Supernatural in Toni Morrisons Beloved :: Toni Morrison Beloved Essays

The Supernatural in BelovedOne aspect in the sassy Beloved is the presence of a supernatural theme. The novel is haunted. The characters are haunted by the past, the choices made, by tree branches growing on backs, by infanticide, by slavery. Sethe, capital of Colorado and Paul D are haunted by the past that stretches and grasps them in 124 in its extended digits. A haunt, Beloved, encompasses another supernatural realm, that of a vampire. She sucks the soul, heart and mind of her mother while draining the relationships that exists between Denver and Sethe and Sethe and Paul D. Sethe is the most dramatically haunted in the book. She is the one who was beaten so badly her back is permanently scarred. She is the one who lived and escaped slavery. She is the one who bump off her child rather than return it to slavery. So she is the one whose past is so horrible that it is inescapable. How can a person escape the past when it is physically unconnected of them? Sethe has scars left fro m being whipped that she calls a tree. She describes it as A chokecherry tree. Trunk, branches, and even leaves. Tiny little chokecherry leaves. But that was eighteen historic period ago. Could dedicate cherries too now for all I know (16). It is apt that her past is represented on her back--something that is behind her, something she cannot see but knows that is there. Also it appeared eighteen years ago, but Sethe thinks that it may have grown cherries in those years. Therefore she knows that the past has attached itself to her but the haunting of it has not stopped growing. Paul D. enters Sethes life and run into a haunting of Sethe almost immediately. He walks into 124 and notices the spirit of the murdered baby It was sad. Walking through it, a wave of grief soaked him so exhaustively he wanted to cry (9). The haunting by Beloved in its spirit form is stopped by Paul D. He screams God cursed it Hush up Leave the place alone Get the Hell out (18). But Sethes infant daughter is her greatest haunt and it is when Beloved arrives in physical form that Sethe is forced to turn around and confront the past.Beloved is the manifestation of a murdered two-year senior in a 20-year old body. Her mind and actions speak as a child not an adult.