Skidmore College Skidmore College

Creative Matter Creative Matter

English Honors Theses English

2018

“A Pool of Red and Undulating Light”: Supernaturalism and “A Pool of Red and Undulating Light”: Supernaturalism and

Trauma in Morrison’s Novels Trauma in Morrison’s Novels

Rachel Karp Skidmore College, rkarp@skidmore.edu

Follow this and additional works at: https://creativematter.skidmore.edu/eng_stu_schol

Recommended Citation Recommended Citation Karp, Rachel, "“A Pool of Red and Undulating Light”: Supernaturalism and Trauma in Morrison’s Novels" (2018). English Honors Theses. 15. https://creativematter.skidmore.edu/eng_stu_schol/15

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SkidmoreCollege

“Apoolofredandundulatinglight”:

SupernaturalismandTraumainMorrison’sNovels

RachelKarp

ToniMorrisonSeniorCapstone

ProfessorStokes

1December2017

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OnthecoastofGhana,WestAfrica,amidstsmallfishingvillagesandstunningviewsof

sandandsea,theresitsacrumbling,stonebuildingcalledFortPrizenstein.Itisoneofmany

slavefortressesthatlinethecoastofWestAfrica,markingamultitudeofstarting-pointsofthe

MiddlePassageofthetransatlanticslavetrade.Aboveagapingholeintheouterwallofthis

fort,inscribedinblackpaint,readthefollowingwords:“Welcomeforspiritualreconnection

withancestorswhowerebrutallyuprootedfromtheirnaturalabodeandferriedtoAmericasvia

thenumerousbreathtakinggateofnoreturn.”Whetherornotyoubelieveinghostsoran

afterlife,thesewordsringtrue.FortPrizensteinmustbeaplaceof“spiritualreconnection,”of

supernaturalpresence.Itseemsimpossiblethatsomanyhumanbeingscouldhavebeentorn

fromtheirhomestobeenslaved,abused,andevenmurderedinafar-awaylandwithout

leavingsomuchasatracebehind.Thistraumapermeatesthestonewallsandthesandyfloor

ofFortPrizenstein,lingeringinthecollectiveconsciousnessofvisitors.

ToniMorrison’snovelsarevesselsforthesupernaturaljustasthewallsofFort

Prizensteinare.Inbothcases,thereaderorthevisitordoesnotneedtobelieveinanobjective

realityinwhichghostsandmagicexisttofeelthepresenceofthesupernatural.

Supernaturalism,rather,isatoolforunderstandingandhealingtrauma.Evenstill,itmaybe

difficultfortheaverageAmericanreaderorvisitortoacceptthepresenceofsupernaturalismin

Morrison’sworks.Thisisbecause,asBonnieWinsbro,inherbookSupernaturalForces:Belief,

Difference,andPowerinContemporaryWorksbyEthnicWomen,pointsout,manynovelsby

“EthnicWomen”“reflectaviewofrealitythatdifferssignificantlyfromthatpresentedbythe

previouslyestablishedliterarycanon”(4).Morrison’snovelsareamongsuchworksthat

incorporateelementsofsupernaturalismnotfoundintheso-calledliterarycanon.Manyof

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thesenovelsdrawuponthebeliefsandmythologiesofcertainethnicgroupsintheUnited

Stateswho“havebeenrenderedpowerlessthroughdecimationoftheirnumbers,through

enslavement,throughanexternallyimposedsilenceandinvisibility,andthroughaprocessof

colonization”(Winsbro5).Arguably,muchoftheU.S.populationisunaccustomedtocontact

withAfricanbeliefsinthesupernaturalbecauseslaveryandsystematicracismhaveeradicated

them.Thus,asreaders,wemustputasidewhateverpreconceivednotionsyoumayhaveabout

thesupernaturalandopenyourmindtothewayinwhichToniMorrisonuseselementsof

supernaturalismtoaddressindividualandculturaltraumainhernovelsSongofSolomonand

Beloved.Bothnovelsaddresshorrorssoawfultheyareimpossibletocomprehendthrougha

traditionallyrealisticlens,ascanonicalliteraturehasdefinedrealism.Morrisonweavesmagic

andsupernaturalismintonationalandindividualhistoriestorevealandhealwhatwould

otherwisebetoopainfultoexamine.Indoingso,sheunderminestheverypoliticsthathave

historicallyconstructedourconceptionofreality.Morrisonpresentsherreaderswithan

alternatereality,inwhichthepowerdynamicsofgenderandraceoperatedifferently.

Atitsmostbasiclevel,itispossibletoreadSongofSolomonasapieceofpurelyrealistic

literaturethatreinforcesamultitudeofcommonstereotypes.Onthesurface,thenovelmay

seemsimplytobeaboutblackmenwhorunaway,leavingtheirwomentopine,orevendieof

suffering.MaconandPilate’sfatherisdead,andtheirfather’sfatherisabsent,too.Maconis

absentfromhissonMilkman’slife,andMilkmantooabandonsthewomanwholoveshim,

Hagar.Hagardiesshortlythereafter;thelastsentencesheuttersinthenovelis“[Milkman]’s

nevergoingtolikemyhair”(316).Hagar,itwouldseem,istheepitomeofthewomanleft

behind,whodiesofgriefoverherabsentlover.Theseabsentmalefiguresleavebehindan

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undeniabletraumaontheindividual.Furthermore,theseabsencescanbetiedtothecollective,

culturaltraumaleftbehindbyslavery.However,Morrisonwritessuchnarrativesonlyto

complicateandsubvertthemthroughthesupernatural.

