After Paul D has been living with Sethe, Denver, and Beloved for some time, Stamp Paid decides to show him the newspaper clipping that tells the story of how Sethe killed her daughter, Beloved, and injured her two sons eighteen years ago. Paul D originally doesn’t believe it, but once he realizes the story is true, he is horrified. He tells Sethe she has two legs, not four, implying that what she had done was animalistic. Paul D leaves the house, and Sethe has lost yet another person she loves. After Paul D leaves, Stamp Paid wrestles with the decision he has already made. He wonders if he should have told Paul D about Sethe’s violent past because it has ruined her happiness in the present, and he feels obligated to be as nice to her as possible because he was friends with Baby Suggs.
However, I believe that Stamp Paid was right in telling Paul D about Sethe. Paul D has had a very difficult, violent life as well, and he has shared many very personal details about his path with Sethe. In return, she has not been honest with him, and he deserves to know the truth. In addition, Paul D is living with the ghost or the resurrection of her murdered daughter, Beloved, which makes this secret from the past even more important to share. What do y’all think Stamp Paid should have done?
6 comments:
I completely agree. Relationships cannot be built on lies! I haven't finished reading the novel yet, but maybe there's still hope for Sethe and Paul D!
At first I would say that I disagree. It is completely up to Sethe whether or not she wants to tell Paul D. Sethe is obviously not a violent person anymore so she has no real reason to tell Paul D about her past experiences. Sethe really care for Denver and Beloved and she wouldn’t do anything to hurt them. But since Paul D has been living with them so long and he has Sethes trust, I think Sethe definitely should have told him. I agree with you Jessie and their relationships built on lies do not turn out good at all. I believe that there is hope for Paul D and Sethe. Watch! Later in the book Paul is going to eventually come back I think, but we shall see.
I, too, think Stamp Paid made the correct decision. Sure, the circumstances concerning the murder were quite out of the ordinary, Sethe nevertheless committed a murder. If I knew somebody was living with a woman who attempted to murder her children—no matter what the circumstances— I would feel obliged to notify that person. I think Stamp Paid was right to at least let Paul D know, and let him make the decision from there. In the scene Stamp Paid sticks to the facts. He doesn’t try to paint Sethe in any biased light, which is fair because it allows Paul D to judge Sethe’s actions by himself.
Though most of your responders agree, Lainey, I do not. I think Stamp Paid was wrong in his decision to intervene in their lives, especially considering his relationship to Baby Suggs. There were a few reasons o why he might have done this: a) In Paul D’s best interest, b) Sethe seemed like a potential threat, or c) he immediately felt uncomfortable with the situation from the beginning. I don’t believe he was doing this in Paul D’s best interest because of the alternate reasons. Sethe was not acting as a potential threat and he didn’t even bother to address this in the beginning of their rekindling. He simply stuck his nose in their business and threw poo poo into the fan.
I think that stamp paid made the right decision because if Paul D was to live with them he needed to know about the infanticide and the attempted murder of the other 2 children. What Paul D does with that information is completely up to him, but he absolutely deserves to know. It would also help him understand the spirit that haunts the house a lot better because obviously there is some resentment on both sides.
(Sophia)
Personally, I think it’s hard to say whether the decision he made was right or not. I believe that it can be argued either way. Paul D and Sethe were just beginning an intimate relationship where they would be happy. Sethe was convinced that her life would Paul D would be a happy one considering that their and Denver’s shadows seemingly held hands at the fair. However, after Stamp Paid tells Paul D of Sethe’s actions, Paul D’s image of Sethe becomes ruined and he leaves her. As a result, Stamp Paid has ruined one of Sethe’s most important relationships. I’m this way, it makes it seem like a wrong choice for Stamp Paid to have chosen fo tell Paul D of Sethe’s actions. Stamp Paid arguably had no business delving into such things and telling Paul D about this. However, I think Sethe had what was coming to her She wasn’t completely honest with Paul D. In the end, it is her own fault for Paul D leaving. She should have told him of the infanticide and trusted more in him. Paul D definitely should have been told by Sethe herself about the infanticide. Perhaps he would’ve been more willing to stay had she trusted him with such crucial information After all, relationships are built on trust. If a couple doesn’t have trust, it’s not relationship in my opinion.
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