Blog Post 6- Sethe as a Woman

In Sandra Mayfields, “Motherhood in Toni  Morrison’s Beloved: A Psychological Reading” She discusses how Sethe grew up without a mother, and the influence that not having a mother had on Sethe through the psychoanalytical lens. As I was reading, I read it through the feminist lens on how that can influence how a mother sees herself and the influence of a powerful women can have. Furthermore, she discusses how the father has a major role in separating the mother from the child. Furthermore, he argues that the father is the one that teaches the child how to grow up.  Mayfield analyzes what influenced Sethe as a mother and a person. On the other hand, I disagree with her argument that the father plays a major role in teaching the child language and separating the child from the mother.

Mayfield analyzes what influenced Sethe as a mother and a person. For instance, when describing the life that Sethe had at Sweet home, he describes how influential Baby Suggs, Sethe’s mother-in-law, had on her. Mayfield describes how Sethe lived with Baby Suggs before Baby Suggs got her freedom. She describes how even before Sethe was even thinking about marriage, “Baby Suggs had made sure that Sethe had a noble impression of motherhood.” By having Baby Suggs around Sethe was able to have a mother like figure around to teach and influence her. Baby Suggs taught Sethe what a woman and mother should be. By saying that Baby Suggs taught Sethe a “noble impression of motherhood” it allows the reader to better understand the relationship between Baby Suggs and Sethe. Based off this quote it can be inferred that Baby Suggs was like a mother figure to Sethe when she was growing up on Sweet Home. Baby Suggs was the main person who was like a mother to Sethe. She taught Sethe so much about how to be a strong independent women. This article bring in the view of how Sethe was raised on the effect that the way she was raised had on her as she was growing up.

On the other hand, I disagree with the argument that a father is needed in order to teach the child language and to separate the child from its mother. For instance, Mayfield is describing the relationship between a mother and child. She describes that the role of the father is to teach language to the child and how the world works. She argues that the fathers teaching the child about the world “allows the child to perform the necessary task of separation from the mother, and the construction of a uniquely individualized self.” I completely disagree with this statement. Sethe and Denver both grew up without a father when they were growing up, and both where able to develop an “uniquely individualized self.” Furthermore, there are plenty of children today who grow up without a father in their life, and are able to separate from their mothers. Furthermore, these children are able to be completely different from their mother and still be an unique individual. There are also children who grow up without a mother in their life and the father is the only parent in their life. Mayfield fails to mention how in some cases, the father has to play both roles. The children that are raised by one parent are able to thrive in society and be unique, even though they were not raised in a traditional household.

Mayfield examines what influenced Sethe as a person, but I disagree with the argument that a father is need to teach a child about the world and help the child separate from the mother. This article brings up point of views that I have not analyzed before, which makes it even more interesting. Furthermore, it brings into question what influences a child more: the presents of both parents or just one? This article has made me think about which has influenced me more, and how my parents have influence who we become. I believe whether it is one or both parents are present, the child is influenced by their parents.