MorrisondrawsuponAfricanmythologyandreligiousbeliefinordertoalterthereality

sheinitiallyconstructsinSongofSolomon.InSongofSolomon,thesupernaturaloftentakesthe

formofflight.Morrisonalludestorealmyths,stories,andhistoricaccountsofmenandwomen

whoflewbacktoAfricaafterbeingtakenfromtheirhomesasslaves.Suchtextsinclude

EstebanMontejo’sTheAutobiographyofaRunawaySlaveandtheblackfolktaleThePeople

CouldFly.InTheAutobiographyofaRunawaySlave,Montejowrites,

SomepeoplesaidthatwhenaNegrodiedhewentbacktoAfrica,butthisisalie.

HowcouldadeadmangobacktoAfrica?Itwaslivingmenwhoflewthere,from

atribetheSpanishstoppedimportingasslavesbecausesomanyofthemflew

awaythatitwasbadforbusiness.(Montejo131)

Montejoisreferring,perhaps,tothesamementhatThePeopleCouldFlydepicts.Virginia

Hamilton’stellingofThePeopleCouldFlybegins,“Theysaythepeoplecouldfly.Saythatlong

agoinAfrica,someofthepeopleknewmagic.Andtheywouldwalkupontheairlikeclimbinup

onagate.Andtheyflewlikeblackbirdsoverthefields”(166).Asthestorygoes,manyofthese

AfricansweretakentoAmericaasslaves,butescaped,flying“awaytoFree-dom”(Hamilton

172).Thesenarrativesofflightamongsttheenslavedwereperhapsameansofcomprehending

thetraumaofbeingtornfromtheirhomesinAfrica.Thebeliefthatsomewereabletofly

home,acrossthecastAtlantic,collapsedthedistancebetweenAfricaandAmerica,providinga

glimmerofhope.

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SongofSolomonbeginswithflight.Morrison’sepigraphtothenovelreads,“Thefathers

maysoar/Andthechildrenmayknowtheirnames.”Beforethestoryhasevenbegun,before

wehaveanyconceptionofwhattheplotwillbe,weknowflightwillbeanimportantelement.

Morrisonutilizescareful,specificwordchoiceinherepigraph.Shewrites,“Thefathersmay

soar,”ratherthan“thefathersmightsoar.”Theuseoftheword“may”insteadof“might”tells

usthatthefathersalreadyhaveasupernaturalabilitytofly,notthatthereisapossibilityof

themonedayflying.

Inadditiontothenovelbeginningwithanepigraphaboutflight,thenarrativeitself

startswiththefollowingsentence:“TheNorthCarolinaMutualLifeInsuranceagentpromised

toflyfromMercytotheothersideofLakeSuperioratthreeo’clock”(Morrison3).Asthe

chapterunfolds,weseethisinsuranceagentjumpfromtheroofofMercyhospital,framedby

“widebluewings,”asawomaninthecrowdsings,

OSugarmandoneflyaway

Sugarmandonegone

Sugarmancutacrossthesky

Sugarmangonehome…(6)

Tothereaderfamiliaronlywiththetraditionalcanonofrealism,thisscenereadsasasuicide.

Similarly,totheyoungonlookersraisedinthefreestateofNorthCarolina,suchasFreddie,

“Mr.Smithwentsplat!”(23).However,toreadersandcharactersfamiliarwithAfrican

mythologyandbelief,Mr.Smith’sleapfromthetopofMercyhospitaltakesonanew,

supernaturalmeaning.Pilate’ssongreferencesmythologysuchasThePeopleCouldFly,

describingamanwhofliesawayacrossthesky,hometoAfrica.LornaMcDaniel,inheressay

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entitled“TheFlyingAfricans:TheExtentandStrengthofMythintheAmericas,”pointsoutthat

often,inAfrican-Americanmusicreferencingflight,“thetextsspeaknotofsuicide,butof

runningaway,fleeingfrombetrayalandfromtheterrorofastrainedandrepressivecontext”

(34).Morrisonherselfseemstopointustowardthissupernaturalreading.SheendsMr.Smith’s

briefsectionofthenovelwiththefollowing:“Mr.Smithhadseentherosepetals,heardthe

music,andleapedonintotheair”(9).Indoingso,MorrisonleavesMr.Smithsuspended;wedo

notseehimhittheground.Thisallowsforthepossibilitythathereallydidflybackhometo

Africa,justasSugarmandoesinPilate’ssong.Inthisreading,Mr.Smith’sleapisnotasuicideor

anabandonmentofchildrenandwifeandhome,butratherareturnhome,toAfrica.

Morrison’ssuggestionofMr.Smith’sleapasanactofflightdissolvessomeofthetrauma

presentedbyhissuicide.ThisisthefirstofmanyexamplesofMorrisonlinkingtraumaticevents

tosupernaturalones.

WhilemanyreadersmaynotbeconvincedthatMr.Smith’sleapfromthetopofMercy

isanactofsupernaturalism,Morrisoncontinuestolinktraumawiththesupernatural,slowly

erodingthelawsofrealismasweknowthem.Thus,bythetimeMilkmanlearnsofhis

grandfather’sabilitytofly,weasreadershavenochoicebuttoacceptthisastrue.Denise

Heinze,inherbookTheDilemmaof“Double-Consciousness,”states,“Solomonrefusestodefer

toapreconceivedreality”byincorporatingamultitudeofinstancesofsupernaturalism(166).

