Beloved

Beloved by Toni Morrison In Toni Morrisons’ novel, Beloved, the main character Sethe, 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 Sethe acted out of true love …

…back to where it was, and I couldn't let her or any of em live under School Teacher. That was out"~(163) Sethe's love for her children is apparent, yet she still shifts the burden of responsibility away from herself. She acknowledges that it was a "selfish pleasure" to make something for her daughter, yet Sethe refuses to admit any selfishness in her act of murder. She is indignant and frustrated with Paul D. confronting her: