Through the symbolism of breastfeeding, Toni Morrison delineates Sethe’s journey as a mother. A mother feeding a child her milk is a very maternal thing. Many slaves, such as Sethe, lacked the influence of a constant mother. As Sethe shares about her past, “Then she went back in rice and I sucked from another woman whose job it was” the act of breastfeeding did not adjoin the two. Rather, her mother’s scars did.
To Sethe, however, breastfeeding takes on a heightened meaning. With Sethe, breastfeeding is an intimate, meaningful action. There are several instances where this takes place. One is when Sethe arrives at 124 and later that day breastfeeds Denver when, “They hit home together”. This reveals how unlike her experience with her mother, breastfeeding bridges a deep connection between the mother and the child.
Another time when breastfeeding is mentioned is when Schoolteacher’s nephews steal Sethe’s milk. This traumatizing experience caused Sethe to leave Sweet Home because it made her concerns for his children real. Several chapters after Sethe talks about her escape, we find out that she was concerned about the fate of her sons as slaves. The fact that the Schoolteacher’s nephews stole her milk that should be used to feed her own children must have made her fears for her children more real, thus acting as a catalyst for her plans to run away.
This connects to when Schoolteacher tracks Sethe down and comes to take her back. Sethe’s first reaction to seeing Schoolteacher is to kill her children. While this may seem to contradict her maternal instincts, it in fact corroborates them. It does so because killing her children meant protecting them from slavery. However, after Schoolteacher leaves Sethe breastfeeds Denver but Beloved’s blood is there too. I think blood has a negative meaning in this book because of how it is very prevalent when Sethe killed Beloved and also because of how Stamp Paid associates the color red as being negative, and blood is red. Because it is shown that breastfeeding provides a bridge between Sethe and other characters (except with her mother because she was the one feeding), that scene formed the trio of Sethe, Denver, and Beloved which I think will prove disastrous in the end. I think that it will prove disastrous in the end because the fact that Beloved’s blood is present when Sethe is breastfeeding Denver suggests that Beloved will taint the maternal relationship that Sethe has with Denver.
I think this is a good point you have made. I hadn't thought at all of what the breastfeeding in this book could represent but you present a good argument. I especially agree with the weight that breastfeeding carries for Sethe.
ReplyDeleteI love the prediction you make! While reading, I also came to the conclusion that the color red and blood are really bad omens that symbolize death. I noticed all the examples of red that you wrote about. Additionally, I noticed that there are a few mentions of Baby Suggs not wanting to and never getting to the color red. Though the trio of Sethe, Denver, and Beloved seems strong at the current place I am at in the book, I definitely see how it could be come disastrous. I love how you pointed out possible foreshadowing of the collapse of the trio that is within the moment when Denver drinks Beloved's blood with Sethe's milk. It is super interesting and I did not think about it when I first read it!
ReplyDeleteI like the fact that you addresses such a taboo subject. Something some people often overlook or avoid conversation about. There is so much behind breastfeeding in Beloved and I applaud you for tackling such a important park of the novel.
ReplyDeleteThis a very interesting idea and I wonder what it means that once Halle saw the boys stealing Sethe's milk he broke. Does it have something to say about inter-parenting dynamics?
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