Heinzegoesontoexplainthat“TheseeventsaresonumerousinSolomonthatrealityand

fantasyareindistinguishableandthebeleagueredreaderhaslittlerecoursebuttoacceptthe

fantasticasanestablishedcorollarytotherealworld”(166).Onesuchexampleofthese

instancesofsupernaturalismisthewatermarkonRuth’stable.Morrisontransformsthis

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seeminglyordinarymarkintoanextraordinaryone.Ruthseesthewatermarkasasignofher

deceasedfather’slife,and“eveninthecaveofsleep,withoutdreamingofitorthinkingofitat

all,shefeltitspresence”(Morrison11).WhileRuthoutwardlyexpressesadesiretogetridof

it,shesecretlydependsonitspresence,lookingatiteverytimesheenterstheroom.Morrison

writes,Ruth’s“glancewasnutritious;thespotbecame,ifanything,morepronouncedasthe

yearspassed”(12).WhilethispassagecanbereadmerelyasanexampleofMorrison’sfrequent

andartfuluseofextendedmetaphorandheightenedlanguage,itservesalsotointroduceusto

therealmofthesupernatural.TheideathatRuth’sowngazecausesthewatermarktodarken

andgrowbeginstoconstructaparadigminwhichthelawsofrealityasweknowthemoperate

differently.

Inaworldwherewatermarkscangrowoftheirownaccord,assignsfromthedead,itis

easierforreadersandcharactersaliketoacceptthepresenceofghostsandothersupernatural

events.Asthenovelprogresses,Morrisonreferencesghostswithmoreandmorefrequency.

Earlyinthenovel,FreddietellsMilkman,“Ghostskilledmymother.Ididn’tseethat,ofcourse,

butIseen‘emsince”(109).MilkmanisinitiallywillingtobelieveFreddie,andFreddiegoeson

totellMilkmanthestoryofthewhiteghostbullwhokilledhismother.WhenMilkmanlaughs

atFreddie’sstory,Freddiesays“…they’salotofstrangethingsyoudon’tknownothingabout,

boy”(110).Suchallusionstothepresenceofghostsandother“strangethings”allowMorrison

toconstructaworldinwhichtraumamanifestsitselfintangibleexamplesofthesupernatural.

Havingalreadyunderminedthelogicofreality,Morrisoncannowshowushowthe

supernaturalcanhealthewoundsleftbytrauma.TheprimarytraumaMorrisonexploresin

SongofSolomonispresentinMilkman’sstorylineandthecyclicalnatureofabsentmalefigures

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inhisfamilylineage.WhiletheabsentmalefiguresinMorrison’sSongofSolomonleavebehind

anundeniabletraumaontheindividual,theycanalsobetiedtothelarger,culturaltraumaleft

behindbyslavery.RonEyerman,inhisbookCulturalTrauma:SlaveryandtheFormationof

African-AmericanIdentity,definesculturaltraumaasfollows:

Asopposedtopsychologicalorphysicaltrauma,whichinvolvesawoundandthe

experienceofgreatemotionalanguishbyanindividual,culturaltraumarefersto

adramaticlossofidentityandmeaning,atearinthesocialfabric,affectinga

groupofpeoplethathasachievedsomedegreeofcohesion.(2)

WhilemostofthecharactersinSongofSolomonwerebornlongafterslaverygrippedthe

nation,manyexperiencethelossofidentityassociatedwiththeculturaltraumaofslavery.

WhenMilkmanaskshisfather,MaconDead,“Yourfatherwasaslave?”hisfatherretorts,

“‘Whatkindoffoolishquestionisthat?Coursehewas.Whohadn’tbeenin1869?Theyallhad

toregister.Freeandnotfree.Freeandused-to-be-slaves”(53).MaconDeadcarrieswithhima

markofculturaltraumainhisownname;Macon’sfatherwasalsocalledMaconDead,aname

whichhadbeenascribedtohimwhenheregisteredwiththeFreedman’sBureauwhenslavery

wasabolished.ThewhitemanworkingatthebureauwasdrunkandwroteMacon’sname

downincorrectly,thusbestowinghimwiththelegalname‘MaconDead.’MaconDeadpassed

thisnamedowntohiseldestson.ThehistoryofMaconDeadJr.’snamedeeplycorrodeshis

senseofselfand,arguably,rendershimincapableofbeingentirelypresentinhisownson’slife.

Thus,Milkmantooexperiencestherepercussionsofthetraumaofslavery.Fromaveryyoung

age,Milkmanwishestoflyand,whenatfouryearsold,hediscovers“onlybirdsandairplanes

couldfly—helostallinterestinhimself”(9).Milkmanfeelsuninterestedinhimselfknowinghe

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istiedtotheground.Thislossofinterestinhisownidentityisarecognizablemarkofcultural

trauma.Milkman’sdesireforflightmarksadesireforanidentitythattranscendsthelimitations

setbytherealityofbeingablackmaninacountrystillhauntedbyslavery.

Undertheguiseofsearchingforgold,Milkmanspendsmuchofthenovelsearchingfor

somesemblanceoftheidentityhelosttoculturaltrauma.Thisleadshimtothetownof

Shalimar,wherehediscoversthathisgreat-grandfatherallegedly“flewaway,”whichMilkman

initiallytakestomean“diedorranoff”(304).WereMorrison’snoveltomatchthenarratives

presentedbymuchofcanonicalrealism,Milkmanwouldbecorrect.However,thisisnotthe

case,andinMorrison’sworldMilkmangoestoSusanByrdformoreinformation.Byrdcalls

Jake,Milkman’sgrandfather“oneofthoseflyingAfricanchildren…oneofSolomon’schildren”

(321).Sheexplainsthatmanyofthe“oldfolks”believe“SomeofthoseAfricanstheybrought

overhereasslavescouldfly.AlotofthemflewbacktoAfrica”(322).Milkman,stillindisbelief,

asks,““Whenyousay‘flewoff’youmeanheranaway,don’tyou?Escaped?,”towhichByrd

replies“No,Imeanflew.Oh,it’sjustfoolishness,youknow,butaccordingtothestoryhe

wasn’trunningaway.Hewasflying…Wentrightonbacktowhereveritwashecamefrom”

(323).WhileSusanByrdlabelstheaccountofSolomon’sflightas“foolish,”sheisinvestedin

communicatingtoMilkmanthewholestory.Atthispointinthenovel,weasreaders,aswellas

Milkmanasacharacter,havegrownaccustomedtothepresenceofthesupernatural.Itisvery

muchapartoftheworldMorrisonhasconstructed.LikeMr.Smith’sflightatthebeginningof

thenovel,Solomon’sflightisanantithesistothestereotypeofblackmenwhoabandontheir

homesandfamilies.ByconstructingaparadigmofthesupernaturalinwhichSolomontrulydid

flytoAfrica,hisdeparturerepresentsareturnhomeratherthananabandonmentofhome.

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Furthermore,theactofflightreversesracialpowerdynamics;itgrantsblackmenapowerfar

greaterthanthatofwhitemen.Milkman’srealizationofthisbeginstohealthewoundsleftby

hisownabsentfather,hisgrandfather’sdeath,hisgreat-grandfather’sabsence,andeven

slaveryitself.

WhileSolomon’spowerofflightsubvertsracialpowerdynamicsandcombatsthe

stereotypeofblackmenwhoabandonhome,itdoesnotaccountforthefemalecharactersleft

behind.Toanextent,Solomon’sflightevenreinforcesgenderedstereotypesaboutmenand

women.Formuchofthenovel,itwouldseemMorrisonhasreservedthepowerofflightfor

men,parallelingthegenderedpoliticsofreality.However,attheconclusionofthenovel,

Morrisonmanagestounderminethisgendernormthatsheherselfhasillustratedso

eloquently.Indoingso,sheprovesthatthelawsofsupernaturalismtranscendthepoliticsof

reality.AsPilate,afterbeingaccidentallyshotbyGuitar,liesdying,Milkmanreflects:“Nowhe

knewwhyhelovedherso.Withouteverleavingtheground,shecouldfly.‘Theremustbe

anotheronelikeyou,’hewhisperedtoher.‘There’sgottobeatleastonemorewomanlike

you’”(336).Inthelastfewpagesofthenovel,Morrisonrevealsherfemaleprotagonist,Pilate,

hasbeensoaringallalong.TheversionofflightthatMilkmanrecognizesinPilatelooksdifferent

thanSolomon’sflightandtheflightpresentinAfricanmythology.Pilate’sflightisa

metaphoricalone.InsuggestingthatPilateflew“withouteverleavingtheground,”Morrison

impliessheachievesthesamefreedomthatflightgrantsSolomon:freedomfromthebindings

ofrealityanditsgenderedandracialpowerdynamics(336).

WhilePilate’sflightisnotexplicitlysupernaturalinthatshedoesnotliterallyleavethe

ground,shederivesherfreedomfromherownunwaveringbeliefinthesupernaturalism.

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UnlikeMilkman,whoishesitanttobelieveinghostsattheoutsetofthenovel,Pilatelivesina

worldinwhichthesupernaturalisaprevalentpieceofhereverydaylife.Pilateseesandspeaks

toherdeadfatherthroughoutthenovel.ShetellsRuth,referringtoherfather,“notonlydidI

seehimdie,Iseenhimsincehewasshot…Maconseenhimtoo.Afterheburiedhim….He’s

helpfultome,realhelpful.TellsmethingsIneedtoknow”(140-141).Inanotherinstance,

PilateplacesafrighteningdollonMacon’schairinhisofficetokeephimawayfromRuth.

Macontriestoburnit,but“it[takes]nineseparateburningsbeforethefire[gets]downtothe

strawandcottontickingofitsinsides”(132).MorrisoncreatesavividimageofMacondousing

thisdollinalcoholandlightingitonfireninetimesbeforeitbeginstodisintegrate.Accordingto

thelawsofscienceandrealityasweknowthem,thedeaddonotspeakandatiny,cottondoll,

dousedinalcoholwouldburnimmediately.Pilate,however,isnotboundbythelawsof

science,norissheboundbypoliticsofraceandgender.Shewieldsimmensepoweroverthe

meninherlife,frighteningMaconandprotectingRuth.

Pilateseemstoderiveherpowerfromherownbeliefinaworldwhichdiffersfromthat

ofcanonicalrealism.Shesaysatonepoint,“Maconkepttellingmethatthethingswewas

scaredofwasn’treal.Whatdifferencedoitmakeifthethingyouscaredofisrealornot?”(41).

