Beloved(journal)

BELOVED Chapter 1 The book starts in 1873. Two main characters, Sethe and her daughter Denver are introduced. They live in a white house at 124 Bluestone Road. The grandmother, Baby Suggs, passed away in 1855. The two sons of Sethe have run away thirteen years ago, due to the scares by the baby ghost. She is known as Beloved, which is engraved on her pink headstone. Sethe killed the baby by cutting her throat. All of a sudden, Sethe gets a visit from Paul D. Paul D is the last of the Sweet Home men. The last time Paul D and Sethe saw each other was eighteen years ago. Sweet Home was a slave plantation in Kentucky. Sethe invites Paul D to stay the night. He accepts. Paul D brings back the Sweet Home memories for Sethe. She recalls the time when Mr. Garner passed away, and Mrs.

Beloved (film)

Paul Walker

Paul Stang

Garner was too ill to take care of the plantation. The schoolteacher arrives and all hell breaks loose. Sethe was thirteen when she first arrived at Sweet Home. Out of the five Sweet Home men, Sethe had to choose one as a husband. The five Sweet Home men were Paul D Garner, Paul F Garner, Paul A Garner, Halle Suggs, and Sixo (the wild man). Sethe waited a year before choosing Halle has her husband. As Sethe prepares Paul D bread, she explains her story about the schoolteacher. She tells him how the boys came and took her milk. She said after she told Mrs. Garner, they found out and beat her. As he was "comforting" her after she told the story, the floorboards started shaking. The shaking was caused by the ghost. The ghost pushed the table towards Paul D. However, Paul D grabs it and breaks it. Sethe and Paul D go upstairs after the chaos stopped. Denver stayed downstairs and ate the biscuits.

Thoughts: I think Paul D is a jerk. Why would you move in on a lady when she's upset? No offense to him but I think he just wants to have sex with her. After that, I think he will leave. Why is Denver sad? What does the ghost mean to her? I really hate the schoolteacher and the boys. How could they steal Sethe's milk? How could they beat a pregnant woman? They don't have hearts.

Chapter 2 Paul D thinks of the past years. He remembered Sethe and thought of her twenty five years ago. Paul D and Sethe have sex. They were both so anxious that they didn't get to taking off all their clothes. Afterwards, they feel awkward around each other. As Paul D is laying there, he regrets having sex with Sethe. He starts thinking about Sixo. Sixo walks thirty miles for eighty four hours to see a woman. Sethe thinks about her relationship with Halle. She is thankful for a great husband.

Thoughts: I thought sex was a special thing, not a casual thing. That's is what is taught to children and teenagers. This book defies that. They are both having sex because they want someone. How could Paul D say such evil things about Sethe? He just had sex with her. He's a jerk! He's probably going to leave her now. It's like the saying "Wham, Bam, Thank you maim." He did say, "Halle never knew what he had." That was a nice thing to say. Denver is going to resent Paul D. She is going to hate him even more.

Chapter 3 Chapter three is about Denver. This chapter starts out with Denver in her secret spot. Her secret spot is in the woods covered by five boxwood bushes. This place was playroom, refuge, and a comfort zone. In Autumn, Paul D moved in with Denver and Sethe. One day Denver saw something out of the ordinary in her house. Denver saw a white dress praying next to her mother. It had its sleeves around her mother's waste. Denver thinks of her birth story. Sethe ran away from Sweet Home while she was pregnant with Denver. Sethe fell to the ground after running many miles with no shoes. A white girl named Amy Denver helped Sethe to a lean to, where she took care of Sethe, and helped deliver Denver. Amy was on her way to Boston to buy velvet. Amy knew Sethe as Lu. When Sethe wakes up next to Paul D, she realizes that there isn't much color in her house or that she has seen. The last time she saw color was on her baby's tombstone and the orange squares on the quilt. Paul D's arrival changed everything. He was in Georgia, Delaware, Ohio, Cincinnati, then Halle's mother's house. Paul D feels like he belongs at Halle's mother's house. He asks Sethe if he can stay. Sethe explains to Paul D how Denver and Sethe were in jail together. Sethe and Denver are very close. Paul D turns away at the mentioning of jail. Sethe realizes she has to let go of the past to move on.

Thoughts: I can't believe they slept together after maybe an hour of meeting again. Is she that vulnerable and wanting? It's scary how the dress wrapped its sleeves around Sethe's waist. How could she not notice it? Funny how Paul D is staying with them. I thought he definitely would've left. The songs that he sings are sad. Couldn't he bring cheerful songs to the house? The house is already sad and depressed. The lacking in colors shows how sad the house is. The only colors are the tombstone of a dead baby and the quilt that the dead grandmother made.

