Discuss the use of supernaturalism in the novel Beloved.

Answer

Discuss the use of supernaturalism in the novel Beloved.

In Toni Morrison’s (1931–2019) Beloved (1987), supernatural elements are very important to build the story. Morrison used many supernatural elements to talk about memory, pain, and love. Her use of supernaturalism helps us understand the deep emotions of the characters. We will discuss the use of supernaturalism in the novel below.

Beloved as a Ghost and Her Return: The clearest supernatural element in Beloved is the ghost of Sethe’s dead baby. The ghost lives in the house at 124 Bluestone Road and makes strange things happen, such as loud noises, shaking furniture, and moving objects. These strange happenings show Sethe’s unhealed guilt and pain from her past life as a slave. The narrator says,

“124 was spiteful. Full of a baby’s venom.”

This line shows that the ghost of the baby is angry and full of emotion. Amy Denver also says,

“Anything dead coming back to life hurts.”

This means that when something from the past returns, it brings both pain and healing. Later, the ghost of the baby comes back in the shape of a young woman named Beloved. This is when the supernatural becomes real and human. Beloved’s return makes Sethe face her past again — especially the moment when she killed her own child to save her from slavery. Her return is a symbol of how the past cannot stay buried; it always comes back to disturb the present.

Haunting Memory: The supernatural in the novel also helps Morrison talk about memory. Sethe’s memories of Sweet Home, her escape from slavery, and her daughter’s death all come back to her after Beloved’s return. The ghost forces Sethe to remember everything she tried to forget. This shows that unhealed trauma can haunt people like a ghost. Morrison uses the idea of “rememory.” It means that the past can live again in one’s mind.

Trauma: Beloved’s ghost is not just