Critical Lens #1 (Motherhood in Toni Morrison’s Beloved: A Psychological Reading)

In the nineteenth century, African Americans weren’t really consider human beings but as property because if slaves we to escape the owner of the slave can go and claim her back. In this book, its seems that horrifying moment is over  Sethe, a former slave, lives in Cincinnati with her daughter, Denver, Sethe had killed one of her own children. But in this case there was a good reason for it. Sethe was trying to keep her children from being slaves and she was also keep them away from slave catcher. she just didn't want her children to go through what she had been through. In the novel, Sethe had determined to be a good mother and push out passed memories. Paul D and Sethe are a couple but Denver' does not approve of a new man in their life. Later in the book a young women named Beloved,  becomes part of the household 124 and things start to change. Denver will do anything to please her, but at most Denver feels lonely and rejected by Beloved.

The psychoanalytic lens has helped me to realize many hidden desires of the characters, from Sethe's desire, to what Beloved really wanted in 124. Sethe feels as though she must protect both Denver and Beloved since she considers Beloved as her own. On the hand, Denver wants to lose Beloved. But Beloved wants Sethe. She only love Sethe and nobody else. Once Beloved came into Sethe’s life, Sethe and Denver have felt attached. Sethe has considers Beloved as her own daughter and is now protecting her as well. It seems that Beloved wants everything that Sethe has like, for example, when Beloved had slept with Paul D many times and how she wants Denver to be devoted to her. Since Denver just loves Beloved she is like a friend and like a sister. Denver is just always there for  Beloved when she is upset and when Sethe is gone.