maifestation of Sethe's dead child was her skin. The book described Beloved as having new skin. They said her skin was lineless and smooth even her knuckles. Most people associate smooth, lineless skin with the younger population. New skin takes it even further by hinting that her skin is like a baby's skin. Sethe's baby was only two years old when she died so her skin still would have appeeared smooth and new.
ReplyDeleteAnother sign that she was the physical manifestation of Sethe's baby is that she didn't say much. She could talk but chose not to. At two years old, toddlers have a few words in their vocabulary but not much so they are limited in what they say. This was the same with Beloved. Another clue was her actually name. When she said her name was Beloved it automatically reminded me of Sethe's baby because that was the name Sethe put on the baby's tombstone.
@Tranelle
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you about the part where Sethe had a strong urge to urinate and how it reminded her of her water breaking. I completely overlooked that part as being a sign but I understand why it would be.
To be honest i didn't know that the fully dressed woman was in fact Beloved. In my opinion, nothing exclaimed that this was Beloved. There are details that make you wonder who is this person, where exactly did they come from, and what is their purpose; but I don't feel as if the information given is enough to classify the lady as Beloved (the dead baby). Sethe's past is full of dead women. I guess one could assume that this is the physicla manifestation of Sethe's dead child because both characters are names are Beloved. The contrary to that is the fact that the ghost is an adult. Sethe killed a baby girl not a young woman. The presence of the this person is of bewilderment.
ReplyDelete@ Brianna Jenkins
ReplyDeleteAt first didnt quite pick up on the clues that Beloved was the manifestation of Sethe's baby girl, but your clues really pointed the out fact that this was indeed her baby. I was trying to figure why Sethe had a strange urge to urinate when she saw Beloved on the tree stump. Your assumption of her waterbreaking makes perfect sense.
Shanti Hubbard: Week 3
ReplyDeleteThe clue that made me think that Beloved was the physical manifestation of Sethe's dead child was when Paul D said "Acts sick, sounds sick, but she don't look sick. Good skin, bright eyes and strong as a bull." It corresponds to the comment Denver made, "[f]or a baby she throws a powerful spell." In the beginning of the book they were constantly askin how such a tiny thing could hold so much power over them. When the woman came out of the water, she seemed to be sick but physically the complete opposite. They both had the initial "death" but gained a great, unexpected strength.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteInitially when I started reading about Beloved I didn’t realize her significance in the story. I didn’t realize how important she is until she told the family her name and once she got over her illness and began showing her peculiar behavior. Her description at the beginning of the first chapter of the reading may have suggested that she was going to be somehow connected to Sethe’s murdered baby. The ultimate clue that led me to believe that she was in fact a manifestation of Sethe’s dead child came at the very end of the reading when Denver was suspicious about what prompted her to ask about the earrings. That shocked me because that also raised curiosity in me to ask the same thing that Denver was wondering ‘What made her ask about the earrings?’ She would have had to known something about Sethe to ask that question. Another detail that really struck me as well was when they made references to her feet. They said that her feet were smooth, such as if a newborn’s feet would be. That was another sign that she could have been symbolic of Sethe’s daughter. The last detail that just really surprised me about Beloved connection to the child was her growing obsession to Sethe. Just as a child would, Beloved began to get attached to Sethe as if she was her mother. That was very surprising to me.
ReplyDelete@Patrick i agree with your assumption that her name and how she came to 124 are good clues. Also, i didn't realize that Beloved's initial actions about not being able to walk or talk very well directly correlate to Sethe's baby. Finally, Beloved's infatuation toward Sethe is similar to one a child might have towards their mother that they admire.
ReplyDelete@Briana Miles
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with your comment. I really never even made that connection while I was reading, and since you pointed that clue out, it really is probably one of the most pertinent clues. I also noted the clue of the new skin, so agree with you as well.
Jasmine Hunter Week 3
ReplyDeleteAs I was reading these chapters, I didn't realize that Beloved was a reincarnation of Sethe's daughter until I read the blog question. Since it's more clear now it's obvious that the fully dressed woman that walks out of the stream is the reincarnation of Sethe's dead child or an actual living human who is inhabited by the spirit of her dead daughter. Although Beloved appeared to be a woman, she has characteristics of a baby. For instance, When the woman looks at her, Sethe notices her flawless skin, which has no wrinkles. Her head wobbles as if she were unable to hold it up, just like a newborn. The fact that Beloved emerges from water also suggests that she is a newborn, just emerged from the mother’s womb.
