In the critical lens paper “Figurations of Rape and the Supernatural in Beloved” by Pamela E Barnett she talks about how Beloved is a symbol of rape and is a succubus. She continues to say how Toni Morrison used the story of her characters of Beloved to portray how they are “haunted by history, memories, and a specter that embodies them both. Pamela E. Barnett specifies that the “memory” that Paul D. Garner and Sethe are haunted by the most is the memory of their rape and the dehumanization they faced during slavery. Pamela Barnett introduces the idea that rape is the biggest issue that Beloved alluded to. Sethe being held down and having her milk stolen from her by the boys with mossy teeth, Paul D’s imprisonment is the Chain Gang where he was forced to preform oral sex on the white prison guards, Baby Sugg’s rape, and Ella’s imprisonment by the white father and son for sexual pleasure.
In this critical lens essay Pamela Barnett says that Beloved is a succubus. A mythological female demon of lust that drains the sperm and life force of men, conjugates with an Incubus that then goes and impregnates women. She continues that as Beloved is a Succubus she drains Sethe of her vitality and thrives off of Sethe’s misery and traumatic memories, “memories”. And she drains Paul D of his sperm, literally, and breaks open his “tobacco tin” heart. Pamela continues on more to talk about the succubus Beloved affects the other characters in Beloved and many more things.
Personally, when I read this critical lens essay I could not help but think, “what the hell is up with this woman’s obsession with rape?” I truly do believe that rape is the worst crime that can be committed on another human being. As is Sethe with her reasoning for killing her daughter to save her from being soiled and “dirtied” by the white masters. But part of it is that Palema never tries to give a down side or a counter of some sorts to Sethe’s reasoning for why she tried to kill all of her children when the school teacher went to Connecticut to bring her back into slavery. Throughout the entirety of the essay the topic is “raperaperape”. This leads me to believe that Plema Barnett believes that one of the main meanings of Beloved is to tell how horrible slavery was due to the rape. Later on in her essay she seems to zero in on Paul D’s experience to try and advocate for why his experiences are just as bad as anyone else. She specifically points out how other writers have commented on Paul D’s experiences as a saddening but not as horrible as the experiences of Sethe and Baby Suggs. Later on Palema presents that Paul D’s main dilemma was that he was trying to assert his manhood and make sure he has his masculinity as it was lost while he was dehumanized on the chain gang.
Overall I agree with Palema that these are important and significant parts of the story and that they do add to the story but I do not think that it is the main theme of the story. Instead of rape is the most hideous offence there is being the main theme, although it is the most hideous offence second to none. I believe that the main purpose of Beloved is to tell the horrendous and unspeakable story of slavery in all its darkness and horror. I believe that the purpose of this book is to say that even when slavery has been ended, the effects of it will never disappear and it will always enslave people in their hearts and always have a form of presence in some way or the other. Such as a deep deep rooted racism and discrimination against differences. It’s still there and always will be. Just like how Sethe and Paul D are haunted by the memories and trauma of their enslavement. But as they begin to come to terms with themselves it alludes to the fact that the effects of slavery will always be there, but depending on how we confront it, it will hopefully get better so that we accept it instead of letting it haunt us.
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