Dehumanization Of Sethe In Beloved

The novel Beloved by Toni Morrison explores many themes that embody the hardships slaves endured throughout their lives. Morrison uses characterization to portray the thoughts and experiences of Sethe, an oppressed slave. Throughout the novel Sethe encounters many tragic events of physical abuse and verbal attacks, this leads to the development of Sethe’s character in the novel. Morrison conveys the mistreatment and dehumanization of Sethe through flashbacks that occurred before she became a freed slave at 124.
Sethe is not the exception to the millions of slaves who were beaten for unjustified motives. Sethe’s flashback to her at Sweet Home implies her psychological and emotional distress.
“I’ve never seen it and never will. But that’s what she said it looked like. A chokecherry tree. Trunk, branches, and even leaves. Tiny little chokecherry leaves. But that was eighteen years ago. Could have cherries too now for all I know… ‘I had milk,’ she said. ‘I was pregnant with Denver but I had milk for my baby girl. I hadn’t stopped nursing her when I set her on ahead with Howard and Buglar.’” (18) …show more content…
The unconventional account of trees, a recurring motif throughout the novel has various meanings, for Sethe a chokecherry tree is engraved on her back to represent her memory when she was dehumanized and deprived of her natural rights. Providing milk for her children was the the only thing she was able to guarantee to the nurture of her children without being punished. Although, Morrison’s tone in this passage accounts for something greater that impacts the life of Sethe by how her future is shaped at