Beloved

In Toni Morison’s’ novel, Beloved, the main character Seth, is a former slave who chooses to kill her baby girl rather than allowing her to be exposed to the physically, and emotionally damaging horrors of a life spent in slavery. There is no other way to say it: she murdered her child. By killing her child, so dear to her heart, the question arises whether Seth acted out of true love or selfishness.

The fact that Seth’s act is irrational can easily be decided upon. Does Seth kill her baby girl because she wants to save the baby from slavery or does Seth end her daughter's life because of a selfish refusal to reenter a life of slavery? By examining the complexities of Seth’s character it can be said that she is a woman who chooses to love her children but not herself. Seth kills her

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Throughout Beloved, Seth’s character consistently displays the duopolistic nature of her actions. I couldn't let all that go back to where it was, and I couldn't let her or any of em live under School Teacher. By not even approaching the subject of her daughter's death, it is also made clear that Seth has detached her from the act. she describes her reaction to School Teacher's arrival: "Oh, no. I wasn't going back there (Sweet Home). baby because, in Seth’s mind, her children are the only good and pure part of who

she is and must be protected from the cruelty and the "dirtiness" of slavery~(Morrison 251In this respect, her act is that of love for her children. Seth’s love for her children is apparent, yet she still shifts the burden

of responsibility away from herself. Not long after Seth’s reunion with Paul D. Well, all I'm saying is that's a selfish pleasure I never had before. The peculiarity of her statement lies in her

omission of the horrifying fact that her moral stand was based upon the murder of her child. The selfishness of Seth’s act lies in her refusal to accept personal responsibility for her baby's death.

Approximate Word count = 533
Approximate Pages = 2 (250 words per page double spaced)

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