Danielle Casey: Week 3
ReplyDeleteAs I was reading I fully caught on to the fact that Beloved was Sethe's reincarnated daughter because of the many context clues that were provided. The skin on her face and her feet was smooth with the absence of labor (that like of a baby), she couldn't hold her head up like a newborn who wasn't used to the weight of their head on their neck, she was sleeping most of the day and when she walked she had to hold onto things to help her through the room. Also, her eyes lit up at even the slightest though of sweets and that is also a characteristic of a baby. Even though she wears the disguise of a fully dressed woman, she still seems like she just emerged from Sethe's womb.
@Courtney
ReplyDeleteI can see where you are coming from because it is a little confusing that she is dressed like a woman instead of a baby. It gets confusing at times all the thoughts that go through Sethe's head. There are a lot of hidden meanings in this novel that are hard to catch at first glance.
I first knew that Beloved was the physical manifestation of Sethe's dead child when she looked at the orange in the quilt like it was the first time she had seen color. In the previous chapters, it was mentioned that the baby could not see the orange in the quilt. Beloved's response to it was odd. Paul D's comment about her skin and how soft and flawless it looked reminded me of a baby's skin. By her appearance, it was obvious she was very mature, adults do not tend to have skin like a baby when they get to be a certain age. Lastly, the way Beloved spoke seemed elementary, almost child like. These characteristics and actions led me to believe that Beloved is the physical manifestation of Sethe's dead baby.
ReplyDelete@Shanti
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. The comment Paul D made led me to draw my conclusion. Its pretty obvious if you ask me. I wonder if any of the characters aside from Beloved have any clue.
Tempestt Carter Week 3:
ReplyDeleteThe most obvious clue that beloved is the manifestation of Sethe’s dead child is the way she constantly asks Sethe to tell her stories. At a young age, children always ask their respective parents to read them a bedtime story or to tell them a story. Beloved barely knows Sethe, but constantly wants her to reiterate stories from her past. Also, the fact that beloved always know the right questions to ask in order to get Sethe to talking about a specific thing; almost as if she was there but wanted to be told the details over again for enjoyment. When Beloved asks for these stories although it may evoke bad memories, it allows Sethe to have a mother, daughter relationship she has never had with her own daughter, Denver.
@Jasmine
ReplyDeleteI didn't get that either until I read the question and then it all made sense. Her body gestures and her actions were the biggest clues to letting you know that she was a baby reincarnation.
Kyle McClue: Week 3
ReplyDeleteThere are a number of clues revealing that Beloved is Sethe's dead child. In my opinion, the most obvious clue is the questions that Beloved was asking Sethe. Beloved asked Sethe questions as if she has known Sethe most of her life.Denver began realizing this at the end of Chapter 6.
@tcarter
ReplyDeleteYou made a very good point. Beloved was very interested in learning every bit of Sethe's story. I like that view point of the story.
There are a few subtle clues in chapter 4-6 that reveal to the reader that the "fully dressed woman [who] walked out of the water" is indeed the dead baby Beloved. In chapter four we learn that "She had new skin, lineless and smooth, including the knuckles on her hand." (61). Beloved's skin is very much like a babys and when she comes to stay with Sethe she sleeps all day and is very feverish much like a newborn. It is also very apparent that she is the baby Beloved because she moves very slow and has to hold on to furniture as if she's first learning to walk. Whenever Beloved is awake her eyes are literally glued to Sethe much like an infant's would be to it's mother. She longs to hear her speak and to see her move about the house. Beloved asks Sethe about her mother and about the "diamonds" she used to wear in her ears. Though it is not likely that Beloved could know the details of these occurrences in Sethe's life because she was not alive, it is clear that she has a deeper connection to her than chapter 6 reveals at first.
ReplyDelete@ Shanti
ReplyDeleteI agree with you and Patrick. The clues and hints of this mysterious young woman suggest that she is no other than Sethe's dead little girl. Who else could it be? She does know to many details that Sethe has never told anyone and she is obsessed with Sethe.
Christina Tate week 3
ReplyDeleteIt is very obvious that the young woman is the daughter Sethe killed. The tombstone and the girl have the same name. She showed up once Paul D was getting settled in and banished the spirit. This young woman looks new as if she just came from the womb, new hands, soft baby like skin, and she can barely walk like a baby. Beloved is intrigued with Sethe and askes questions about stories that she should not know. This young lady emerges from the water as if a baby was emergiing from the womb.
