Sethe talks to Beloved in her thoughts (236), now that she is sure Beloved is her long-lost daughter. She reveals that a traumatic moment in her past was her realization that Schoolteacher was observing her "animal characteristics" and teaching them to his nephews (227) - why is this so humiliating for her? How does the image of "fine needles sticking in her scalp" (227) link this experience with the arrival of Schoolteacher and the slavecatcher at 124 Bluestone?

 

Answer:

This situation is humiliating for Sethe because it being observed because of her animal characteristics is creepy and somewhat a rude behavior. This behavior is like a slap to her face that says,"you're different..you're not normal"..and that is very humiliating.

The image of fine needles sticking in her scalp links with the arrival of the Schoolteacher and slavecatcher because being stared and observed at by these people is like having a tingling, prickling sensation on your head. When someone is being observed at, you often feel these kind of sensation, and that is what Sethe experienced with the arrival of the Schoolteacher and slavecathcher .