The role of memory is played out as an imprisoning and a liberating force in Beloved. When the characters suppress these memories, they serve as an imprisonment for the mind. Once these same characters express their feelings and emotions about their memories, it becomes a much more liberating force for them personally and on a bigger scale. They are allowed to live freely after the burden of these memories is out in the open.
             Sethe is being haunted by the ghost of the baby girl that she killed a long time ago. This ghost comes back in the form of a young girl named Beloved. The presence of Beloved could be argued as a manifestation of the mother's memories of her child and of her own life. Beloved, in a way, represents all the bad memories of slavery for her mother. To her Beloved is an innocent individual in a world that has treated her so badly. Sethe feels that the only way to save her child from the horrors that she suffered in slavery is to kill her. The memories of something so horrible for her led her to commit a psychotic act.
             Sweet home is also a source of imprisoning memories for many characters in the novel. One of those characters is Baby Suggs. She is plagued by these memories, so much that it drives her crazy. She lost all of her children but one boy, Halle, at Sweet Home. Her view of the world is pessimistic due to the horrible memories of the time she had at Sweet Home. She eventually died at 124 Bluestem not caring about anything in the world. She is so tired of the injustices and bad memories that she just wants to die to escape life.
             Paul D. is also affected by imprisoning memories. He remembers his time at Sweet Home and he also remembers his time in jail. Both of these sets of memories lead to his iron-clad heart. He remembers such atrocities as having a bit installed in his mouth. These horrible things dehumanize him and put him in a hell on earth.
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