Topic Sentences:
• The past’s power over Paul D is symbolized by his “tin tobacco box”, in which he locks away his emotions thereby succumbing to the chains of his past.
• Paul D’s complete acceptance of the power of the past is paralleled by his acceptance of Beloved’s power over him, when his “tin tobacco box” breaks open.
• Only once Paul D has accepted his past does he realizes that he wants to move on and create a life which he had formerly been denied, whether by oppression or his inability to confront his past.
Paragraph:
Only once Paul D has accepted his past does he realizes that he wants to move on and create a life which he had formerly been denied, whether by oppression or his inability to confront his past. Having overcome the oppression of his past Paul D wants to build a life with Sethe, so he must help her overcome her own past. In this way Paul D is passing on the lesson that he has learned. Thus Morrison also suggests the need for a strong community to help overcome oppression. By the end of the novel, Paul D has rejected his previous belief that you shouldn’t love anything too much. He has finally moved on from his past life as a slave and is able to see himself as a human being with all the rights therein. Morrison’s message serves as a warning that as a country and as a people we should never attempt to deny or cover up our past.