The Mystery Woman

The introduction of Beloved shows how Denver is somewhat dependent on the ghost of Sethe’s first daughter, who died at age two. When Paul D shooed the ghost away, I wondered if it would ever return. The return of Beloved, in my opinion, causes a lot of tension among all the characters. At first, Beloved is just categorized as a woman who emerged from the water. By not expressing her identity in the beginning of this section, and by handing out subtle clues, Morrison creates a mystery in which the reader must figure out what is the significance of this mystery woman, Beloved.
The first clue as to whom Beloved is, is the simple fact that she answers to Beloved, which is what Sethe had engraved on her baby’s tombstone. Later, Morrison describes her with brand new, soft hands and feet- much like an infant. While Morrison describes this mystery woman, she also gives the detail that Beloved has a piece of lace around her neck, which would inevitably hide the scar from where her throat was slit.
While Morrison gives these subtle clues as to the woman’s true identity, she also uses mysterious details to make it so Sethe won’t know Beloved’s true identity. For instance, Sethe is mesmerized by Beloved’s low, deep, slow voice. Beloved’s voice is somewhat hypnotic, because after a few weeks, Sethe and Denver still weren’t used to the tone. After five weeks, the family at 124 knew just as much about Beloved as the day she showed up, which adds to her mysterious nature. While it seems obvious to the reader, and Denver, who this mystery woman is, Sethe probably cannot tell who she is because she has suppressed so many memories about her past. Sethe probably does not want to imagine what the grown up version of her slain child would look like, or how she would talk. By adding this detail, that Sethe does not know whom Beloved is, Morrison lets the reader become involved in not only Sethe’s mind, but also shows how her mind suppresses these memories.
Everyone in the novel seems fascinated by Beloved, except Paul D. Paul D seems annoyed with the woman, much like he was with her ghost at the beginning of the story. I think that Denver knew for a while the truth to Beloved’s identity, because she used to consider the ghost company, and she felt a familiarity when Beloved entered 124. Sethe, who is also fascinated by this woman feels some sort of connection to her, but isn’t able to pinpoint the truth.