Karedonovan Oliver- Week 3
ReplyDeleteIt is obvious that the fully grown woman who walks out of the water is actually the physical manifestation of Sethe's daghter Beloved, because people don't magically walk out of bodies of water. The fact that she has no past and lacks memories hints that something is strange about her. Beloved also shows infant like behavior, she slept for days until she saw Denver with the sweet bread and she woke up and looked fully energized. This is a connection, because babies usually sleep until they get hungry. Also beloved clings to Sethe like an infant, as she goes to meet her everyday after she leaves work. The most obvious clues were the questions about Sethe's mother doing her hair, and the earings given to her by Mrs. Garner. This was obvious, because Beloved was making Sethe think about her past, and about things that nobody else knows
Karedonovan Oliver- Week 3
ReplyDelete@Brianna
I totally agree with you, because everytime they made a reference to her skin it was somewhat related to a baby's skin, and also her lack of motor skills
I believe that Beloved is the reincarnation of Sethe's child because of the deep connection they share. On pg. 75, in that final paragraph, it said Denver noticed in particular the questions that Sethe asked when asking about her diamonds and earrings. It seems as if Sethe is nurturing Beloved as she would do her own child. I dont believe someone would take in a stranger so easily without feeling some sort of connection between them. The way Sethe connects to Beloved is stronger than her own connection to Denver. Although Denver wants the connection between herself and Beloved to be strong, Beloved is drawn to Sethe(her mother) like a baby is to their mother.
ReplyDelete@Karedonovan Oliver
ReplyDeleteI agree with your view of the relationship between Sethe and Beloved. Beloved does portray traits of an infant toward Sethe(her mother). Also it seems that she is recalling personal memories to either try and gain them back or make Sethe understand exactly who she is.
There are a plethora of clues to validate the point that the woman who came out of the water was the manifestation of Beloved. The first clue was the woman going directly to a tree stump by 124, which could lead to the woman wanting Sethe, Denver, and Paul D to intentionally find her. Another clue was Sethe's overwhelming urge to urinate immediately after she saw the woman. This is almost a reenactment of Sethe's water breaking as if she is giving birth to a child. Another clue is the woman's constant need of water and her long hours of rest as if she is a new born baby. The water could be a representation of the milk a newborn baby constantly needs when being nursed. The most ambiguous clue is how the woman is incapable of stable head support. This clue could have many meanings. It could relate to the similar inability of a newborn baby or it could represent the damage that was done to Beloved's neck when Sethe was forced to sever it, leaving her unable to hold her head up.
ReplyDelete@J.Davis
ReplyDeleteYou bring up good points that i did not recognize. The first point was the orange in the quilt and the second point was the broken and very fundamental language that the woman spoke. Both of these clues could very well prove that the woman is Beloved.
I knew that this strange woman was a manifestation of Sethe's baby just from the fact that her name matched what Sethe had engraved on the tombstone, and also because of her curiosity and attachment to Sethe. I'm not sure if Sethe ever recalled what she had named her baby, but being that Beloved was the only thing on her tombstone naturally a simple two year old would think that this was her name. And the curiosity that Beloved has for Sethe could be written off as a young traveling woman with no family or mother figure in her life searching for one, but in the context of the book that this attachment occurs I think it is safe to say it's because she is Sethe's daughter.
ReplyDelete@gpeppers
ReplyDeleteWow. You did an excellent job reading between the lines. I never caught on to Sethe's urge to urinate as her rebirthing her baby. I just attributed it to that fear/excitement urination when something happens. Just like I overlooked the stability of Beloved's head. Good observation!
I questioned whether or not this Beloved was the manifestation of Sethe’s child. It seemed just too good to be true because it was so obvious. What did make me believe that it was her was they way in which she was described over and over again. Her hands and feet were wrinkle-free, soft and like new. Her baby-like features made me believe that this was in fact Sethe’s child.
ReplyDeleteI do not question whether this Beloved is the manifestation of Sethe's dead child. What makes me believe that this strange woman that mysteriously showed up is Sethe's daughter is the details the book laid out to me as a reader. In the book details like Beloved's age, her name, her lack of memory, and her smooth skin like a baby all points to Beloved being Sethe's daughter whether that be her as a real person or as a physical manifestation.
ReplyDelete@ J.Davis
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with the conclusions you came up with like in the story where it was said that the baby couldn't see orange in the quilt and how Beloved seemed to be fascinated with the color orange in the quilt and also how the author likened Beloved's flawless skin to that of a baby. Good job drawing parallels between the two.
@ShantiGina
ReplyDeleteI never realized that what was said in the beginning of the novel about how powerful this baby was connecting to what Paul D said about her not being sick and being as strong as a bull. I think this provides a great clue to her identity as Beloved.
The relation between Sethe's deceased daughter Beloved and the adult woman Beloved is quite obvious to me. The adult Beloved has a very unique skin type. It is very soft and smooth and had no indication of time. It was just like a baby's skin which is a coincidence because Beloved was a baby when she died. There was also an attachment that the adult Beloved has with Sethe. There were times where she would just look at her in amazement as if she has known her at one point in time in her life. Also the at the end of chapter 6, Beloved ask Sethe about her "diamonds" and where they were and things of that nature and it was just like how would you know about these things, so I think that those are some things that make the adult Beloved a manifestation of the baby Beloved.
