Beloved

The book Beloved was a very conflicting story for me. It was in turns gripping and haunting. Beloved was an interesting character. She came out of the river at a time when Sethe found herself thinking of a new beginning with Paul D and Denver. At first we didn't know who Beloved was but as the book goes on it is revealed that Beloved was Sethe's murdered daughter back from the dead. Paul D had exorcised her spirit from the house so she came back in the form of a young woman.

I was very conflicted with Beloved's character. At first I felt sympathy for her. She had been killed by her mother at only two years old. That had to have been a very confusing thing. Thus, her haunting the house. When she came back she was very helpless, almost like a small child. As she matured though, she grew more and more malicious.

Once Sethe figured out who Beloved was, was when things got really interesting. Denver knew for a long while who Beloved was and sought to protect her from their mother. However, once Sethe knew the truth Beloved made life a living hell for her. Nothing was ever good enough for Beloved. All Sethe wanted was for Beloved to forgive her and to make her understand why she had done what she did.

In my honest opinion, Beloved was a spoiled brat. Yes, her mother had killed her, but that was YEARS ago and she had spent so long atoning for it. Once Beloved left, I don't think Sethe ever recovered. I think Sethe spent the rest of her life in that bed. I think Beloved sent her to her grave essentially. It was revenge pure and simple.