Chapter 4 Denver asks how long Paul D will stay. Paul D and Sethe are very upset by the question. Paul D and Sethe get into an argument over Denver's behavior. Paul D says he wants to make a life with Sethe. At this point, Paul D asks Sethe and Denver to go to the carnival. Sethe is reluctant to accept but does. On the way to the carnival, Sethe enjoyed the shadows holding hands the most. It showed her that they were a family. The three of them enjoyed themselves at the carnival. They acted like a family. Denver was as happy as could be. Paul D bought her anything and everything she wanted.

Thoughts: It's weird how money can change little kid's minds. Money makes kids like you. Sethe shows that she is truly happy with the way things are. Paul D seems to have changed and want to settle down. He isn't a bad guy after all. Denver just seems like a brat now. I understand how she could feel threatened now. She has to share her mother with another man. She doesn't seem to like that. It's funny how the carnival day has a day only for colored folks. It is completely different from the way things are now.

Chapter 5 A fully dressed woman comes out of the water. The lady sits by the tree all day and night. Out of all things that hurt her, her lungs hurt the most. When the carnival was over, Paul D and Denver notice the girl. When Sethe sees her, she has a sudden urge to pee. By the time Sethe came back to where they were standing, Paul D, the girl, and Denver were inside. Paul D and Denver watched the girls drink many cups of water. Paul D asks the girl her name and she replies, "Beloved." He asks her her last name, but she has no idea what a last name is. When the prepare food for her, she falls asleep in the chair. They bring her to Baby Suggs' room. Paul D thinks she has cholera. Denver takes care of Beloved. Paul D finds it strange that Beloved seems so strong but pretends to be sick. Paul D says he saw Beloved pick up a rocking chair with one hand. However, when Sethe asks Denver if Beloved did that and she denies it.

Thoughts: Denver must be extremely lonely. She didn't seem to care about anyone but herself. However, as soon as Beloved came, she was willing to take care of her. Denver needed companionship. Sethe seems to be leading a perfect life. Beloved is a replacement for her dead daughter. However, the only bitter person is Paul D. Why can he just deal with Beloved? Why does he object to her being there? Chapter 6 Beloved stares at Sethe 24/7. Beloved will not leave the room unless she has to or is told to. She wakes up early in the morning to see Sethe bake bread. When Sethe returns from work, Beloved is always there waiting for Sethe to show up. As each day passes, Beloved slowly works her way closer and closer to meet Sethe. Beloved asks Sethe, " Where are your diamonds?" However, Sethe has no idea what diamonds Beloved is talking about. Soon enough Sethe remembers the crystals she once had. Beloved asked Sethe to tell the story. Sethe decided that she would have to have a dress for the night of her "wedding." She made one from the pieces of cloth she found around the plantation. Mrs. Garner gave the crystal earrings to Sethe as a wedding gift. It was a gift because Mrs. Garner felt bad that there couldn't be a wedding for Sethe and Halle. However, Denver asks Sethe, "Where are they?" However, Sethe says, "They're long gone." Another question Beloved asked was if Sethe's mother ever fixed her hair. The answer was no because she barely saw her mother. Sethe shared a story about her mother. The story was that her mother came up to her showing her an identification mark she had on her. The mark was a cross under her breast. Sethe mentions that her mother was hung. However, she was unable to check which body was her mother's. Sethe is getting upset because she starts folding the wet laundry. Sethe realizes that she cannot recollect the memory of her life before Sweet Home. She remembers a lady named Nan. Nan told Sethe she was lucky because she wasn't given up. Denver hated hearing stories about her mother. She only liked the stories about herself. Denver is curious to know how Beloved knew about the diamonds.