ReplyDeleteI agree with most of the previous comments. Toni Morrison makes it where we could get a pretty good idea that this women that came out from the water is actually Sethe's daughter, but doesn't give it away to us that she actually is. Through chapters 5 and 6 Toni keeps us guessing, "Can this really be Beloved's ghost?" Through chapter 5, it becomes more and more evident. When her name is revealed to be Beloved. The description of her skin. It is baby soft. It seems as though, like i mentioned in the previous blog, past memories constantly come back to haunt Sethe. Now, her daughter, or at least the memory of her, has returned in a physical form.
ReplyDeleteErica Gbekle: Week 3
ReplyDeleteAs we can see from the story the woman who walked out the water is a reincarnation of Sethe daughter. The woman name is Beloved brings back memories that Sethe has tried to forget about slavery. I feel that Beloved plays a major role in this story she she can be reincarnation or just a normal person who has happens to be like act and look like Sethe's daughter. Some signs that that might show that Beloved is Sethe daughter is her close relationship that she has with Denver and Sethe after just knowing them for a couple days. Also in the book it say that she was suffering from a fever, sleeping all day, and hasn't been only been drinking four days. Beloved has brought some good and bad memories Beloved remains Sethe of what daughter could have been like and she also brings back some old painful memories. Some the signs in the book show that she is Beloved she starts to seem very interested in Sethe's family and her past. Paul D notices how close they are becoming almost like mother daughter after knowing each other for a couple days. I feel like is reincarnation of Sethe's daughter.
@Marquis Andry I do agree with what your saying about her physical features that can lead us to believe that is her daughter.
ReplyDelete@Chelsea Dubose I agree with that her connection with Sethe can lead us to believe thats her daughter.
ReplyDeleteIn the first part of Chapter Five, it states and gives several examples of how the fully clothed woman could represent, Beloved, Sethe’s other child. The fairly obvious one is how she came from out of the water as if she were being born again into a new life. Earlier in the book, it states that “Beloved” died as a young child. It also goes on to say how once emerging from this water that she was sopping wet, breathing shallow and trying to adjust the weight of her eyelids. These clues or hints resemble that of a baby when they are born. Beloved has come to Sethe and Paul D has a reminder to their past, while giving Denver a glimpse of how things existed or were carried out back then.
ReplyDelete@ Kyle. I agree with Kyle's comment about Sethe being oblivious to the fact that the woman was beloved. I think it is really strange for a stranger to ask Sethe all those interpersonal questions without being around or knowing Sethe personally. Sethe should have picked up on the woman being Beloved.
ReplyDelete@gpeppers You brought up some additional clues that weren't that obvious characteristics of how the baby could resemble Beloved. Great job going beyond the obvious things!
ReplyDeleteI believe that Sethe was blind to realize that this woman who walked out of the water was Beloved. Another reason for that is because she knew about the diamond necklace and her mother. It was obvious to me that the woman was Beloved because of the questions she was asking Sethe. At first I thought it was another Beloved until I read further. Another give away that the woman was Beloved was that she knew exactly were Sethe would be at certain times. It was as if she was there before, but Sethe was too blind to see. The relationship between the two Beloveds were that the older one seemed as if she didn't have an education. In a way the woman had the mind of the baby Beloved because of the constant questions about Sethe's earlier life.
ReplyDeleteThe most obvious clue that let me know that Beloved, a fully dressed woman, was Sethe's dead child was the fact that beloved knew how to get to 124. 124 seemed to be a place that not too many visitors visited. Also, Beloved was described as having "new skin," which let me know that the character that was being described had gone through some kind of reincarnation.
ReplyDelete@Ephraim I agree with your conclusions. The part about the skin was a good example about the woman. The baby had soft skin and so did the woman.
ReplyDelete@ tcarter I never thought about it in that way. I like how you incorporated childhood wants into the adult Beloved. Since she died as a child she was never able to have stories read to her or ask her mother these questions or about her past. Now that she is an adult she can have that bonding time with her mother that she always longed to have. Good job
ReplyDeleteJanisse Bowles week3
ReplyDeleteIt was obvious that the women that walked out of the water was Beloved, the ghost of Sethe's baby. She was very awkard, unable to speak like a adult, unable to walk without holding on to something, and seemed very naive.
@Francois The fact that Beloved was able to find the house was a good clue when not many people care nor knew how to get there.
