Sethe, Tragically Misunderstood
Never has there been so little room for judgement or forming opinions about a character as in the case of Sethe, the protagonist of Beloved . As readers, we recognize that her actions are hers and hers alone, and that to put ourselves in her shoes to gauge her actions is completely unimaginable: her situation could not be more different from what any modern reader has experienced. However, we see an endless stream of characters within the novel itself who are quick to make decisions about Sethe, typically negative ones. Despite all of the suffering that all those around her have gone through as well, it is shocking how little these same people stop to think about what could have possibly driven Sethe to her actions, and make often unfair judgements. To me, this is the most heartbreaking element of the novel: Sethe, who has suffered so much and faced unthinkable decisions, just wants someone to understand her and her "thick" love. But it seems to be her terrible fate...