Thoughts: How did Beloved know about the diamonds? Mrs. Garner is a nice lady for a plantation owner. I start to see that Sethe wants to lead a normal life because her childhood didn't seem to great. She protects Denver because she didn't get to see enough of her mother. She feels like she has to make up for everything she didn't have. By giving Denver everything Sethe never had, it keeps pushing Denver further away. Denver is a brat for not wanting to know more about her mother. She can only think of herself. How rude! Chapter 7 Paul D notices the gleam on Beloved's face. Paul D and Sethe had sex in the morning to clear his mind. It had been five weeks already, yet they do not know a thing about Beloved. Paul D starts up some trouble by picking on Beloved. He is very suspicious about her actions. He asks her how she has new shoes when she walked many miles. Paul D is shocked how many of his friends and himself had to go through many tortures to stay alive, yet she seems to have defeated it all perfectly fine. Paul d does not want Beloved to live in the house anymore. He cannot kick her out because it isn't his house. Beloved chokes on a raisin. After the choking, Denver invites Beloved to stay in her room. Seth brings up how Halle left her and the kids. However, Paul D explains to Sethe the real reason he left. He explains that Halle saw the men take the milk from her and beat her. Halle could not do anything, so he went crazy. She admits to herself that Halle is dead. Because of her past, Sethe has a hard time moving on with the future. Paul D continues with a story about the rooster named Mister. He tells her he had a bit in his mouth to prevent him from talking. Mister drove Paul D crazy, because Paul D knew that the rooster had more freedom than him. Paul D decides to stop talking because it would hurt too much in the end. They both decide to forget about the past together.

Thoughts: I am really curious to know who "she" is when Beloved talks about the girl by the bridge. It's scary to know that someone led Beloved to the house. It's so sad that Beloved looks about twenty, yet she doesn't know how to tie her shoes. How could a person not know how to tie their shoe at that age? I really hate how Paul D hates Beloved so much. Why can't he give her a chance? He acts as if he has no compassion. I felt like crying when Paul D told Sethe her husband saw everything that happened in the barn. It's so sad that Paul D thought the rooster had more freedom than him. That makes me think how grateful I am to have my freedom now.

Chapter 8 Beloved is dancing upstairs. Soon, Denver joins her. Denver asks Beloved why her name is Beloved. She says, "In the dark my name is Beloved." Beloved explains how the dark place was small. She had to curl up and lay on her side. She says there are a lot of people down there. Some of which are dead. She explains how she waited by the bridge for a long time. The reason Beloved came was to see Sethe's smile. Denver tells Beloved to never leave. Beloved says that the house is her home. Denver tells Beloved how she was born in a boat. She describes the white girl, explains how she took Sethe to the lean to, and how she rubbed Sethe's feet. Amy continuously tells Sethe she is going to die. Amy made Sethe shoes. As the two of them come near the river, Sethe"˜s water breaks. Sethe crawls into the boat. After the baby was born, Amy leaves and tells Sethe to tell Denver about her.

Thoughts: Beloved has to be the baby ghost. The hint, "Heaps. There are a lot of people down there. Some are dead." Also, Beloved says she's from a dark place. I think when Denver tells Beloved how she was born, I think she replaces Denver with herself. That's horrible how Amy keeps telling Sethe she is going to die. That's the worst way to keep a person alive. The person will start thinking it's true and lose faith. Amy is a mean girl. No offense to anyone, but white people back then were horribly mean and cruel. Amy also tells Sethe that she's ugly. How could she say that to her face? But it was sweet how she took care of Sethe and helped deliver the baby.

Chapter 9 In order to move on to the future, Sethe decides to clear her past. Sethe decides to go to the Clearing. At the Clearing, Sethe asks Baby Suggs to rub her neck. Sethe thinks about the first day she arrived at Halle's mother's house. Baby Suggs was a unchurched preacher. Baby Suggs never told the followers that they were blessed or to clean up their lives. She merely helped them love themselves more. Baby Suggs' motto was "There is no bad luck in the world but white folks. " Sethe decided to go to the Clearing to pay tribute to Halle. Sethe brings along Beloved and Denver. Sethe thinks about the journey she had with Denver after she was born. Sethe walked along the river until she came upon two boys and a man fishing. Sethe falls asleep on a rock and wakes up to the smell of eel. The man, Stamp Paid, tells one of the boys to take off their jacket for the baby. Stamp brought Denver and Sethe to a hutch. Later that day, a woman went to get them. The woman's name was Ella. Ella gives Sethe a wool blanket, cotton cloth, and two baked sweet potatoes. Ella tells Sethe her other three children are at Bluestone. Ella takes Sethe to Halle's mother's house. Baby Suggs welcomes them. After bathing Sethe, Baby Suggs puts Sethe's feet into a bucket of salt water and juniper. As Baby Suggs gathers the rags to throw away, Sethe asks for the crystal earrings in the rags. Baby Suggs pierces Sethe's ears, so she can keep the earrings. Sethe had traveled for 28 days. On her journey, she was taught how to spell and stitch. Back at the Clearing, Sethe is being strangled by a ghost, whom she thinks is Baby Suggs. Beloved starts rubbing Sethe's neck and kissing it. Sethe pulls away from Beloved. As Sethe started walking back towards the house, she realizes the massaging was just like the ones she got from the ghost in the house. She thinks the ghost is in the Clearing after Paul D chased him out of the house. When Sethe arrives at the house, Paul D is bathing in a tub. Beloved gets to the house and sees Sethe and Paul D together. She is upset by the sight. She thinks she is losing time with Sethe. Beloved goes to find Denver. Denver accuses Beloved of choking Sethe. Beloved blames it on the circle of iron. Beloved runs off and Denver feels guilty. At the age of seven, Denver attended school. A kid in her class, Nelson Lord, asked Denver a question. The next day she stopped attending school. The question that was asked was, " Didn't your mother get locked away for murder? Weren't you in there with her when she went?" However, Denver never asked her mother if it was true. Denver goes to look for Beloved. Beloved is standing in the river watching two turtles mate.

