Reading Beloved has been a confusing experience for me, so when we got to take apart a small portion of the book I was excited to be able to have a chance to think a long time about the symbolism in that small portion.
The passage my group read starts on page 192 of the novel, and ends on page 195. Throughout the passage, a hat is continuously mentioned. The hat first comes up when the slave master comes to 124, wearing a black hat and Sethe sees him, "she was squatting in the garden and when she saw them coming and recognized schoolteacher's hat..."(192). The hat is one of the first things Sethe recognized, and it immediately scared her.
What is even more interesting is that the schoolteacher's hat is mentioned multiple times, and by the end of the passage, Paul D leaves and, "Only then did he put on his hat"(195). Because the detail of schoolteacher wearing a hat is so profound, the hat may symbolize evil or power. Paul D struggles throughout his life with his identity, and is especially bothered by women, and others, taking power over him after being a slave. When Paul D leaves 124, he is taking power over Sethe. He wants a life with her, and was happy when he first got to his house, but things quickly changed as he was pushed around while living in 124.
I think the hat is a symbol of power. Perhaps it represents a wealth and a whiteness that has given schoolteacher the power over not only Sethe and the Sweet Home Men, but all black people. Of course Paul D is power hungry; his entire life and identity have been defined by his lack of power.
ReplyDeleteI recognized the hat motif too and I agree that the hat symbolizes power. The obvious fact that the schoolteacher has power but when Paul D. decides to leave Sethe he then puts on his hat and gains back his power. He was powerless in the house because of Beloved and also in his relationship with Sethe he wasn't able to dominate her. Sethe being strong willed and independent she didn't allow for Paul D. to just come abruptly into her life and let him be the dominant partner. Him then choosing to leave he regains his power.
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