ReplyDeleteKristen Priestley: Week 3
ReplyDeleteIt is obvious that the fully dressed woman is the physical manifestation of Sethe's dead child because of her appearance and actions. In the book it states that she had new skin, lineless and smooth, including on her knuckles and hands, which is just like baby skin. Her actions prove to me that this is Sethe's Beloved because she knew exactly how to get to 124. She was very fascinated by Sethe's stories of her past, and always wanted to be around her. This definitely portrays a bond between a mother and daughter.
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ReplyDelete@Alan Presley I totally agree with you. There were so many signs to reveal that she is Sethe's dead child. Sethe was blind to see it,but I also think that in her heart she knew it was her daughter Beloved, but was afraid to admit it. It's almost like it was too good to be true for her.
ReplyDeleteThe first line of chapter five is what made me think that the lady that emerged from the water was Sethe's daughter Beloved. Just by the way the chapter started and the situation about a lady "fully dressed" coming out of water, a kind of awry situation made me automatically assume that this lady had to be the dead daughter. In Chapter three Denver felt that Paul D's presence "chased away the ghost" and was sad that her only "company" was gone,but at the end of Chapter three Paul D mentions that Denver's "got a waiting way about her" and that he was interupting it. Denver was waiting on the ghost to come back to the house in any shape or form and if the ghost was gone for good after that one encounter with Paul D, then the story would have ended at chapter three. The spirit had to come back to the house with more than just throwing dogs into walls, shattering mirrors and shaking the house. Coming back in human form was the only way to reinstate her presence. Other details in the chapters such as the lady's name, her sleeping very often, as well as having skin and feet so soft and smooth only confirmed my assumption.
ReplyDeleteDanielle Wilson.week 3
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to the significance of the two Beloveds, it can be seen as the arrival through water as a rebirth. The spirt of this child has been reborn in this woman and when this girl comes fully clothed it is as if she came ready for what was to come. She came back as she needed to be. Aside from her arrival this girl is fascinated with Sethe and knows many things that only certain people would know. It quite easily seen that these two beloved are actually one and the same.
@Brianna Jenkins
ReplyDeleteI think that your assessment of the entire Beloved situation it accurate and quite right. I agree with the connections you made in the text with Sethe's sensations and the whole experience.
@Tranelle I completly agree that Sethe's endless stream of urination represents the birth of a child and in this case the birth of her deceased daughter. The lady emerged from water and Sethe's urination is the water from which she was birthed and it becomes a little more clear when Sethe remembers that she flooded the boat that Denver was born in and the author writes " But there was no stopping water from a breaking womb and there was no stopping now"(61)
ReplyDeleteThe most obvious clue that link Beloved and Sethe together is when she was reminded of her water breaking. This image reminds her of the birth of her daughter. Another clue is when Beloved image is portrayed as a baby. Beloved’s skin is smooth and she only sleeps. Beloved’s sleep pattern connections to a baby because when babies are first born they sleep a lot. The most important clue is the attachment between Beloved and Sethe. Beloved gets Sethe to open up about her past, but she never once told Denver any stories. Other clues such as Beloved's speech and walk also shows physical manifestation of Sethe's dead child.
ReplyDelete@Alan Presley I agree with your assumptions, but I felt that Sethe didn't want to acknowledge that could be Beloved, her dead child. Sethe tried to destroyed every memory that brought her pain.
ReplyDeleteAndrenique Wilson: Week 3
ReplyDeleteThere are many clues that tells us that Beloved is the reincarnation of Sethe’s dead child. First, the name, Beloved, next the way she acts like a child, and then the attachment to a stranger. “ A young woman, about nineteen or twenty, and slender, she moved like a heavier one or an older one, holding on to furniture, resting her head in the palm of her hand as though it was too heavy for a neck alone (67).” This quote expresses that this young woman should be physically fit to walk on her own. Ironically, her behavior would remind oneself of how a one year old child acts. As a one year old, it would be difficult to take the first steps without holding onto something. Another clue was how Denver became suddenly attached to Beloved, like she did with the baby ghost in the earlier chapters.
@Tameka
ReplyDeleteI agree with your assumption of Sethe's water breaking is like her giving birth again. I also agree that Beloved is physcially charaterized as being a child. From her skin to her walking like the dead child, ironically it makes sense that she is the dead child.
What struck me as the most obvious or perhaps the most ambiguous clue that Beloved, a fully dressed woman who walked out of the water, is the physical manifestation of Sethe's dead child is the fact that she came into their lives as if she belonged, and also her physical appearance. Her characteristics also give signs that she has the mindset of a child or that certain things sparked a memory in her head. Beloved walking out of the water could in a way symbolize a birth. She was born and went into her family. Although her body was that of an older person the fact that the texture of her skin is mentioned as being soft and lineless shows that apparently she has the skin of a baby. Her actions are also that of a child. When she is asked her named she slowly spells it out, and she also can not walk completely on her own. When she first arrives at the house all she wants to do is drink and sleep, which is the same thing that infants do when first coming home. Her voice is very soft and low.
