More Beloved Motifs!

  More motifs! A couple days ago, we discussed motifs. After body parts, water, bodily fluids, and food was "animals," which were used to represent the dehumanization of the characters or the characters themselves. The Pauls and Sixo mated with cows at Sweet Home, showing that they were thought of as animals. Schoolteacher measured his slaves by noting their animal-like and human-like characteristics. When Paul D found out that Sethe killed Beloved, he said that she had 2 legs, not 4 (like an animal). Here Boy, the family dog, was the only owned animal.The sixth one was "color," which represented life, especially red. Paul D's red tobacco tin was his heart. Because of all he's been through, his heart has been replaced with a red container. Baby Suggs always thought of color in bed. Pink blossoms led Paul D to 124.
      The seventh motif was "triplings," which are present throughout. "Three" symbolizes balance. There were originally three people at 124, but then Paul D came. It was still 3 because he got rid of the baby ghost. Then it was 4 when Beloved came from the water, but it returns to 3 because she scares away Paul D. Beloved, Denver and Sethe symbolize the Holy Trinity. Another occurrence of tripling is found in schoolteacher + his two nephews. Denver was three weeks old when Paid brought the berries.When the four men on horses came to catch the slaves at 124, only three men unmounted off their horses. Last but not least, "names." They represent the lack of freedom for slaves. For example, there were many Pauls (Paul D, Paul A) at Sweet Home, so they lack individuality. Ella means bearer, which fits because she had to bear with helping slaves in her community who escaped. Sixo is similar to hell; he was rebellious and he was burned. Paid renamed himself after he became a fee slave. Denver = green valley. When you think of a valley, you think wide and free and Denver became independent at the end of the book.