Does the character of Paul D challenge the view that Morrison is a feminist writer

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Does the character of Paul D challenge the view that Morrison is a feminist writer?

Paul D is a character who has suffered tremendously at the hands of slavery. His brutal ordeals as part of the chain gang show how much this has affected him. This is designed to create pathos for the character and this pathos is heightened when he is portrayed as a strong yet kind character, a 'gentle giant.' He is also proud of his masculinity and values a sense of autonomy when he is allowed one. This suggests that his character does challenge the view that Morrison is a feminist writer. Alternatively, the character of Paul D could be viewed as a weak one. His strength at times is portrayed as negative and his "manly" thoughts mean that he cannot understand Sethe's love for her children. Also, he is seduced by Beloved and, for the majority of the novel; he is denied a sense of autonomy, suggesting a theme of masculine inferiority. This is a view that would support the idea that Morrison was a feminist writer.

Paul D is displayed as a strong character, and this strength is positive towards men as a whole. When he enters Sethe's house, 124, for the first time, he holds Sethe's breasts to take the weight of her "but for a while." This is symbolic of his manly strength relieving Sethe of the weight if her past. This causes Sethe to wonder whether there actually was a way to "Trust things and remember things" and if there was a way to confront her past. This is shown as a positive aspect of Paul D's arrival thus it cannot be seen as pro-feminine. The confrontation between Paul D and the poltergeist "Beloved" is violent as whilst Paul D "held the table with two legs, he bashed it about wrecking everything." This again shows his strength, that he can challenge the ghost. The fact that Beloved is a woman could be seen as Paul D's victory over women, suggesting male empowerment. Finally, he is proud of his masculinity under Mr Garner at Sweet Home and decides "that was where his manhood lay" showing that he values the sense of autonomy given to him by Mr Garner. This challenges again, the view that Morrison was a feminist writer.
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Another way in which Paul D's character challenges the view that Morrison is a feminist writer is in his kind nature. In the opening chapter he is shown to be "the kind of man who could make a woman cry" He is immediately shown as a man who can relate to the feelings of women, and as a kind and caring person who women can open up to. This is highlighted by the fact that "there was something blessed in his manner." The word "blessed" here brings religious connotations which associate Paul D with being a healer or ...

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