In the work of Plato: Republic we find a troubling question which relates to the morality of how one actions are perceived.  In the work of Plato we find Socrates playing the devil’s advocate while he tries to explain this concept and meaning to his peers. This question revolved around justice: is it best to do a just act but seem unjust, where one sacrifices his or her own best interest for the best interest of another. This is expressed in the novel Beloved by Toni Morrison where an event, which can arguably be said to be the most significant moment in the entire novel. This event alone single handedly shifted the plot in a direction that was unpredictable and filled with suspense. This moment was when our protagonist, Sethe, faced the most difficult choice of her where she either lets her children endure a life of rape, beatings, torture or worst, or simply prevent her very first creations of life from ever having to face this devastating reality. As we proceed we will analyze the effect of this event not taking place and how other events which are deeply related may have been manipulated with this new reality. 

 

Sethe was portrayed as a strong woman that proved her cleverness and wit many folds over. First we will look at the major and main event that took place which we will focus on. This event is centralized around Sethe when she slaughtered her own child. The novel Beloved states, 

Inside, two boys bled in the sawdust and dirt at the feet of a nigger woman holding a blood – soaked child to her chest with one hand and an infant by the heels in the other. She did not look at them; she simply swung the baby toward the planks. (85) 

This represents the most significant moment where Sethe’s made the most difficult choice where either she lets her children suffer or save them from the inevitable misery. Little did she know that this one event, this one choice may have made her own life even more of a living hell than before. 

 

First we will look at the affect this event had on her children that survived the brutal attack. As the story progressed Sethe’s new home, 124, is plagued by an evil spirit which appeared as a child’s spirit. This spirit, speculated to be the child of Seth’s only successful murder, wreaked havoc and drove Sethe’s two boys away. “…Howard and buglar, had ran away by the time they were thirteen years old – as soon as merely looking in a mirror shattered (that was the signal for Burglar); as soon as two tiny hand prints appeared in the cake (that was it for Howard).” (1) Hypothetically we can imagine that this event had not taken place Sethe may have had an entire family. Even though this may not protect them from the after effects of slavery but the support of two fully grown men over time may prevent a lot of the stress and suffering fending on your own with a vulnerable daughter may elicit. 

Not only driving away her son’s, Sethe’s act of murder later led to the distraction of the forest of love and affection her lover, Paul D, later planted in her life. A life that could of redefined her past troubles and compensated for all her heart aches. For example, 

Sweet, she thought. He must think I can’t bear to hear him say it. That after all I have told him and after telling me how many feet I have, ‘goodbye’ would break me up into pieces. Ain’t that sweet … “So long”, she murmured from the far side of the trees.

After hearing about the tragic act by Stamp Paid, Paul D quickly rejected Sethe. A life that could’ve been filled with a family set on production and growth quickly vanished into thin air. 

 

Next we will look at the entirety of Sethe’s life without the murder. With beloved alive it may have been possible to avoid the torture that was brought to Sethe from the afterlife. This relates to the reincarnated spirit of the baby ghost, Beloved, returning to wreak pure havoc on Sethe’s life. In Denver’s eyes she, 

…thought she understood the connection between her mother and Beloved: Sethe was trying to make up for the handsaw; Beloved was making her pay for it. But there would never be an end to that … Beloved, her fat new feet propped on the seat of a chair in front of the one she sat in, her unlined hands resting on her stomach, looked at her. Uncomprehending everything except that Sethe was the woman who took her face away, leaving her crouching in a dark place, forgetting to smile. (141)

Without the murder taken place, Beloved could have possibly made it to 124 with Sethe and her sister Denver. The reality of being a tortured soul by a tortured soul be then cease to exist. This then may have let to the starting point of a strong household where a mother and her children bands together to defend themselves and fight off a cruel world.

 

Over all with the analysis of each event I can conclude that killing Beloved may have been the worst choice Sethe could have made versus letting her live her life’s course in regards to Sethe’s happiness. This does not change the fact that many difficulties still may have been faced and the possibility that the journey to 124 may have failed with another life to sustain. We can also conclude that with the circumstances Sethe’s was presented with at the time of the murder may be viewed as a just act but only appeared to be unjust due to its graphic nature. With further analysis we can say that with Beloved alive Sethe may have lived a happier life, one  which consisted of a husband, Paul D, her daughter Denver alongside with Buglar and Howard and not to mention Sethe’s beloved Beloved; creating a picture perfect family anyone at the time would kill for.