Thoughts: My first thought was oh my goodness this chapter is long. I thought Beloved did choke Sethe, so that she could go near Sethe. The next thought was why would she hurt her mother? Who's the circle of iron? That's when I thought Beloved didn't do it. Does Beloved want a mate? She seems to be watching the turtles inventively. School can cause so much harm to a child. I could relate to Denver when she went to school and was asked something she didn't know about. I wasn't asked the same question, but I know the feeling of being made fun of or teased. It isn't the greatest feeling in the world. Was Denver jealous of Beloved? I thought she burst out on Beloved because Beloved pays so much attention to Sethe.

Chapter 10 This chapter is about Paul D. He was sent to a prison in Georgia for trying to kill Brandywine, the man schoolteacher sold him to. He was with forty - six other men. They woke up to gunshot. They were all chained together. Sometimes they would have to "take a bit of foreskin." Some took a gunshot to the head instead. There was a man called Hi Man. He said, "Hiiiiiiiiiii!" at dawn and "Hoooo!" in the evening. Considering they weren't allowed to speak, they sang. On the eighty-sixth day, it rained. The white men decided to lock everyone down in the boxes until it stopped raining. The dirt was soft and the water was high. So, all the men went under the bar one by one and escaped. They were all helped by the Cherokees. The Cherokees axed the chains and helped them go on their merry way. The Cherokees called the men Buffalo men. Paul D stayed with the Cherokees the longest, because he had no idea where to go. He found his way to Delaware by following tree flowers. He came upon the weaver lady. He stayed with her for eighteen months.

Thoughts: It must've been horrible at the prison. I cannot imagine being chained for forty -six men. Being a girl, I probably would've cried every night. But then again, I wouldn't have tried killing my owner. If he was a jerk, maybe. Thankfully the Cherokees didn't seem mean.

Chapter 11 One day after dinner, Paul D falls asleep in the rocking chair. He decides to stay there for a few nights. He wasn"˜t sore when he woke up. Instead, he was refreshed. He decides he doesn't like the rocking chair anymore. Then, he moves to Baby Suggs' room. After a few nights he doesn't want to stay there anymore. He goes and sleeps in the storeroom. After the he stayed in the cold house. He decides to stay there. One night Beloved visits him in the cold house. She tells him she wants him to "tough her on the inside part." Although he is tempted, he rejects her. The only way to reject her is to stare at the lard can. After persuading him for awhile, he finally gives in. They have sex. He repeats, "Red heart." Thoughts: How could Paul D do that to Sethe? I thought he loved her. What a jerk! How could Beloved do that to her? Is Beloved doing that so that Sethe will hate Paul D? I think she thinks that when Sethe finds out, she will kick Paul D out. Sethe can't kick Beloved out, because Beloved is like Sethe's daughter. Paul D seems to be moving away from Sethe. They are slowly departing.

Chapter 12 Beloved cannot remember anything but being snatched away from her. Sethe thinks that Beloved has had the same past as Ella. Denver thinks that Beloved was the white dress that had its arms around Sethe's waist. Denver didn't ask Beloved many questions because she feared it might scare Beloved away. Denver explains every little thing in detail to keep Beloved's attention. Denver keeps Beloved busy because it gives Denver all of Beloved's attention. When Sethe comes home, Beloved pays not attention to Denver. Beloved and Denver go into the cold house to get cider. Denver looks around and cannot find Beloved anywhere. She opens the door to shine some light in, yet Beloved is still nowhere to be found. At this point, Beloved feels deserted. All of a sudden, Beloved shows up in front of Denver. Denver explains how she thought Beloved left. She reassures Denver she will not go anywhere. Denver holds onto Beloved. Beloved points to a crack of sunlight. She says to Denver there is a face. The face is Beloved.

Thoughts: It is scary how Beloved just all of a sudden disappeared. How was she nowhere to be found? Denver must've been a deprived child. She seems to lack in the area of love. She cannot stand to not have Beloved's attention. Either she's deprived or spoiled. I'm not too fond of Denver. Beloved scares me.

Chapter 13 Paul D says he's a man. However, whenever he thinks of Sethe he feels he is not. He feels guilty about having sex with Beloved. He walks to Sethe's work and waits for her. When he sees her, he fails to tell her. He says he wants to have a baby with Sethe. They walk home holding hands and flirting. It starts to snow. This helps them to remember this night forever. As the snow comes down thicker, Paul D says to run. Due to Sethe's feet hurting so much, she cannot. Paul D gives her a piggy back ride until he is out of breath and tired. They see a figure walking towards them. It is Beloved holding a shawl. Beloved does not have a jacket on, so Sethe puts the shawl on her. They walk in a hurry. Sethe finalizes the perfect night by telling Paul D he must sleep upstairs. Paul D reminisces about the last time he was thankful towards a woman. When Paul D asked Sethe to have a baby with him, it frightened her. She doesn't think she has it in her. Sethe thought she had everything she needed in life. By adding another thing, it complicated things.

Thoughts: Paul D better be guilty. What an idiot for thinking he could buy off some time by asking Sethe to have a baby. Does he really think time will help? Time makes things worse. He should've told her right away. I hate Beloved for ruining the moment they were having. Sethe was happy. She deserves to be happy at time. Out of this whole book, she's the only one who deserves to be happy. She has gone through so much. If she wasn"˜t a fictional character, she would be my hero. She is very strong and brave. I admire her.

Chapter 14 Beloved wants Paul D to leave. Beloved's tooth falls out. However, Beloved doesn't seem to react to it. Beloved thinks that her arm, leg , or any body part could be next. Beloved has no idea what to do. Denver asks Beloved if it hurts. Beloved responds with yes. Denver asks why she doesn't cry. Beloved has no idea how to cry. Beloved wanted to cry when she saw the mating turtles as well.

Thoughts: HOW COULD BELOVED NOT KNOW HOW TO CRY?!?! That's outrageous! It was a wisdom tooth that fell out. They must hurt like crazy. My sister had gotten that done. She couldn't talk, eat, or anything. All she did was cry from the pain. Is Beloved a dead person come back to life? Why does she think she will fall apart? Chapter 15 It starts back when Sethe first arrived at Baby Suggs' house. Baby Suggs felt bad that she could not be extremely happy about the arrival of Sethe and Denver. The reason for that was, she thought if she got overexcited Halle would not show up. Stamp Paid brings two buckets full of blackberries to Baby Suggs' house. Baby Suggs decides to throw a party. All of the food she planned on making was doubled. The party is ruined by jealous neighbors. They think she hasn't suffered enough. She earned her slavery because her son bought it for her, and she owns her own house. Baby Suggs had a problem with her hip. Halle noticed that she was in a lot of pain, so he decided to buy her from Mr. Halle. Halle told her to cross the river and live in freedom. Baby Suggs moved to Cincinnati, where she met the Bodwins. She heard nothing for two years, but knew Halle got married and had children.

Thoughts: Baby Suggs is a superstitious person. She didn"˜t want to get excited about her grandchildren and daughter-in-law arriving, because her son might not come home then. Halle was a very sweet guy. He bought his mother's freedom. There are some people who put their parents in a old person's home. That's crazy. I wonder how much he had to earn? Chapter 16 Sethe does not want her kids to live in slavery. She would even kill them to keep then out of it. Three of them got off of their horses, while on stayed on the horse. The one on the horse had a rifle in his hands. The men were slave catchers. Inside the house, two boys were bleeding in the sawdust. They were standing at the feet of a woman holding a bloody baby. The four babies, that the slave catchers hoped to take with them, were dead. Two of the babies were lying dead in sawdust. A third was lying on the mother's dress bleeding. The killing of her children was due to the fact that the schoolteacher's nephew beat her. The sheriff told the nephew and the catchers to leave. The two little boys were lying open eyed in the sawdust. The woman was trying to the babies head up, because she slit the babies throat. The other child was in the arms of the old man. The lady was Sethe. The baby in the old man's arms was Denver. After feeding Denver, she took Denver in the cart down the road.

Thoughts: The story she told Denver is a lie! She lied! How could she do that to her kids? I guess it's different in my perspective because I don't know what it feels like to be a slave. Is death really better than being a slave? I don't know if I could kill my child. If I can't even do one, how did she do three? She didn't even cry. She just took the child and left. I think that's the same exact thing I would do. I felt like crying in this chapter. It is so sad. I don't think anything I have ever read in my entire life was this sad.

