Brutality In Toni Morrison's Beloved

In Toni Morrison’s Beloved, the emotional and physical brutality that Paul D has endured causes him to be a highly complex character. Throughout the rest of his life, he is on an internal quest to find his manhood. Through the complexity of Paul D and his emotionally scarring past, Morrison highlights that it is not until Paul D arrives at 124 and begins a relationship with Sethe that he is able to find his masculinity.

Paul D’s inhumane treatment he faced as a slave as well as his other past hardships help shape and define him when he arrives at 124. While at Sweet Home, Mr. Garner labels Paul D as man, but Paul D’s understanding of this is misconstrued. Paul D believes that earning this label is something that has to be recognized by a white

Sethe explains to Paul D that the men who stole her baby’s milk beat her before she was able to escape. The resulting scar looked like a chokecherry tree, a symbol of her emotionally and physically scarring past. Sethe is forced to face what lies behind her, at her back. However, Paul D helps her get through the pain of such a terrible memory. “The last of the Sweet Home men was there to catch her if she sank,” (Morrison 18) caressing and comforting her. They help each other comprehend their past, providing moral support when the pain of remembering becomes too much to bear. Ironically, although Paul D has difficulty recounting his past and opening his heart to others, he gets women to confide in him, and “Not even trying, he had become the kind of man who could walk into a house and make the women cry.” (Morrison 17) Immediately after, the house begins to creak and shake, as the ghost of the dead baby is angered. Paul D begins to take on a role as man of the house as he drives the ghost out. He also manages to push the ghostly past of Sethe away, which had been holding her back, but only temporarily. However, Paul D’s arrival is not consoling for Denver, who wishes to have Sethe’s exclusive affection. Furthermore, when Denver hears them “Saying Sweet Home in a way that made it clear it belonged to them and not to her,” (Morrison 13) she cannot face hearing about a part of Sethe that does not include her. Throughout most of

Paul D seems to be the only person who questions where Beloved came from and realizes the danger of her presence. He begins to feel powerless and like an object, becoming submissive to her desires and eventually having sex with her. His lack of ability to control his own will and resist temptation is extremely demeaning for him, further defeating his ability to obtain masculinity. When Paul D begins sleeping with Beloved, he is forced to confront his past, and the rusted lid of his tobacco tin begins to break open. Their sexual encounter leads Paul D to treasure his relationship with Sethe, and he realizes his love for