WeseethatmindsetinactionwhenPilatetellsofthemanshealmostsavedfromfallingoffa

cliffinhismind.Pilateseesthatthemanappearsillandgoestohim.Hetellsherheistryingto

keepfromfallingoffthecliffsosheofferstoholdontohimtokeephimfromfalling.Although

sheherselfcannotseethecliff,sherememberswhatitfeelsliketobeafraidofsomething

othersdeemimaginary.However,whenhiswifewalksinandseesthemtogether,Pilateletsgo.

Pilate,describingtheman’simmediatedeath,says,“Iswearittookhimthreeminutes,three

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wholeminutestogofromastandinguprightpositiontowhenhemashedhisfaceonthefloor.I

don’tknowifthecliffwasrealornot,butittookhimthreeminutestofalldownit”(42).Pilate

hasaprofoundunderstandingofthepowerofbelief.ShesaystoRuth,“Somefolkswanttolive

forever.Somedon’t.Ibelievetheydecideonitanyway.Peoplediewhentheywanttoandif

theywantto.Don’tnobodyhavetodieiftheydon’twantto”(140).Pilate’srefusaltochange

herownbeliefsystemtomatchwhatothersthinkgivesherimmensepower.Sheisnoteven

boundbylifeanddeath.WhenPilatedoesdieattheendofthenovel,herwordstoRuthecho.

Asreaders,weareremindedthatperhapsPilatedoesnotwanttoliveforever.Hergoing

becomesachoice;evenindeath,Pilatemaintainsherpowerandagency.

UnlikeinSongofSolomon,Morrisondoesnothingtoeaseherreadersintotherealmof

supernaturalinBeloved.Rather,Morrisonplungesherreadersintothesupernaturalheadfirst.

ThebeginningofBelovedisdisorienting.Thenovelstarts,“124wasspiteful.FullofaBaby’s

venom”(3).Immediately,wearefloodedwithquestions.Whatis124?Howcanitbe“filled

withaBaby’svenom”?Beloveddoesnotillustratetheimageofrealitythatitstrivesto

deconstruct,asSongofSolomondoes.Rather,Belovedasksustofillinthesegapsourselves.

FortheaveragecontemporaryAmericanreader,itmaytakeafewreadstograspwhatis

happening:that124isahouse,thattheBabyisfullofvenombecauseitisdead,thatthebaby’s

ghostlingers,remindingitsmotheranditssiblingsofitsspitefulness.

However,likeSongofSolomon,Morrison’sBeloveddrawsuponAfricanbeliefsina

realitythatissteepedinthesupernatural.WinsbroaptlyplacesBelovedinaworldthat“blends

ChristianbeliefintheresurrectionofthedeadwithAfricanreligiousbeliefinthebehaviorof

theliving-dead”(Winsbro133).Consideringthesetwobeliefsystems,theappearanceof

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BelovedastheghostofSethe’smurderedchild,bothinthesmallsignssheleavesin124andin

hereventualcorporealform,isnotallthatsurprising.DrawingupontheworkofJohnMbiti,

authorofAfricanReligionsandPhilosophy,Winsbroexplains:

AccordingtoAfricanbelief,theliving-dead—thespiritsoftherecentlydeceased,

thosewhoarestillrememberedbysurvivingfamilymembersandfriends—are

stillpartoftheirfamilies,continuetoliveclosetotheirhomes,andfrequently

visittheirsurvivingrelatives.(133-134)

Belovedisa‘living-dead,’thespiritofthe“blood-soakedchild[Sethe]holdstoherchest,”

murderedbyherownmotherinanattempttosaveherfromthehorrorsofslavery(175).

Belovedmakesherpresenceknown,atfirstthroughsmallsigns:“twotinyhandprints…inthe

cake,”a“kettlefulofchickpeassmokinginaheaponthefloor,”and“sodacrackerscrumbled

andstrewninalinenexttothedoor”(3).ThisdrivesSethe’stwosonstorunawayandeven

causesSetheherselftosuggesttheymovefromthehaunted124.Tothis,however,BabySuggs

responds“What’dbethepoint?…Notahouseinthecountryain’tpackedtoitsrafterswith

somedeadnegro’sgrief.Weluckythisghostisababy.Myhusband’sspiritwastocomebackin

here?oryours?Don’ttalktome.Youlucky”(6).Inthismoment,BabySuggsexpressesher

beliefinthe‘living-dead.’Shepaintsapictureofnationaltrauma,loomingovertheentire

nation,lurkingintheshadows,haunting.

InBeloved,itisasurplusofthistraumaitselfwhichgeneratesthesupernatural.The

hauntingof124andtheeventualappearanceofBelovedinhercorporealformareclear

representationsofthesufferingSethehasexperiencedinherownlife.Sethe’smemoriesof

slavery,ofherassaultbyschoolteacherandhismen,ofthewaytheybeatherand“took[her]

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milk,”overwhelmSethe(20).WhenPaulDtellsSethethatherhusband,Halle,wasthereinthe

barnduringSethe’sassault,Sethewishesherbraincouldsay“Nothankyou”toherawful

memories.Shethinks,“IamfullGoddamnitoftwoboyswithmossyteeth,onesuckingonmy

breasttheotherholdingmedown,theirbook-readingteacherwatchingandwritingitup.Iam

stillfullofthat,Goddamnit,Ican’tgobackandaddmore”(83).Sethe’sownbodyandmind

arenotlargeenoughtoholdallthetraumashehasexperienced.Thus,thememorieswhich

floodherbrainoverflowintoanotherform:Beloved.Thesememoriesandexperienceswhich

constructBelovedarealsowhatdroveSethetokillherinfirstplace;Sethecouldhaveeither

allowedBelovedtobetakenbythewhitemen,forcedintoslavery,rapedandbeaten,orSethe

couldhavekilledBelovedherself.

