They all own each other, they all own themselves, they all are one.
Three of the chapters in part two of Morrison's Beloved consist of a stream of consciousness from Sethe, Denver, and Beloved. Each of these chapters begin with the word Beloved, and then use a few words to describe the character's relationship to Beloved. The phrase "she is mine" is repeated many times throughout the perspective of each character; Sethe and Denver feel ownership over her, and Beloved feels ownership over herself.
But, there is a fourth chapter. It begins in Beloved's perspective, and Beloved uses the phrase "she is mine" not to describe herself as she previously did, but to describe her feelings about Sethe. However, the perspective shifts in the second part of the chapter, the prose section. Though a clear dialogue between the characters takes place in this section, it is sometimes hard to tell which women's point of view the lines are from. The seamless weaving between perspectives represents a connected and shared consciousness that Sethe, Denver, and Beloved feel. It almost feels like a dialogue is happening through the minds of the characters. They are communicating in a way that is much deeper than speaking orally.
There is also repetition of the idea of a shared face: "You are my face, I am you," and Your face is mine." They recognize parts of their own identity in the faces of each other. This is partly because a mother passes down features to her daughters, but it goes further that that. They are combined as one, and their recognition further highlights the connection that the three of them share.
Finally, the fourth chapter ends with a verse: "I waited for you/You are mine/You are mine/You are mine"(256). The first line can be seen from all of their perspectives. Sethe and Denver have both waited for Beloved, and Beloved has waited for Sethe. "You are mine" is repeated three times-- once for each women. Seth and Denver claim Beloved, and Beloved simoltaneuosly claims herself and Sethe. Though they are three separate women, the ownership they feel over each other connects them as one being.
The way that Morrison uses repetition in this novel is really great, Sethe and Denver and Beloved keep saying "mine" a LOT and it really becomes apparent with these chapter openers. Maybe the reason the three of them (as well as Morrison) keep coming back to it is that this is one of the few things they really feel they have ownership over - after being treated as an object to be owned w/o any autonomy they probably latch so hard onto this bc family is one of the few things that is unarguably their own.
ReplyDeleteIts really interesting to see the descent into madness the characters take. You are right, beloved is their. This only adds that they can't leave her and she can't leave them. Making this a very creepy scenario.
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