Beloved- Rememory, Memory, and the Past

            Sethe becomes aware that Paul D is having an impact on her life, forcing her reflect on the past and apply it to the present. Paul D had "added more: new pictures and old rememories that broke her heart". Paul D, a figure from Sethe's past, represented the era he and Sethe spent together. Rememories are reminders of occurrences from the past that result from similar circumstances. Since Paul D came, Sethe has reflected on her memories of their relationship and life at Sweet Home. Rememory also occurs for Sethe after Beloved arrives and asks Sethe to tell her stories of her childhood. This made it necessary for Sethe to recreate her past memories in her mind so she could tell them to Beloved. Sethe's rough past affected her personality greatly, and those "years of haunting had dulled her in ways you wouldn't believe and sharpened her in ways you wouldn't believe either". The events of Sethe's past shaped her life as she learned from each experience. Depending on the situation, Sethe has developed the ability to handle the varying situations she may be put in because she has learned from her past the best ways to do so. Sethe remembers what her past has taught her and recalls those memories when parallel events to the past take place.