Itwouldseem,however,thatBelovedismorethanjustamanifestationofSethe’s

individualtrauma.Sheultimatelycomestorepresentcollectivetrauma,triggeringdifferent

memoriesandexperiencesfordifferentindividuals.WhileSethe,BabySuggs,andDenverall

identifythegriefthatlingersin124astheghostofthebabySethekilled,PaulDhasadifferent

experiencewhenhefirstencountersit.MorrisondescribesPaulDfirstenteringthehouse,

followingSethe“throughthedoorstraightintoapoolofredandundulatinglightthatlocked

himwherehestood”(10).ForPaulD,thepoolofredlightevokesmemoriesofSweetHome,of

Mrs.Garnersellinghisbrother,andschoolteacherarrivingandbreaking“threemoreSweet

Homemen”andpunching“theglitteringironoutofSethe’seyes”(11).WhilePaulDseemsto

believeSethewhenshetellshimitistheghostofherdaughter,hefeelsonlyitssadnessas“a

waveofgrief”that“soakedhimsothoroughlyhewantedtocry”(11).Inthismoment,PaulD

experiencesnotSethe’sindividualgriefbutratheracollectivegrief,thegriefthatBabySuggs

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previouslydescribedaslingeringineveryhouseinthecountry,theculturaltraumathatpropels

Solomon’sflightbacktoAfricaandMr.Smith’sleapofftheroofofMercyHospital.

TheuniversalityofBelovedasarepresentationofculturaltraumacanbebest

understood,perhaps,bywhatBelovedbecomeswhensheisnolongerrememberedbyher

lovedones.SetheandDenverascribemeaningandidentitytoBeloved.Sethestates,“Beloved,

shemydaughter.Shemine.See.ShecomebacktomeofherownfreewillandIdon’thaveto

explainathing”(236).Denverstates,“Belovedismysister”(Morrison243).Itisunderstandable

thatSethegivessomuchmeaningtoBeloved.Sethehasalreadyexpressedhowfullsheisof

traumaticmemories.Itisonlynaturalthatshewouldneedtoplacesomeofthesehorrors

somewhereelse,somewhereoutsideofherownbody,inordertocope.However,itforcesus

toquestionwhoBelovedwouldbeonherown.Whatwouldsherepresent?AsWinsbrowrites,

“WithoutthepastandidentityprovidedbySethe,Belovedisanymotherlesschild,anyAfrican-

Americanfemale—sheisnobodyandeverybody,nothingandall”(136).Winsbrodescribesan

oddsortofcognitivedissonance,whichMorrisonbeautifullyillustratesattheconclusionof

Beloved.

Inherlastfewparagraphs,MorrisonshowsuswhoBelovediswithoutthememoriesof

SetheandDenvertoconstructsomesemblanceofanidentityforher.Belovedbecomesno

morethanapairoffootprintsthat“comeandgo,comeandgo”(324).Morrisonwrites,“They

aresofamiliar.Shouldachild,anadultplacehisfeetinthem,theywillfit.Takethemoutand

theydisappearagainasthoughnobodyeverwalkedthere”(324).Inthisinstance,Beloved

embodiestheuniversalityofthecollectivetraumasherepresentsbecausethefootprintsshe

leavesinthesnowfitadultsandchildrenalike.Simultaneously,however,Belovedisnothing

16

andnobodyatall.Withoutsomeonetothinkofhereveryday,shevanishes,herfootprintsonly

appearingwhensomeonecomesalongtoplacetheirfeetinthem.

WecanmakesenseofthisideaofBelovedasarepresentationofculturaltrauma

throughAfricanreligiousbeliefs.Mbitiwritesthat,ultimately,whentheirlovedonesstop

rememberingthem,a‘living-dead’“entersthestateofcollectiveimmortality.Ithas‘lost’its

personalname,…andwithitgoesalsothehumanpersonality.Itisnowan‘it’andnolongera

‘he’or‘she’;itisnowoneofmyriadsofspiritswhohavelosttheirhumanness’”(Qtd.in

Winsbro134).Thus,Beloved,ifsheisnotactivelyrememberedbyDenverandSethe,entersa

liminalspacefilledwithmillionsofotherforgottenspirits.Amongthesespiritsarethe“Sixty

Millionandmore”individualskilledbytheslavetradeinAfricaandtheMiddlePassagealone,

towhichMorrisondedicateshernovelintheepigraph.Asthenovelprogresses,Beloved

revealsthatsheherselfhasanunderstandingofthecollectivetraumasherepresents,andof

the“myriadsofspiritswhohavelosttheirhumanness”(Qtd.inWinsbro134).Forexample,

whenDenveraccusesBelovedofchokingSethe,Belovedleapstoherowndefensesaying“I

kissedherneck.Ididn’tchokeit.Thecircleofironchokedit”(119).Here,Belovedalludestothe

ironchainsofslavery,asiftosay‘itwasn’tmethatchokedSethe,itwaswhatIrepresent;it

wasn’tme,yoursister,itwasthecollectivememoryofslaverywhichIembody.’