ReplyDeleteIt also struck me that some kind of connection existed with Denver. Denver would care for her, watch her, and also stick up for her. Beloved showed a connection to Sethe as if she were her mother. She asked questions and wanted to hear the response. Beloved also rubbed her fingers on the squares of the blanket that was placed over her like the blanket meant something. To me the fact that there wasn't any sign of Sethe or Denver feeling uncomfortable around her could also be taken as a clue.
@krissynoelle I agree with the fact that Beloved knew exactly how to make it to 124 is a huge clue. She arrived soaking wet and she waited until the family arrived to take her in. I also agree that there is clearly a mother daughter bond between Sethe and Beloved that maybe Beloved feels but it may not have hit Sethe yet.
ReplyDeleteWell, at first I really didn't realize that the fully dressed woman that came out the stream was the physical manifestation of Sethe's dead child until I read the blog question. Now, it has become so obvious with all the details in the reading that this woman is indeed the physical manifestation of Sethe's dead child. There are actually many clues in the reading that gives it away. From the dressed woman having flawless skin, to her not being able to walk, all of these qualities are that of an infant. The one clue that really struck me was when Sethe first saw Beloved and started to have this sensation of her water breaking as if she was having a baby again.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the most striking and obvious similarity was the name itself, usually when you write on a tombstone it will say R.I.P. followed by the name of the person or initials. when sethe writes beloved on the tombstone that gave it away for me that this person could have been a reincarnation of sethe's unnamed daughter.also another thing that lit a light bulb in my head was the simple communication method, close of that of an infant or toddler.
ReplyDelete@tameka5892
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with your assumptions about Beloved. All of your assumptions were very clear and straightforward. I thought it was very interesting how you Beloved's sleep pattern to that of a baby. Nice work!
Tyler Kinermon week 3:
ReplyDeleteI believe that Beloved is a reincarnation of her deiced daughter, because in the passage it says that her skin was “smooth like a baby”, and when someone comes out of water I would not expect for their skin to be smooth. She slept a lot like most babies do because they are still trying to develop; also with her trouble walking and speaking was off. Although she is now a young woman, I think this is how she would have looked if she was still alive.
Shannon Douglas, Week 3
ReplyDeleteI believe the most obvious detail that lead me to think Beloved and Sethe's dead child were one in the same was the way she introduced herself to the family. When they asked Beloved what her name was she simply replied "Beloved", and proceeded to spell it. Looking back on how Sethe resented not being able to put more on her child's gravestone, and Beloved not having a last name only makes it obvious that she is Sethe's daughter.
Secondly, Sethe notices that Beloved is not a woman, but instead a child of about 18 or 19 years old. It had been a little over eighteen years since Sethe had run away from Sweet Home, which makes an instant connection between Beloved and her dead child.
@Kelly Lockett
ReplyDeleteI agree with your assumptions. The fact that Beloved arrived through the form of water was a symbol of child-birth. Beloved knew this was her family which made it so much easier to feel at home. She wasted no time bonding with Denver, and the fact that Denver was so willing to show her that sisterly love shows the blood connection between the two.
You made a good observation by pointing out that Beloved shows characteristics of an infant in that she can barely walk on her own, and in slow and soft in speech.
I believe the mysterious woman who walked out of the water is Beloved because of her personality and characteristics. The fact that Beloved knew where to find the family is the biggest clue because a spirit would not haunt anyone that is not relevant to them, even though this is a real person. Another clue that the mysterious woman is Beloved is her actions. The lady acts like a infant because of her sleeping patterns and she also has traits of an infant.
ReplyDeleteI agree with most of the comments especially @Patrick. The clues are obvious that the mysterious lady is Beloved as a result of her infant characteristics and habits.
ReplyDeleteBesides the obvious fact that the girl's name is Beloved, the same name written on Sethe's head stone, her actions remind the audience of an infant. For example, she sleeps all day just like an infant. Also, she is very weak, almost like she does not have any control over her body. In comparison, an infact who spends each day learning the functions of her body. Sethe too shows signs to why the two Beloveds resemble. The most evident sign was Sethe's sensation of her water breaking. This clue led suspicions high to the question if Beloved is her daughter's ghost.
ReplyDelete@ Erica Gbekle: I never tuned into the fact that Beloved's apperance triggered painful memories for Sethe. Maybe we will be able to learn much more about her past which she persists to hide from Denver. Interesting.
