In the novel Beloved by Toni Morrison, the main character, Sethe, commits a crime unthinkable and incomprehensible to most people today. She murders her own child, her own flesh and blood. The institution of slavery drove Sethe to make this drastic decision. Comparing the situations of slavery to today’s society is impossible. Yet, we still see mothers killing babies (or fetuses). The issue of abortion has been a constant in our society for years. Is the emotional struggle to kill a baby made out of love or selfishness? The cruelties of slavery from which Sethe plans to save her hildren are manifold in Beloved.
Sethe was living in a time completely different from our own. She and other slaves experienced things that none of us could ever imagine; having breast milk stolen from her own body, being whipped by a chokecherry tree to the point of leaving permanent scars. Other cruelties for Sethe are to know that her friends were hurt. Sixo was roasted alive and Paul A hung. Paul D is locked onto a chain for eighty-three days in a prison camp in Georgia. These pains for her friends can be just as painful for Sethe. All in all the life of a slave is ehumanizing.
Constant hiding and being on the run plays tricks on the mind of slaves. Shown by Paul D in his most discouraging conflict comes in contact with a rooster, Mister. Humiliated by the fact that an animal was walking around with more power, he doesn’t understand how an animal can have a better life, and place judgement on a human. During the time of slavery the love between a mother and her children dims. Through scars mothers and children were to have secret relationships. In Sethe’s only memory of her mother she was introduced to scar underneath her breast which could always identify her mother.
After her mother was hung, Sethe did examine her corpse, but was unable to locate the symbol on the decaying flesh. Imagining how these images design a psyche for a child, this memory would bruise them for eternity. These morbid rememories for Sethe are reminders for her that she is living in an imperfect society. As a slave Sethe was not suppose to love or want to own anything, but she could not do that with her children. On the farm with the Garners Sethe had a little taste of what it was like to have some control over her wn life.
She was able to choose her husband and be with him. It was not until the schoolteacher and his nephews came to the farm that Sethe really understood what it was to be a slave. Sethe did not want her own children to have to go through what she did. When the schoolteacher came to take her back to his farm, she reacted in the only way that she knew would keep her children from having to go back there. All that was going through her mind at the time was the thought that she and her children were going to have to live the life of a slave once again and that was more than she ould bear.
Sethe’s intention was to kill all her children including herself. Only to fail at this plan she could not have foreseen that the schoolteacher would think she was crazy and leave, letting her stay in Ohio as a free woman. The only thing she could see was having to live on that farm again. She did not want her children to have a taste of freedom and then have it taken away from them. Giving away part of yourself out of love is a very powerful and haunting concept, which a mother has to live with forever. Beloved, the child killed by Sethe, comes back to haunt her.
The fingers touching the back of her neck were stronger now-the strokes bolder as though Baby Suggs were gathering strength. Putting the thumbs at the nape, while the fingers pressed the sides. Harder, harder, the fingers moved slowly around toward her windpipe, making little circles on the way. Sethe was actually more surprised that frightened to find that she was being strangled (96). ” Showing that the decision for her killing was made out of love, we see such a strong hold on Sethe by Beloved that the love is suffocating.
Beloved’s eturn from the dead was not made out of anger and spite but love. Realizing that Beloved’s return to haunt was not made out of revenge seems to be surprising to Sethe not frightening of her suffocating love. The love between Sethe and Beloved grew so strong over twenty-eight days that Beloved even wants to take Sethe back with her. Take Sethe to a place where she knows love will dominate. In Beloved understanding that Sethe is killing hr babies out of love is easy to see. Yet, today with abortion people still have doubts against abortion.
Arguments today against abortion are that a mother has to take responsibility for her actions. Meaning that using abortions as a form of birth control is looked down upon. This mother would be looked at as selfish by stealing the life of an innocent fetus. Although the circumstances surrounding each situation varies greatly, the decision made by a mother is close to that Sethe made. Do I love my own flesh and blood enough to take their life away for fear that their life will not be lived to its full potential? Abortion relates to the idea of tough love.
Sethe oesn’t understand the concept of thin love. Love is either tough or isn’t present. Being an ex-slave having this mentality is understandable. This type of decision is not an average everyday decision. Much thought and anguish weighing both pros and cons must be considered. Weigh ing the cruelties of society against life is a decision that has no right answer. Too many unknowns lie present in the lives of these mothers. This instability in the life of the mother is probable reason why an abortion would occur.
Instabilities include; young age, lack of a husband, inancial considerations, and even the lack of the mother’s own stability. Ultimately the determination lies within the heart of the mother to distinguish whether it’s right or wrong. Making a decision of this magnitude only makes the mother stronger. Our first impression of Sethe is amazement at how strong of a person she is. Making it through the tough times of slavery only to have to make a decision to kill your children creates a spirit of steel. Sethe’s decision has effects not only on herself but all others surrounding her.
We see people scared of and off by her decision; people like Paul D, Howard and Buglar, and the whole community. A decision like this does not only have negative effects. Denver is portrayed as weak throughout most of the novel. Nearing the end and finding out more and more information we see a new side to her. A little girl once afraid to leave the house takes her first steps away from 124. She makes these steps in search of food and nourishment for her malnutrition mother. Denver is an example of a positive of a tough love decision, made by Sethe and many women today.
A feeling of Sethe’s strength has rubbed off and helped mold Denver into an even stronger person. “Here, in this here place, we flesh; flesh that weeps, laughs; flesh that dances on bare feet in grass. Love it. Love it hard (88). ” Baby Suggs the spiritual leader of Beloved explains the moral of the book, which is love. Love is something strong enough to go to extremes for. Coming back from the dead, killing your children, yet loving. Never be afraid of a decision made out of love. Be afraid that if you didn’t make the decision out of love that it will come back to haunt you.
