Sethe Exposed In Toni Morrison's Beloved

As a parent, you know how important it is to keep your kids safe. You won’t think twice in your decision if you know in your heart it will protect your children right? This is the exact situation Sethe was in when she killed her baby girl, Beloved. In the book Beloved Sethe took her daughter’s life by slicing her throat while attempting to murder the rest of her children. When I first read this I thought she was insane. Most people would, but you have to be in her shoes to fully understand what was going through her mind when the four horsemen showed up to take her child. Sethe explains what she thinks is the worst thing that could happen in her life. “That anybody white could take your whole self for anything that came to mind. Not just work, kill, or maim you, but dirty you.” This shows that even though Sethe survived being whipped while

She told Paul D, “After I left you, those boys came in there and took my milk. That's what they came in there for. Held me down and took it. I told Mrs. Garner on em. She had that lump and couldn't speak but her eyes rolled out tears. Them boys found out I told on em. Schoolteacher made one open up my back, and when it closed it made a tree. It grows there still." She repeatedly told Paul D “And they took my milk.” I don’t think anyone can understand what she went through. I know other slaves didn’t kill their children because it sounds insane right? But others didn’t have the same experience as she did. How would you feel if boys stole your milk? Most people will think “couldn’t you just try to hide your children to keep them safe?” But looking back at what she went through I think we can understand how Sethe jumped to such an extreme measure. Sethe would have to spend her life running with her children. You could never settle down and actually enjoy life. The only option Sethe had to keep Beloved safe was to kill her. It was the only way to keep her away from