Beloved Themes & Characters

To protect your child from suffering would you… Move to a different town? Move to a different town? Give up your money? Give up your money? Leave your partner? Leave your partner? Lie or Steal? Lie or Steal? Kill another? Kill another? Sacrifice yourself? Sacrifice yourself? Kill yourself? Kill yourself? Kill your child? Kill your child?

Memory How does memory affect people? Does it affect relationships? How does memory influence our society? Why is memory important? How does memory affect people? Does it affect relationships? How does memory influence our society? Why is memory important? What is a strong memory you have? It can be funny, sad, tragic, fond. What is a strong memory you have? It can be funny, sad, tragic, fond. How has it affected the way you are (or think or act) today? How has it affected the way you are (or think or act) today?

Major Characters: Sethe Sethe, the protagonist of Beloved, is a proud and independent woman who is extremely devoted to her children. Sethe, the protagonist of Beloved, is a proud and independent woman who is extremely devoted to her children. Though she barely knew her own mother, Sethe’s motherly instincts are her most striking characteristic. Though she barely knew her own mother, Sethe’s motherly instincts are her most striking characteristic. She remains haunted by scarring events in her past, which she tries, in vain, to repress. She remains haunted by scarring events in her past, which she tries, in vain, to repress. Despite her independence (and her distrust of men), she welcomes Paul D and the companionship he offers. Despite her independence (and her distrust of men), she welcomes Paul D and the companionship he offers.

Denver Sethe’s daughter Denver is the most dynamic character in the novel. Sethe’s daughter Denver is the most dynamic character in the novel. She is shy, intelligent, introspective, sensitive, and inclined to spend hours alone in her “emerald closet,” a sylvan space formed by boxwood bushes. Her mother considers Denver a “charmed” child who has miraculously survived, and throughout the book Denver is in close contact with the supernatural. She is shy, intelligent, introspective, sensitive, and inclined to spend hours alone in her “emerald closet,” a sylvan space formed by boxwood bushes. Her mother considers Denver a “charmed” child who has miraculously survived, and throughout the book Denver is in close contact with the supernatural. Despite Denver’s abilities to cope, she has been stunted emotionally by years of relative isolation. Though eighteen years old, she acts much younger, maintaining an intense fear of the world outside 124 and a perilously fragile sense of self. Indeed, her self-conception remains so tentative that she feels slighted by the idea of a world that does not include her—even the world of slavery at Sweet Home. Denver defines her identity in relation to Sethe. Despite Denver’s abilities to cope, she has been stunted emotionally by years of relative isolation. Though eighteen years old, she acts much younger, maintaining an intense fear of the world outside 124 and a perilously fragile sense of self. Indeed, her self-conception remains so tentative that she feels slighted by the idea of a world that does not include her—even the world of slavery at Sweet Home. Denver defines her identity in relation to Sethe.

Beloved Beloved is presented as an allegorical figure. Whether she is Sethe’s daughter, Sethe’s mother, or a representative of all of slavery’s victims, Beloved represents the past returned to haunt the present. Beloved is presented as an allegorical figure. Whether she is Sethe’s daughter, Sethe’s mother, or a representative of all of slavery’s victims, Beloved represents the past returned to haunt the present. The interaction between Beloved and Sethe is given particular attention in the book. Once Sethe reciprocates Beloved’s violent passion for her, the two become locked in a destructive, exclusive, parasitic relationship. When she is with Beloved, Sethe is paralyzed in the past. She devotes all her attention to making Beloved understand why she reacted to schoolteacher’s arrival the way she did. The interaction between Beloved and Sethe is given particular attention in the book. Once Sethe reciprocates Beloved’s violent passion for her, the two become locked in a destructive, exclusive, parasitic relationship. When she is with Beloved, Sethe is paralyzed in the past. She devotes all her attention to making Beloved understand why she reacted to schoolteacher’s arrival the way she did. Paradoxically, Beloved’s presence is enabling at the same time that it is destructive. Beloved allows and inspires Sethe to tell the stories she never tells— stories about her own feelings of abandonment by her mother, about the harshest indignities she suffered at Sweet Home. Paradoxically, Beloved’s presence is enabling at the same time that it is destructive. Beloved allows and inspires Sethe to tell the stories she never tells— stories about her own feelings of abandonment by her mother, about the harshest indignities she suffered at Sweet Home.

Paul D The physical and emotional brutality suffered by Paul D at Sweet Home and as part of a chain gang has caused him to bury his feelings in the “rusted tobacco tin” of his heart. The physical and emotional brutality suffered by Paul D at Sweet Home and as part of a chain gang has caused him to bury his feelings in the “rusted tobacco tin” of his heart. He represses his painful memories and believes that the key to survival is not becoming too attached to anything. At the same time, he seems to incite the opening up of others’ hearts, and women in particular tend to confide in him. He represses his painful memories and believes that the key to survival is not becoming too attached to anything. At the same time, he seems to incite the opening up of others’ hearts, and women in particular tend to confide in him. Sethe welcomes him to 124, where he becomes her lover and the object of Denver’s and Beloved’s jealousy. Sethe welcomes him to 124, where he becomes her lover and the object of Denver’s and Beloved’s jealousy.

Baby Suggs After Halle buys his mother, Baby Suggs, her freedom, she travels to Cincinnati, where she becomes a source of emotional and spiritual inspiration for the city’s black residents. After Halle buys his mother, Baby Suggs, her freedom, she travels to Cincinnati, where she becomes a source of emotional and spiritual inspiration for the city’s black residents. She holds religious gatherings at a place called the Clearing, where she teaches her followers to love their voices, bodies, and minds. She holds religious gatherings at a place called the Clearing, where she teaches her followers to love their voices, bodies, and minds. However, after Sethe’s severe act, Baby Suggs stops preaching and retreats to a sickbed to die. Even so, Baby Suggs continues to be a source of inspiration long after her death. However, after Sethe’s severe act, Baby Suggs stops preaching and retreats to a sickbed to die. Even so, Baby Suggs continues to be a source of inspiration long after her death.

Halle Sethe’s husband and Baby Suggs’s son, Halle is generous, kind, and sincere. Sethe’s husband and Baby Suggs’s son, Halle is generous, kind, and sincere. He is very much alert to the hypocrisies of the Garners’ “benevolent” form of slaveholding. He is very much alert to the hypocrisies of the Garners’ “benevolent” form of slaveholding. Halle eventually goes mad after seeing schoolteacher violate Sethe Halle eventually goes mad after seeing schoolteacher violate Sethe