Chapter 17 Paul D and Stamp Paid are looking at a newspaper clipping of Sethe. However, Paul D keeps saying it isn't Sethe's mouth. Paul D cannot read, but he kept denying that the picture was of Sethe. Paul D knew that the article must not be good news, because a black face would never appear in the newspaper otherwise. Paul D now knows about the murder that Sethe committed.

However, Paul D denies it. He refuses to acknowledge the truth.

Thoughts: I wonder what Paul D will now think of Sethe. Will he confront her about this? Will he leave her now that he knows the truth? Nelson Lord was write about the question. I can't believe it's true. I thought Sethe loved her daughter like no other. She doesn't seem like a killer.

Chapter 18 Paul D told Sethe he knew about the murder. She keeps repeating when I came back, she was already crawling. Sethe keeps walking around the room. She explains to Paul D the troubles she went through with Denver. Sethe feels that she loves her children more now because they are free. She could not love her children when they were owned by someone else. Paul D understands because he felt the same way when he listened to the doves. She does not want to tell Paul D what happened, so she circles around the memory. Paul D realizes Sethe did kill her children. He hears roaring in his head. He realizes she did it for the pure reason of safety. The way Sethe talked about the love she had for her children scared Paul D. He tells her her plan did not work. She explains it did because the schoolteacher is nowhere to be found. He got up and told her to put his supper plate aside because he will be late. Beloved sees him leaving. Sethe finds it sweet that he did not say, "Goodbye." She knows he will not be back.

Thoughts: Sethe really scared me in this chapter. I know she says she did it for her children, but she doesn't admit that she did it. Her only excuse is that she thought it was the right thing to do. She has no remorse for what she did. She does not see anything wrong in killing her children. I knew Paul D would leave. It's good that he left anyway. If I was him I would've left as well. She seems like a completely different person now. Will she be ok? Is she going to turn crazy like Halle did? Part 2 Chapter 19 Stamp Paid feels bad for what he said to Paul D. He goes to Sethe's house to see if he can relieve his guilt. He feels like a sneak. He feels bad because Sethe has gone through many hard times. She had to deal with Baby Suggs' death right after. When people came to mourn the death, they only ate the food they brought. Nothing of Sethe's was touched. None of the neighbors talked to Sethe. When he got to Sethe's house, he could not walk in or knock. For the next six days, he goes to Sethe's house but cannot knock on the door. Sethe misses Paul D. She thinks she shouldn't have trusted him so much. She remembers the olden days when she was happy. Now she has nothing. She is miserable. She even had to sell sex to get Beloved's gravestone. She takes Beloved and Denver ice skating. After ice skating, they wrap themselves in a blanket and drink milk. Beloved starts humming a song. After Beloved is done humming, Sethe realizes that the song was a song Sethe made up. Sethe used to sing it her children. Only her children knew the song. At this point, Sethe knows for sure Beloved is her ghost daughter. Stamp Paid goes back to the house, however he just leaves. Sethe decides to leave for work late. She watches her daughters sleep. She thinks if Beloved came back, then her sons should too. She figures she will not have to tell the story of the slaughterhouse. Stamp Paid finally knocks on the door, however Sethe is not home. He sees two girls, one is Denver and the other he does not know. He goes to talk to Ella to see if she knows anything. She doesn't, but she tells him Paul D is sleeping at the church. Stamp Paid criticizes Ella for not offering Paul D a bed. When she arrives at work , she gets yelled at by her boss. However, Sethe turns her back and does her work. Sethe forgot the food for dinner. Sethe thinks of all the things she wants to forget. Sethe apologizes to Beloved in her mind. She is proud for what she did.

Thoughts: It is hard to say sorry and admit you did something horrible. The worst part is he knows he ruined Sethe's life. She is now miserable. She has gone into depression. I feel bad for her. She has nothing. She was happy when everything seemed perfect. All great things must come to an end. Happiness does not last forever. That seems to be the theme of this chapter. It is a very depressing chapter. I can't believe Sethe is still proud of herself for what she did. Why does Stamp Paid have to know who Beloved is? Why doesn't Stamp Paid offer Paul D a bed? I wonder if Beloved will stay.

