Beloved's Purpose

Beloved's appearance in the novel is nothing short of extraordinary.  Many contextual clues hint that she is, in fact, Sethe's baby who previously haunted 124.  The most obvious hint is, of course, her name.  "Beloved" happens to be the only word Sethe got engraved on her deceased child's tombstone.  Also, while Beloved is a young woman, she still has characteristics of an infant.  When she first shows up at 124, she is "holding on to furniture, resting her head in the palm of her hand as thought it was too heavy" (67).  She can't even walk properly, and a heavy head is a classic infantile trait.  No newborn can lift their own head.  As the story develops, we also find out that Beloved follows Sethe from room to room, watching her, not wanting her to leave her sight.  Beloved has a fascination with Sethe, as a daughter has with her mother when she is young.

Beloved's true purpose in the novel has yet to be revealed, but I have a theory.  I think that she has come to get the painful stories out of Sethe.  As Amy the "whitegirl" said, "Anything coming back to life hurts."  But if Sethe wants to feel any semblance of healing or closure, she must talk about the pain and hurt she has experienced her whole life.  Beloved constantly asks Sethe probing questions about her earrings and mother, questions Denver was never going to ask because she only cares for the stories that include her.  And besides that, Sethe admits that she would probably be annoyed by Denver's probing, but when it is Beloved asking, she is much more willing to answer.  I think that Beloved has reentered Sethe's life because Sethe needs her.  She needs to get her stories out or she will continue to suffer silently and alone.