Dezmond: Symbol of milk in Beloved

October 30, 2011 by Dezmond O. Leave a reply »

Milk is a symbol that represents life, because it can be taken or stolen. In this case, Morrison writes, “They beat you and you was pregnant? / And they took my milk!” (20). This shows how important milk was to the story to show how she needed to develop it, just as life needs to be developed. However, just like the milk was stolen from Sethe, her life was stolen when she was put into slavery. That is what I believe Morrison was trying to portray through the milk and through Sethe.

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  • Tiburon_rrrr

    This is Pauline. Wow, this is another interpretation of what milk symbolizes. Also, Brenda compared it to religion. I like your intepretation, though!

  • liang haonan

    I think the milk does not merely symbolize the life. I think it also symbolize the motherhood. Because only mother can have milk, and the image of mother feeding her baby with milk usually connects to motherhood. In beloved, Sethe’s milk was stolen; it might mean Sethe’s motherhood has been stolen, because she can’t even protect her baby. Her babies are properties of the slave master.