Chapter 20 Sethe thinks Beloved has come back to her. Sethe is very gracious towards Beloved because she came back. Beloved wanted to come back on her own. Sethe promises to herself that she will take very good care of Beloved. Sethe tells herself that she will tell Beloved why she killed her. She will explain it was for the best. Sethe realizes thanks to Beloved she will see color again. Sethe is still haunted by her past. Sethe sees that Mrs. Garner wasn't as perfect as she thought. There were times when Mrs. Garner did nothing when Sethe needed her. Sethe is happy that she can talk to Beloved about Sweet Home. Denver was never there, so she hated hearing the stories. Sethe wanted to kill herself after having to kill her children. She only stayed alive because she had to take care of Denver, Howard, and Buglar. Now that Beloved is back, Sethe feels like she is at peace.

Thoughts: I'm glad that Sethe is happy in this chapter. She seems to be setting things straight. I don't think everything is going to go so well. Throughout this book, when something great happens another bad things happens. There is no such thing as perfect in this book. It's quite sad really. Beloved is going to go crazy when she hears what her mother did to her. I think Beloved will hate her mother for taking her away from her. Would Beloved even want to listen to the stories of Sweet Home? She died there. Why would she want to listen to the stories? Chapter 21 Denver has lived a very isolated life. She basically lived in a box. She socialized with no one. She was very sheltered. Sethe was often at work. She had no father. The only things she knew about her father were from Baby Suggs. Baby Suggs made Halle sound like an angel. Denver liked the ghost. It was the only company Denver had. When the ghost left, Denver felt alone. When Beloved arrived, Denver was very happy. She had a companion now. Denver knows Beloved is her sister. However, Denver is afraid that Sethe will kill again. She fears Sethe might kill Beloved and Denver.

Thoughts: It is scary to think your mother might go after you and kill you. I would never sleep. I would also never get my mother angry. I think if I was Denver I would gone crazy. I don't think I would've been able to be by myself for so long. I cannot even do that now. I am so used to having a sister that I don't understand what it is to be alone. On rare occasions, I can understand what Denver went through. This chapter made me realize I take knowing my parents for granted. I take having two parents for granted.

Chapter 22 Beloved narrates this chapter. She says she is crouching and watching others. She is inside a dead man's body. The reason why she is falling apart is because she is using a body that is already dead. Soon enough the body will decay and the true self will appear. She is in the water looking at the reflection. She keeps saying the iron circle is not around my neck. She sees a face in the water. The face is Sethe. She sees Sethe chewing and wallowing Beloved. When Beloved blinks, she sees Sethe smiling.

Thoughts: It's weird that Beloved would see that. I think that's scary. I cried after reading what Beloved wrote. It's sad how she is going to decay. It's weird how Denver and Sethe see Beloved and not the dead guy. She is using a dead guy's body. I thought what if the people we see are dead bodies? Could that be possible? We wouldn't even know the difference. Only the person who is using the body would know. How freaky! Chapter 23 This chapter still has Beloved talking. Beloved thinks Sethe is picking flowers. Just when Sethe was going to smile, the dead men pushed all of the dead into the water. Sethe went into the water without being pushed. Beloved found Sethe but then lost her under the bridge. Beloved tries to reach for Sethe but she swims up to the top. Beloved follows Sethe to the house. When Beloved sees Sethe, she is smiling. At this point, Beloved does not want to lose Sethe again. Beloved hears a voice talking to her. The voice asks if Beloved came from the other side. Beloved answers yes. The voice tells Beloved she is safe and the men won't hurt her. The voice promises Beloved, "Daddy is coming for us." The voice ends with repeating, "You are mine." The voices seems to be saying many things. The voices seem to be Sethe and Denver talking to Beloved.

Thoughts: The voices scare me. Beloved's thoughts scare me. Why does she think Sethe will eat her? Does that mean she is afraid of Sethe? Beloved does not want to lose Sethe though. The things the voices are saying seem to be Sethe and Denver. I think Beloved wants Sethe and Denver to say these things to Beloved. I think she needed to hear these things to make her feel loved. It seems Beloved is feeling insecure. Does that mean she's still a baby inside? She has not grown up yet.

Chapter 24 Paul D sits on the porch drinking liquor. He remembers how his tin heart was open. He realizes his emotions are open. He thinks about his days at Sweet Home. He realizes he had no freedom. He was told that Mr. Garner thought of them as men. However, the schoolteacher treated them differently. Paul D realizes that Sixo's stories are true. He realizes the slave labor is worse out of Sweet Home. He faces reality at the prison in Georgia. Paul D traveled with Sixo and the Three- Mile Woman. They were caught by the schoolteacher. Sixo resists. Later he gets burned at the cross. Sixo dies thinking about his soon to be born son, Seven-O. Paul D was put into chains. Later that day, Sethe tells Paul D that she is going to run away.