Eventually,thenovelshiftsperspectives,allowingustoreadBeloved’sfirst-person

accountofthestateof“collectiveimmortality”ourselves.“IamBelovedandsheismine,”

Belovedsays,

IwouldhelpbutthecloudsareinthewayhowcanIsaythingsthatarepictures

IamnotseparatefromherthereisnoplacewhereIstopherfaceismyown

17

andIwanttobethereintheplacewhereherfaceisandtobelookingatittoo

ahotthing”(248)

Belovedcontinues,saying“AllofitisnowitisalwaysnowtherewillneverbeatimewhenI

amnotcrouchingandwatchingotherswhoarecrouchingtooIamalwayscrouchingtheman

onmyfaceisdeadhisfaceisnotminehismouthsmellssweetbuthiseyesarelocked(248).

Shereferences“menwithoutskin”whooccasionallybringthemwater,peoplewho“fallinto

theseawhichisthecolorofbread,”and“storms[which]rockusandmixthemenintothe

womenandthewomenintothemen”(250).OnereadingofthissectionisthatBelovedis

describingherexperienceofdeath.Thewomanwiththe‘facethatisBeloved’s’isSethe,the

afterlifeadark,crampedpurgatory.AnotherreadingofthissectionsuggeststhatBelovedisnot

describingdeathbutrathertheexperienceoftheMiddlePassage.CriticsofMorrison’swork

havesupportedbothofthesetheories.DeborahHorvitz,forexample,arguesthatBelovedis

recallingtheseparationofanAfricangirlfromhermother,asmencametokidnapandenslave

them.HorvitzsuggeststhatthecloudsBelovedreferencesareactuallycloudsofgunsmoke,

obscuringthisyounggirl’sviewfromhermother.Winsbrobuildsonbothofthesereadings,

suggestingthat,

Submergedindeath,Belovedcompoundsthepersonalexperienceofherown

separationfromandabandonmentbySethewiththecollectiveexperienceofall

theabandoneddaughtersofthe‘SixtyMillionandmore’—thosewhodidnot

survivecaptivityinAfricaortheMiddlePassage—towhomMorrisondedicates

thenovel.(135)

18

This,Ibelieve,isthemostconvincingreading.Indeath,Belovedtapsintothecollectivetrauma

ofslavery,thusexperiencingthepassagetotheafterlifeastheMiddlePassageofthe

transatlanticslavetrade.

AsinSongofSolomon,Morrisondoesnotmerelyincorporatethesupernaturalin

Belovedtoproveitsexistence;shedoesnotaskherreaderstobelieveinghostssimplyforthe

sakeofbelieving.Morrisondoesnotevenutilizethesupernaturalpurelytomakeus

understandindividualandculturaltraumas.Rather,throughtherealmofthesupernatural,

Morrisonchallengestheverypoliticsofgenderandracethat“realistic”narrativessooften

enforce,healingsomeofthewoundsleftbyculturaltraumainthefirstplace.PamelaE.Barnett

pointsout,inheressay“FigurationsofRapeandtheSupernaturalinBeloved,”that“the

availableidiomofrapeinAmericanculturehasobfuscatedthecentralityofrace…thereisno

widelyrecognizablestoryofwhitemen’srapeofblackwomen,andnarrativesofhomosexual

rapeareevenlessrecognizablewhenthevictimisblack”(420).Barnettrefers,ofcourse,to

literatureandnon-fictionthatfitsbeneaththeumbrellaofrealism.Morrison,though,through

heruseofsupernaturalisminBeloved,beginstounravelthesedominant,realisticnarrativesof

raceandgenderpolitics.

ThisisperhapsmostevidentinPaulD’sstoryline,andinhisrelationshiptoSethe.

BarnettpointsoutthatBeloved“actsasacatalystforPaulD’srecollectionofhispast”(420).

Beloved’spresenceforcesPaulDtorememberhisownsexualassaultatthehandsofwhite

men:

19

Kneelinginthemidsttheywaitedforthewhimofaguard,ortwo,orthree.Or

maybeallofthemwantedit.Wanteditfromoneprisonerinparticularor

none—orall.

“Breakfast?Wantsomebreakfast,nigger?”

“Yes,sir.”

“Hungry,nigger?”

“Yes,sir.”

“Hereyougo.”

Occasionallyakneelingmanchosegunshotintheheadastheprice,maybe,of

takingabitofforeskinwithhimtoJesus.(127)

Thechapterfollowingthisaccountbegins,“Shemovedhim”(Morrison134).The“she”is

Beloved,the“him”PaulD.Bybeginningthischapterwiththisstatement,Morrisonimplies

BelovedhassomehowmovedPaulDtorememberthesememories.Laterinthischapter,

BelovedcornersPaulDintheshed,tellinghim,“Youhavetotouchme.Ontheinsidepart.And

youhavetocallmemyname”(137).PaulDresistsatfirst,butiseventuallyforcedtocomply,

andwhenhedoes,themetaphoricaltobaccotininhischest,wherehestoresallofhis

repressedmemories,burstsopen.Hedoesnotnoticeatfirst.Allheisawareofis“thatwhenhe

reachedtheinsideparthewassaying,‘Redheart.Redheart,’overandoveragain”(138).Inthis

arguablynon-consensualactofsexbetweenBelovedandPaulD,Morrisonchallengesmultiple

stereotypessurroundingrace,gender,andsexuality.First,theexperiencemakesPaulD

rememberhissexualassaultatthehandsofwhitemen,anoften-ignoredpieceofslavery’sdark

history.Second,BelovedistheoneforcingPaulDintohavingsexwithher,combatingthe

20

stereotypeofblackmenasrapists.Third,Beloved’srequestthatPaulD‘touchherontheinside

part’parallelsBeloved’scollectivememoryofsexualabuseatthehandsofwhitemen;shelater

tellsSethethat“Ghostswithoutskinstucktheirfingersinherandsaidbelovedinthedarkand

bitchinthelight”(284).Beloved’sdescriptionofthesemenas“ghostswithoutskin”matches

thewayayoungchildmightperceiveawhiteman;havingonlyeverbeensurroundedbyblack

people,itmakessensethatachildwouldthinkwhitemenweresimplymissingtheirskin.

