I read Pamela E. Barnett's essay titled "Figurations of Rape and the Supernatural in Beloved" in which she describes how she viewed the book Beloved while reading it through a feminist lens. Barnett believes that rape was not seen only as a matter of gender but as a matter of race as well. I agree with this being true during the time of slavery. Slaves were not considered human to white people so they found many ways to dehumanize them. One way of doing this was to rape them and use them as an object of sex. This was also dehumanizing them because white people were not getting their consent before sex resulting in their feelings being disrespected and ignored.
One common stereotype of rape is that the men are usually the ones committing rape, but as Barnett points out, in this book Beloved commits an act of rape. Barnett mentions when Paul D found himself having sex with Beloved even though he didn't want to. Paul D says it's something he can't control and he tells Sethe "that girl is doing it" referring to Beloved. Barnett believes that Beloved must be some sort of supernatural character due to her controlling powers and unusual habits such as always having to drink water. I agree with Barnett and believe Beloved is a reincarnation of the baby Sethe killed. Beloved arrived to 124 by walking out of water which could be seen as a symbol of a baptism. The disappearance of Beloved at the end of the book also brings up the suspicion that Beloved must be supernatural. Sethe, Paul D, and Denver eventually have a hard time remembering Beloved was ever at 124 perhaps due to Beloved's control she has over their minds. Overall, I agree with many of the points Barnett made and I have benefited from learning that I share the same ideas as someone else who has read Beloved through a feminist lens.
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