Thoughts: I cannot believe people would actually watch other people burn alive. That is a horrible punishment. Long ago people must've not had hearts. People are heartless and evil. No one had consciences. Does Paul D miss Sethe? How could he be drinking at a church? If his emotions are open, wouldn't he want someone to talk to? Poor Paul D. He is a lonely guy. He needs Sethe and Sethe needs him.

Chapter 25 Stamp Paid sits and talks with Paul D. Stamp Paid apologizes for the people in the community, Stamp feels bad that the people did not give Paul D a place to live. Paul D said the preacher offered his home but Paul declined. Paul D said he needed to be by himself to think. A man on a horse comes up to the men and asks if they know a girl named Judy. However, they don't. Stamp Paid wants to help Paul D make amends to any thing he has done harm to. Paul D asks about Judy, who is a prostitute. Stamp Paid explains to Paul D how he got his name. He changed his name after giving up on his wash Vashti. He changed his name and began a new life. Stamp Paid tells Paul D he saw the murder occurring. Paul D is scared by the thought. Stamp Paid tells Paul D he has to take as much as he can.

Thoughts: Paul D seems like a loser to me. He wants to have sex with a girl named Judy. Does he just want to clear his mind? Paul D should just get back with Sethe. It'll do him some good. I hope Stamp Paid feels guilty. I'm glad he had to change his name and everything. That's probably his punishment for trying to break two people apart. What an evil guy! At least he got what he deserves.

Part 3 Chapter 26 Everyone in the house is starving. They are all becoming weak. Denver thinks about dying, so everyone else can survive. Sethe was fired from her job and cannot find another one because people hate her. Sethe has been spending a lot of time with Beloved. Sethe ignores Denver. Denver thinks it is because Sethe is losing her mind. Sethe and Beloved used all the expenses to play games, buy food, and ribbons. Denver is only there to look after Beloved. Sethe explains the stories before the murder. Beloved doesn't care. Beloved just thinks Sethe left her. Sethe is eating nothing, while Beloved is eating everything. Denver goes to look for a job to help Sethe. Denver goes to Mrs. Jones's house looking for a job. People start bringing food and leaving the address on the stump, so that their dish is returned. Denver goes to Mrs. Jones's house to learn the Bible. By June, she has fifty-two pages memorized. Denver is taking care of everything in the house. Even though the food is being brought, Sethe is becoming smaller. This is the first time Denver thought of herself. Denver goes to the Bodwins and ask for work. A girl named Janey Wagon said she would ask the Bodwins for work for Denver. Everyone in town now knows about Beloved. The town's people think they should help Sethe away from Beloved. Ella is the leader of this project. The first day Denver must work at the Bodwins, she sees the town's woman coming towards the house. Edward Bodwin comes to the house and sees all the people. Sethe opens the door and thinks Edward is the schoolteacher. She immediately gets the ice pick to protect Beloved with.

Thoughts: Sethe is losing it. All she cares about now is Beloved. I feel so bad for Denver. She is taking care of everyone and none of it is appreciated. Denver is Cinderella, while Beloved is the evil step sister. Sethe is turning crazy. She is turning into Halle. Sethe should eat. Sethe is going to end up becoming sick and dying. Finally, Denver gets to go out. She seems to be free. She must love getting out.

Chapter 27 Paul D returned back to Sethe. He heard that Beloved is gone. She has disappeared, hid, or exploded. Ella saved Sethe before she could harm Mr. Bodwin. Paul D comes back and wants to start a new life with Sethe. He takes care of her. First, he gives her a bath. There is no quarrelling between Paul D and Denver. She works outside to keep money flowing in the house. Paul D thinks about his past. He thinks it is great that him and Sethe are together. They have a past together. He tells Sethe she is the best thing for him.

Thoughts: Paul D turned out to be a good guy. I guess he just had to figure out what he wanted. Denver is a strong girl. She isn't a brat. She is considerate of her mother. Denver takes care of her mother. Sethe now relies on everyone to help her. She isn't the one in charge anymore. All the roles have changed. Everything turned out for the best. This is a great book.

Chapter 28 Beloved is gone for good. Sometimes her footprints show up by the river.

Thoughts: I loved it. Everything was a mystery. It had everything in it. It definitely deserves the awards it has won. I have never read a book like this. I didn't want to put it down once I got into it. I give it five stars.

[Portrait of Les Paul, Fat Tuesday, New York, N.Y....

Denver, Colorado, Usa

Deutsch: Kurt Sethe (1869-1934), deutscher Ägypto...