Characters of Beloved

Characters of Beloved

Sethe

Sethe is a hardened but loving woman. Her memories of the brutality she suffered as a slave corrupt her everyday life and lead her to conclude that past trauma can never really be forgotten; it reveals itself at every chance. She thus spends her life attempting to avoid encounters with her past. The quality that best describes Sethe in my mind is persistence. Her constant devotion to Denver and her ability to function daily with her ever-present mind-scars shows an inspirational inner strength. Also, the act of attempting to kill you’re children to prevent their suffering is proof of her devotion to her children’s wellbeing (though obviously questionable to say the least) and her hatred of the slavery that has destroyed her life. So in respect to this, I compare Sethe to a salmon swimming upstream; in that her struggle is tremendous and her strength unparalleled.

Beloved

This power in this book is defined in the suggestion and allusiveness of the writing. The epitome of this is provided in the character Beloved. Beloved’s true purpose in this book is never directly expressed, but throughout the book there are clues that lead you to believe that Beloved is a representation of the past that has come to bring reconciliation to those who suffered at Sweet Home. Beloved’s presence and persona can be described as therapeutic. This is because of her ability to be a good listener and someone that you can confide in, as well as doing things to achieve a beneficial reaction out of people. I see Beloved as a messenger from God, so it would be hard to say that she loves or hates

anything; she is simply an entity with a purpose. Beloved could be symbolized as a biographical mirror, because