Mothers will do anything to protect their children, even if that means killing them. Sethe, the protagonist of Beloved, is an independent women whose life revolves around her children. Sethes most interesting trait: her devotion to loving her children, is surprising because Sethe had no maternal connection as a child. She barely knew her own mother, who she was ripped apart from under the difficult institutions of slavery. Sethe constantly refers to her children, specifically Beloved, as her “best thing[s]” (32). Sethe acts as if she owes it to herself to love her children as much as she can while it is possible. Her inspiration to love her children “properly” comes from them finally being “[hers] to love” (190). Sethe’s most troubling
