Did Stamp Paid Do the Right Thing?
In Toni Morrison’s Beloved, Stamp Paid makes the difficult decision to tell Paul D about what Sethe did to her children when schoolteacher came to take them back to Sweet Home. Was he justified in making this decision?
An argument can be made that Stamp Paid should’ve realized that Sethe should’ve been the one to tell Paul D. The traumatic experiences that she endured at Sweet Home undoubtedly influenced her decision, and she’s the only one who truly understands them. Thus, she’s the only one qualified to talk about the situation she was in, and the reasoning behind her decision.
On the other hand, it’s possible that Paul D wouldn’t have ever found out if it weren’t for Stamp Paid. Sethe openly defends her decision and says that she doesn’t regret it, yet, she purposely hides it from Paul D. I don’t think that this means that she stands by her decision any less than she says she does, but it could suggest that she’s scared of telling Paul D about it. It’s hard to know when she was planning on telling him, if ever.
Either way, I do think that Paul D finding out was the best thing for his and Sethe’s relationship. Sethe keeping this big secret from Paul D could potentially cause problems in their relationship, and would also prevent Paul D from being able to love her for who she is--I think that their relationship would be better if Sethe could know that Paul D loves all parts of her, including the part of her that decided to kill her kids to protect them from slavery. Once Paul D finds out, an incompatibility issue does arise: Sethe’s love is “too thick,” and Paul D has commitment issues. While this issue could’ve been avoided by Paul D never finding out about what Sethe did, I think it’s better now that they can be open about it and its implications, rather than Sethe having to hide this big part of herself from Paul D.
I agree with you that Paul D discovering what Sethe did to her children was beneficial for there relationship. I don't think that it was Stamp's right to tell Paul D that Sethe killed her children but the truth had to come out some way. Hypothetically, if Paul D didn't find out, I think a rift would've grown between Sethe and Paul D because guilt would eat at Sethe and Paul D would be (unintentionally) oblivious to the why causing even more pain for Sethe.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting to note that Sethe herself never seems angry at Stamp Paid--despite her nervousness right before she tells Paul, she also seems relieved to finally get to bring this stuff out into the open. She's extremely nervous about how he'll react, and she never is able to say explicitly what she did ("I put my children where they would be safe"), but Stamp has given her this opportunity to open the topic she's been delaying for all this time. Because Paul *doesn't* get the story from Stamp--he only gets the information that *something* bad happened at the house that meant Sethe was in the newspaper, and that this must be bad news. Stamp ends up forcing the issue to a head, but it's Sethe who gets to explain herself to Paul the best way she can.
ReplyDeleteWe can imagine a range of ways that Paul might have gotten this information that would have been even worse. (Look at what happens to Denver when Nelson Lord asks her "the question" when she isn't prepared for it.)
I definitely agree that it was best for Paul D to eventually learn about this part of Sethe's life, and I think he would've inevitably learned about it since it's such a significant part of how Sethe is percieved. But I also think that it wasn't Stamp's responsibility or right to tell Paul D about this—maybe he could've instead talked to Sethe about revealing this information to Paul D herself. With this level of transparency, Paul D and Sethe's relationship might not have become as strained as it did.
ReplyDeleteIt seems like Stamp Paid doesn't even begin to consider Sethe's feelings when deciding to tell Paul D. Only afterwards does he realize that this just might have affected her and her relationship with Paul D. It seems like if he did maybe he would decide to consult Sethe first, tell her she should tell Paul or even tell her he would do it if she didn't, if he really felt strongly about telling Paul D.
ReplyDeleteThen again, I understand Stamp Paid's reaction. Here he sees someone living in the house of a person who's committed an unforgivable sin - of course he would think of Paul D in the situation, and not of Sethe.
DeleteI agree. I think he owed Sethe an apology but it's still pretty shocking to learn that someone doesn't know that their partner murdered their own child. I think ideally he would have consulted Sethe beforehand which may have given him some closure as well.
DeleteI agree that Paul D finding out was best for their relationship, but I don't think Sethe is the only one with the right to tell him about it. I think as far as need to know information about someone you're involved with goes, murder qualifies, especially the murder of one's own child. Whether or not Paul D decides to let it negatively influence his perception of Sethe is completely up to him, and can't really be judged. Sethe's action itself might not be something others can judge either, but Paul D definitely deserved to know, regardless of whether or not Sethe wanted to tell him.
ReplyDeleteI feel kind of stuck in the middle on this one. On the one hand, I agree with you that it was probably best that Paul D found out, especially considering the fact that Sethe's and Paul D's relationship turns out fine in the end. I think that Sethe's actions are important to her character because they show how intensely she loves people and what she is capable of doing because of it, and if Paul D truly did not want to be in the way of that kind of love, I think he has a right to know. However, I also think that it generally isn't right to reveal someone else's trauma, especially if it would have a big effect on their life and relationships with others (which in this case, it did). Both of those points being said, though, I'm not sure there would have been a better scenario than Stamp Paid telling Paul D. I find it unlikely that Sethe would have told Paul D what she did anytime soon, and if Paul D had found out much later, I think it could have been even worse. And if Sethe's actions had been revealed by anyone in the town other than Stamp paid, Paul D probably would have been swayed to look on Sethe even more unfavorably.
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