ReplyDeleteThe most obvious clue that Beloved, a fully dressed woman who walked out of the water, is the physical manifestation of Sethe's dead child is the fact that she shows up at this specific house, and this home is not in the open; therefore, how did she find Sethe’s phone. I do not feel like Beloved was sick but wanted to feel nurtured by a mother figure. There was an innate bond between Denver and the girl; Denver, for the first time, felt a since of being needed and a since of belonging. Although Sethe did not know this girl, she allowed this stranger to stay in her home and sleep in Baby Suggs bed. This is symbolic because no one ever goes into that room, let alone sleep in her bed. The way that the girl looked at Sethe when she entered and exited the room is though there was a silent admiration in her actions. She managed to ask about past occurrences that only a person that knew Sethe would know to ask. She brought back memories that Sethe had managed to erase from her memory. Sethe never dismissed the girl even when Paul D asked why she was there. He was the only one that stated that something was not completely right with the girl.
ReplyDeleteI agree with @Francois. The fully dressed girl that emerged from the water had been reincarnated. Sethe knew from the beginning and did not want to admit it to herself that this was her child. The reason I know she knew was because of the way she reacted when she first saw the girl. She had this strange urge to urinate. It was stated that the only other time she had felt her bladder filled to capacity like that was when she had seen her real mother for the first time. This within itself has an underlying meaning.
ReplyDeleteErrol O. Williams Jr.
ReplyDeleteMs. Williams
ENG-1020 24
23 January 2011
The lady that rises out of the water seems to be the baby Beloved, due to the simple fact that they share very similar traits and physical characteristics. The woman had smooth skin, not a wrinkle in sight. The “small voice she has is one a young child. The woman has trouble spelling and walking under her own power. Almost all of her actions were almost childlike in many ways. I say reincarnation because rising out of water is in the sense the same as childbirth, not new to the world just the environment.
Sarion Granger: Week 3
ReplyDeleteWhat struck me as the most obvious or the most ambiguous clue that Beloved is the physical manifestation of Sethe's dead daughter is the fact that she ironically arrives at Sethe's house,and her physical appearance. Although her appearance suggests that she is a grown woman, the texture of her skin which was mentioned as being smooth and soft, shows that she has the skin of a baby. She also acts like a child in which she only knows a few words and stares at Sethe in amazement. When she is asked her name she spells it out slowly in a weird voice as if she is just learning how to spell and talk. She also walks as if she is a toddler that is learning how to walk. When she first comes to their resident all she does is eat and sleep just like infants do. Denver and Sethe both seem really comfortable around Beloved as if she has always been apart of the family. Denver seems to take on the big sister role and Sethe acts as if Beloved is her child.
@ Mariah
ReplyDeleteI have come to same conclusion about Denver being jealous of Beloved, and also the reincarnating into an adults body is more than correct.
@Alan Presley I definitely agree with you. There were so many obvious signs that Beloved was Sethe's daughter such as she asked questions that only family members would know the answers to. I believe that Sethe thinks that maybe the fact of Beloved being the reincarnation of her dead daughter is impossible.
ReplyDeleteAmber Hudson: Week 3
ReplyDeleteWhat struck me the most was the woman randomly walking out of the water fully dressed, as if she appeared out of thin air. And she walked out with a smile of innocence that a young child would have. Also, when Sethe first saw the woman she had the gut feeling that any mom would have when she knows her child. It stated that Sethe's bladder filled to capacity the same way that happened when she was younger and her mother was pointed out to her. A mother always know her child. The woman was described as having "new" skin, which only a baby would have and first like hair, baby hair. And the woman also had childlike behavior. She slept for four days only waking to drink water in the same mannerism that a baby sleeps only waking to drink milk. Then when Denver asked if he could get her something, she looked at the sweet bread that he held. Then she smiled when he gave it to her, just like a child smiling when given candy.
Nicole Oseni: Week 3
ReplyDeleteThe first clue, and what seemed to me to be quite ambiguous, that Beloved was a manifestation of Sethe's child was when they came home and discovered this woman, Here Boy was nowhere to be found. It was shared in the beginning chapters that after the spirit had harmed him, he never came back into the house. Here Boy knows Beloved and therefore will stay away from her. I also noticed that Denver had also picked up on that this girl was the deceased child when she said Here Boy wouldn't be returning.
Another clue is how quickly Denver bonds with Beloved and is willing to take care of her. Sethe also feels something toward her and is quite willing to share stories about her painful past with Beloved. Paul D is the only one who doesn't really connect with her and this is understandable since he has no real connections with the child.
The other obvious clues are her strong connections with Sethe (her wanting to be around Sethe at all times), and the fact that she knows what questions to ask about Sethe's past.
