Faith Qiao Week 13—Rememory
Faith Qiao
Benedetti
English 11AP
23 March 2022
Rememory
I’m writing this blog after seeing the topic with Toni Morison’s Beloved still ringing in my ear. If I were to generalize my feelings after reading the book, it would be that Morrison has a skill for making people feel extraordinarily uncomfortable. Other than Sethe, there is no character that is likable to me. Yet the more I read, the more unsettling it feels—the more I want to set it down, but the more I want to keep learning more. I’m not excited to learn about the next feature of the plot, but instead I’m captured by the peculiarity of the events—how every detail makes sense but doesn’t at the same time. I would say Morrison blends poetry and prose—the obscurity tied to the versus in free-written form as well as the intensity communicated through continuity. The exercise we did in class today was long and stressful. And though I’d imagine that most of us in this group would like to forget about that experience, I wish to discuss that one question which asked us to extrapolate on Sethe’s definition of rememory.
Memory exists in every mark we make on the world—its permanence tied to the permanence of the ground lifting our feet; it may change its form with time, but it will still exist there as something that can be traced back to the first step that you trekked onto that road. Rememory is what we have: a portion of our experience grounded in perception—it changes as we change, its impermanence no less than the impermanence of our identities. I feel like this is the concept tied to Beloved— the resurgence of Sethe’s rememory when Paul D arrived at 124. We get flashbacks that show us first-hand how rememory is shaped by the present or at least by the future in terms of the flashback.
In regards to the book, I have one pressing question: Why does Paul D’s arrival begin the present timeline of the book rather than the arrival of Beloved herself? In the sense of rememory—Paul D and Sethe both share the rememory of Sweet Home. They are the living proof of the trauma still unraveling from the unchanging memory of Sweet Home. But what does this have to do with Sethe’s dead baby?
Hey Faith!
ReplyDeleteI totally agree that memory is tied to everything in our lives. It is crazy to think about how many memories the most simple objects hold. For example, a seemingly insignificant bench at a park could foster the memories of so many people. It could be where a new dog owner first took their dog, where a couple had their first kiss, or where someone ran into an old friend. It manifests around us in things we tie to those memories. This is attributed to rememory in the book, but I believe having memories represented in daily life if possible even with memories. Your take on the book and the concept of rememory was really interesting, thank you for sharing:)
Hi Faith,
ReplyDeleteI think that Paul D arrives in the present to set up for the general effect of the story. That is, old wounds caused by the horrors of slavery tend to never truly fade away. In the present, they seem to be much better off, yet the story that progresses shows that deep down, the things that the characters went through will continue to haunt them like a ghost. Indeed, Beloved is one of the spirits that do so; her presence is a reminder rather than a being of the present.
Sincerely,
Sean Wang
Hi Faith,
ReplyDeleteAs an answer to your question, I think Paul D serves as the beginning of the present timeline because of the concept of rememory itself. Paul D allows a seamless transition into the history in Sweet Home that both Sethe and him share. Although this rememory consists of a period of time that was extremely painful, enduring, and cruel, it is also the place where Sethe remembers the major events that happened to her. Paul D serves as another witness to this scheme, allowing Morrison's argument and portrayal of Sethe's past to be exhibited.
Hi Faith,
ReplyDeleteI believe that the Paul D's appearance at the front of Sethe's house is the beginning of the timeline because to her, he is a walking memory. A person who she met at Sweet Home and who she left behind there as well. He creates a resurgence causing Sethe's rememory, as she can't think of him without thinking about her experiences in Sweet Home as well. On another note, I'd like to add that I once read a post online about how our memories change each time we revisit them, and I was wondering if this concept can be related to Beloved in some way.
Hi Faith,
ReplyDeleteI believe in your idea of "rememory". In fact, when I was studying for AP Psychology, I remember coming across the concept of situational memory—where certain memories can be triggered by simply being in the vicinity of a former event. I've personally experienced this several times, such as how I remember my father reminding me to do the laundry once I'm downstairs. It is fascinating how Morrison's ideas regarding the past are grounded in both literary style and science.
Sincerely,
Krish
Hey Faith, I certainly agree that Beloved has left me with more questions than answers. I also agree with the comments our fellow bloggers have left; Paul D appears to be the factor that triggered Sethe's rememory, as well as providing her with some pretty important information regarding her husband's last whereabouts. I personally feel like he's created a lot of unnecessary tension for the other characters, and that Sethe and her family would be better off without him. Morrison's writing style is indeed genius, and hopefully our most pressing questions will be answered soon. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteHi Faith,
ReplyDeleteI believe that Paul D's arrival at Sethe's house is the beginning of the present timeline of the book because it marks the beginning of the disruption of Sethe's "normal" life. Sethe's resurgence of rememory may seem disruptive, which it is, but it is also a change from the lonely and repetitive life that she and Denver have. This change could be for good or ill, but it is an opportunity for Sethe to improve her life, face her past, and reexamine old grudges. The haunted theme of the book reads almost like a horror book, but also not. The book itself reminds me of the poem Mother to Son by Langston Hughes. Check it out!
Sincerely,
Raymond Yu
Hi Faith,
ReplyDeleteWhen I read about Beloved entering, I asked myself "Why is she here? what does she have to do with Sethe?" To be honest I am almost 100% sure she is supposed to represent Seth's dead baby. But if that is the case, who is the ghost in the house? The book has left a lot of questions to answer.
Sincerely,
Vivan Waghela
Hi Faith,
ReplyDeleteI can't say I agree with your take on Beloved. You seem to be emotionally drawn in and invested with the "unsettling" story. However, I simply cannot bear the amount of prose and metaphors in the book. It feels like something I would write when its 1 AM at night and I need to turn something in that sounds half decent. Perhaps I'm just not as well versed as a reader, but I feel like the novel loses too much meaning with its winding timeline and oversaturated language. Even the concept of rememory is still unclear to me; to my knowledge it is just a flashback.
Yi-Kuan C.