However,thisisarguablynotamemoryfromBeloved’sownshortlife.Rather,itisareference

toacollectivememoryofwhitemensexuallyabusingblackwomen.

Havingsubvertednotionsofraceandgenderfoundinmuchofrealisticliterature,

Morrison’scharacterscanbegintoheal.AfterBelovedisdrivenawaybyPaulD,Denver,and

theirneighbors,SethecriestoPaulD“Shewasmybestthing,”referringtoBeloved.Inthis

moment,PaulDrealizes“hewantstoputhisstorynexttohers”(322).“Sethe,meandyou,we

gotmorehistorythananybody.Weneedsomekindoftomorrow…Youyourbestthing,Sethe.

Youare,”PaulDtellsher(322).Inthismoment,PaulDactsastheultimatecounterexampleto

thestereotypeofblackmenwhoflee.PaulDwantstostaywithSetherforever,notbecause

sheisdependentuponhim,butbecausehewantsto.Havingprocessedandremembered

personalandcollectiveexperiencesoftraumathroughthesupernaturalpresenceofBeloved,

bothPaulD’sandSethe’sstoriescanfinallybecomehistory:bookstobeplacedonashelfnext

tooneanother’s.

SongofSolomonandBelovedarebookstobeplacednexttooneanotheronashelf,

too.Onlytheyaretobetakenoutandread,overandoveragain.Speakingtothepowerof

Morrison’sstories,Heinzewrites,“Morrison’sfictionisablendofmimesisandfantasythat

21

incitesitsreadershipintoawarenessandperhapsaction.Itprovidesawaytohealthespiritual

woundsofdouble-consciousnessoroppressioninanyguisewithintheconfinesofaharsh

realitythatdailyerodesselfhood”(152).Therealityofourday-to-daylivesismoldedby

powerfulforcesofracismandsexism.Theaftershocksofslaverystillrippleacrossthenation,

shapingourschoolsystems,ourprisonsystems,andoursystemsofgovernment.Morrison,

throughheruseofthesupernaturalinhernovels,bynomeansignoresorevensugarcoatsthe

atrocitiesthathaveemergedoutofthisreality.Rather,thesupernaturalactsasagentlebut

firmhandonthebackofourheads,forcingustolookatthepastandthepresentlongenough

totrytounderstand.

Aswegrapplewiththebrutalitiesofthepastandpresentalike,Morrisonshowsusthat

flightispossible,thatghostsexistintheflesh.Shechangestheveryfabricofarealitythatweso

desperatelywanttounderstand,creatingaworldinwhichtraditionalnotionsofrace,gender,

andpowerdisintegrate.Theideaofflightasareturnhome,ratherthananescapefromhome,

underminesthestereotypeofblackmenwholeavehome,abandoningtheirfamilies.Morrison

furtherunderminesgenderpoliticsbysubvertingthegendernormssheherselfinitially

presents.Morrisondepictsflightasamalepower,onlytorevealPilateasawomanwhofliesat

theendofthenovel.Belovedinhercorporealformrepresentsanabsolutereversalof

normativepowerdynamics.Sheisbothaninfantandablackwoman,bothcharacteristicsthat

wouldrenderherhelplessintraditionallyrealisticliterature.Yet,throughthesupernaturalshe

haspoweroverherolderbrothers,hermother,evenPaulD.Thus,throughthesupernatural,

Morrisongivesustwocharacterswhoactasantithesestothestereotypesofblackmenwho

22

runawayandblackwomenwhostayput:PaulDandPilate.PaulDstayswithSetheand

Denver.Pilateflies.

WhenwereturnBelovedandSongofSolomontotheirplacesnexttooneanotheron

theshelf,perhapswewillbetterunderstandthegenderedandracialforcesthatshapeour

realities.Perhapswewillhavemoreempathyfortheinherenttraumastheseforcescreate.

Perhapswewillevenbedriventochangetheveryfabricofthisreality,drawingsomeof

Morrison’smagicintoourday-to-daylives.

23

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Eyerman,Ron.Culturaltrauma:slaveryandtheformationofAfricanAmericanidentity.

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Heinze,Denise.TheDilemmaof'Double-Consciousness':ToniMorrison'sNovels.

UniversityofGeorgiaPress,1993.

Horvitz,Deborah.“NamelessGhosts:PossessionandDispossessioninBeloved.”Critical

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Montejo,Esteban,andMiguelBarnet.AutobiographyofaRunawaySlave.Pantheon

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Morrison,Toni.Beloved.Vintage,2016.

Morrison,Toni.SongofSolomon.VintageBooks,2016.

Winsbro,B.C.SupernaturalForces:Belief,Difference,andPowerinContemporary

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