@Amber Hudson I think you make a good point that the woman had a smile of innocence on her face after she appeared out of the water. I also like how you relate the woman having "new" skin to that of a baby's skin. I also noticed that her sleeping habits in the beginning were the same habits a baby possesses.
ReplyDeleteIt was very obvious that the strange woman walking out of the water was Beloved. From the description of physical attributes you could tell that this was her. Beloved was described a woman with clean, flawless skin, just like a baby who could barely walk or talk. She also had sleeping habits of those as a child. When Paul D asked her what was her name she spelled it out just as a child that was just learning how to talk would do. Later on when she started to walk she had to hold on to furniture. This is also a characteristic of a child. One last thing was when Sethe saw Beloved, she had an urge to use the restroom. She described the feeling of when she was about to go in labor with Denver.
ReplyDeleteSydney Burnett: Week 3
ReplyDeleteThe very first clue that the strange woman was a manifestation of Sethe's deceased child was that she came from a stream. Coming from a body of water is a metaphor for a baby being born from the womb. The sight of the woman made Sethe urinate for a surprisingly long period of time for a woman who is not delivering a baby. Another sign is that the woman's skin looks soft and new, much like a baby's skin. Sethe felt an unexplainable attraction to this woman, as if she were her child. Paul D was uneasy about her, similar to the way he felt when he first walked into the house and felt Beloved's (the child) angry spirit. Denver's reaction was the most obvious: she treated the woman much like a new baby sibling. Denver would watch Beloved sleep and take care of her, just as an older sister would do, but was jealous of her when Sethe paid Beloved more attention than Denver. Beloved acted infant-like by sleeping all day and being curious about her new "mother" figure. Her speech was labored, as if speaking was a new concept to the woman.
@Nicole Oseni I agree with you and appreciate that you noticed Here Boy's tie into hinting that the strange woman was Beloved (the child). I honestly did not notice the first time I read the selected pages because it was slightly ambiguous. Every reason you named can be backed up if the text is re-read.
ReplyDeletewhat gave me assumption that beloved was the child of seth's is when she introduced her self to seth and seth thinks of the head stone on her dead daughters head stone. she also has all the qualities of a baby she cant walk or talk and she clings to seth the way a new born clings to there mother they have that unspoken bond.
ReplyDelete@patrick L. Evans I agreed with patrick because we said almost the same thinks in the book the eplain how here skin was smoothe and she just apeared to be neew born like qualitys. i think that beloved was coming out of the water symbolized her cuming out of the wome.
ReplyDeleteI agree with @rlemons. The physical description was one that would make you picture that of a child, but just in a grown woman's body. The clue that really gave away who this woman was is when Paul D asked her what was her name and she spelled out Beloved.
ReplyDeleteWhat led me to the assumption that Beloved was the reincarnation of Sethe's dead daughter is the fact, itself, that she was walking up out of the water. I feel like it was a symbol of rebirth like in the Christian faith being baptized is a symbol of rebirth. The story also hinted around the fact that she had the skin that of a baby. It was also stated that she had trouble walking on her own. She had to hold onto things to help her get around. When a young child is first learning to walk on their own this is what they are known to do. One other clue given was the fact that Sethe had the urge to use the bathroom when she saw Beloved come out of the water. This reminded her of when her water broke from her dead daughters birth. It is sure that Beloved is the reincarnation of the dead child with all of the clues and hints given off.
ReplyDelete@ Sydney
ReplyDeleteI agree with the fact that you said that Beloved coming up out of the water was a metaphor of a baby being born from the womb. It comes in close proximity with my idea of being reborn.
Shanae Franklin
ReplyDeleteWeek 3 Blog
The woman who came out of the stream has the spirit of Sethe’s child within her or she is the rebirth of the decreased child’s soul. It was almost as though a baby had been born and readmitted to the world. She had trouble getting out of the water and proceeded to walk as though she was a baby waiting to be touched and to hear her mothers voice. Another clue was the fact that Sethe had the feeling of having to urinate when she saw her arising from the water. Her skin was said to be smooth and line-less, also the knuckles of her hand were like new. She also had the sleeping habits of a little child. She slept long hours and got up to drink water. The woman’s capabilities were truly limited. Putting these hints together is sparking my curiosity. Where did this lady really come from?
It is most obvious that the fully dressed woman is Beloved, Sethe dead child , because of the way the book describes her characteristics. For example, although her appearance is one of a grown woman, she has child-like ways of being. Her raspy breathing and inability to stay awake are examples of child like behaviors which lead to the belief of her being a reincarnation.
ReplyDelete@Saterica Spruel I agree with your comment because that's what led me to believe that was her baby. The way they described her and her the things she were doing just seemed very child like. Also, everything made Sethe think of the baby.
ReplyDelete