Monday, November 21, 2016
Choking on a Mothers Love
The horrifying circumstances surrounding the killing of Sethe's daughter adds to the deep complexity of Beloved. Her crushing choice to see her daughter dead rather than in chains has made the reality of slavery even more horrifying than ever before. Understanding the existence of slavery is far different than understanding the individuals within it. Sethe's decision to kill her children provided a realization in which the reader is forced to see her more human than ever in an act that is described as beastly by onlookers. Her love for her children, an incredibly human emotion, leads her to a place so dark that the reader begins to understand the full ramifications of slavery, not as a whole or as an institution, but on a more intimate, individual basis.
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I agree with you, but I also believe that beyond proving the humanity of Sethe, Sethe's actions also create an arguement as to how far a mother should go to protect their children. Sethe's gruesome action was not the only choice yet implied by the passages at the end of section one, Sethe saw it as her only choice, or maybe the most humane choice. But does that justify her actions especially if one considers the reactions and circumstances surrounding the action. The most difficult question becomes: Was Sethe's Action Right?
ReplyDeleteI have felt the same way throughout this book, but have not been able to put it into words so eloquently. Morrison's characters are incredibly important because not only do they move the story along, but their characteristics and actions represent such a tragic institution.
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