On page 234, there is a long paragraph consisting of Stamp Paid's thoughts when he discovers Denver and Beloved sitting inside house 124. He describes 124 as a place where the souls of angry people come together so you can hear their murmurs when you approach the house. Stamp Paid says these voices are the product of the way white people treat black people. In his explanation, he tells about how white people have the belief that “under every dark skin is a jungle” (Morrison 234) and that by pushing this belief they are growing that very jungle inside themselves.
I think you can connect Stamp Paid’s idea to events that occur earlier in the chapter. Back in time at Sweet Home, Sethe is describing the moment she believes they should have started planning to run. She is walking past Schoolteacher teaching his pupils and realizes he is having the children describe Sethe in terms of “human characteristics and animal characteristics”. Immediately, she goes to Mrs. Garner to ask what it means, and later begins talking to Halle about what he thinks of Schoolteacher and how life is changing in Sweet Home. While life at Sweet Home was never actually sweet, now that Mr. Garner is gone, Sethe is beginning to realize that it’s become even less safe for her and her family to live in. Similar to Stamp Paid’s theory, the belief that school teacher holds has turned him into a monster because he justifies cruel treatment of innocent people by saying they are inherently less than him, even though this is untrue.
Another example is when Schoolteacher’s cruel and unjustified beliefs have turned him towards the act of attempting to kidnap Sethe and her children, which therefore turns Sethe to the act of trying to kill her children. Because of the cruelty inside of School Teacher, he forces Sethe into deciding between her and her children being separated and forced into slavery or death (which she ultimately decides is the better option). In that moment the only thing she can think of to save her children would be considered a monstrous action. The cruelty from Schoolteacher forces her to do one of the worst things a mother could do. This sequence of events begins with a white person believing something completely unjustified and cruel, and spreading that belief among others, which is a very similar situation to what Stamp Paid describes.
Great post! I find it interesting how you connect the idea of the jungle created inside of people to schoolteacher's actions. The evidence you use also supports your argument well. Your post is easy to follow and brings attention to your points well.
ReplyDeleteHi, I found the concept of the jungle to be a bit complex to grasp at first but you did a really good job of explaining it and the scenarios through which this jungle can be scene. I agree that school teacher's inhumanity not only comes from preconceived notions that he may have had in himself but through treating other people like animals, he's internalizing that mentality and making himself this awful and cruel being. Great job on this post!
ReplyDeleteGreat job! I also struggled with the idea of Stamp Paid's thoughts and jungle. I really like your analysis and explanation, and the way it relates to schoolteacher's cruelty -- especially how one belief from someone can turn into a series of tragic events amongst many others.
ReplyDeleteThe chapter from Stamp Paid's perspective is captivating, not only because it is yet another seamless narrative transition from Morrison, but because we see things from his perspective- as someone who believes responsibility over the kin of Baby Suggs. I believe the analogy of the jungle to be cruel, yet it gives us a perspective into the horrid mind of schoolteacher. Awesome job on this post!
ReplyDeleteI really like your analysis; I had struggled with the jungle concept when I read it and I think you did a great job of making it clear. Stamp Paid's thoughts allow us a good look at the schoolteacher's mentality and how it might have come to be so cruel. The connections you make from the evidence in the text are very helpful in understanding this!
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