Stamp Paid Character Analysis in Beloved

Stamp Paid is a former slave who works on the Underground Railroad and helps bring Sethe to 124 by ferrying her across the Ohio River. Late in the novel, he tells Paul D about Sethe’s murdering her child, which causes Paul D to leave 124. Stamp Paid feels guilty for his part in Paul D’s abandonment of Sethe, and works to make amends.

Stamp Paid Quotes in Beloved

The Beloved quotes below are all either spoken by Stamp Paid or refer to Stamp Paid. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

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Yet [Denver] knew Sethe’s greatest fear was...that Beloved might leave.... Leave before Sethe could make her realize that far worse than [death]...was what Baby Suggs died of, what Ella knew, what Stamp saw and what made Paul D tremble. That anybody white could take your whole self for anything that came to mind. Not just work, kill, or maim you, but dirty you. Dirty you so bad you couldn’t like yourself anymore. Dirty you so bad you forgot who you were and couldn’t think it up.

Related Characters: Sethe, Denver, Baby Suggs, Paul D, Beloved, Stamp Paid, Ella

Page Number and Citation: 295

Explanation and Analysis: