#2 Stolen Milk_Alanna

 

 

Text: Beloved by Toni Morrison
Lens: Feminist 


"After I left you, those boys came in here and took my milk. That's what they came in here for. Held me down and took my milk. I told Mrs. Garner on em. She had that lump and couldn't speak but her eyes rolled out tears. Them boys found out I told on em. Schoolteacher made one open up my back, and when it closed it made a tree" (20).





        Before Sethe tells this story, she is having a conversation with an old friend by the name of Paul D. He is a gentle, kindhearted man who is from Sweet Home. He was a good friend of her husband, Halle. His presence is calming to Sethe, this hints at one of the many stereotypes that women have in society: Men are the strong ones who are meant to protect, while women are weak and NEED a man to survive. Prior to Sethe telling him about the brutal mistreatment she faced at Sweet Home, she was fixing him a meal while he sat and relaxed, yet another stereotype. The mood is calm and almost awkward, no one speaking. Just Sethe and Paul D, alone in the kitchen. Sethe then reflects on how she had milk when she was pregnant. She talks about the judgement she felt because people could smell the lactation in her breasts, or see it dripping from her dress. She was motivated to get milk to her baby when she sent her along with her brothers, Howard and Buglar. This memoray clearly pains Sethe.
         The assulat that took place is something that happens way to often in society. Women are made out to be sexual objects with the help of the media and social networking. This passage does the duty in proving that this issue has been around for a long time, progressivley getting worse. This assault was jsut stealing milk, now we see domestic abuse and rape accoring everywhere we look. Through a eminist lens, I can look at this situation and feel sickened. Women being treated like something so worthless is insidious. We can clearly see how gender plays out in Beloved by seeing how women are portraed as weak and men portrayed as sexual beasts, which is also another stereotype about gender. Paul D is not one to go with the stereotype. He is a gentle man, not pushing for intercourse, even though it does happen later in the book. He cares for Sethe and her children, specfically Denver.
        I am really looking forward to seeing how Sethe's underlying strength plays out in the book. I can sense that she is an incredibly strong woman but she has been taken advantage by and abused by men for a while. The lack of trust in males is inevitable for her. I hope to see her become an independent woman with nothing but willpower pushing her to raise her child and overcome her hardships and flashbacks.