Sethe and Paul D's scars in BelovedScars are undoubtedly an incredible storytelling device in Beloved. No matter how a person changes or what happens to them, these signs are another tangible piece of history, following each of them wherever they go. These physical characteristics are what you can believe, more than what you say or write. When written and oral language often cannot be trusted, physical characteristics provide another, more certain form of communication that cannot be distorted or altered. People not only know someone's identity by knowing their scars, but each scar tells a story of what a person has experienced. Sethe's back and the scars from her beatings are important to the story in terms of telling what she has been through, providing a way in which she and some of the other characters can connect. For example, Paul D learns more about Sethe and is able to connect with her through her scars. When Sethe first tries to explain to Paul D what happened to her on pages 16-7, he has difficulty understanding the real truth....