Kelly ConradMr. SiekerEngl. 1520-2101April 17, 2015 Beloved: Slavery and Motherhood Toni Morrison's novel Beloved describes the harrowing ordeals endured by slavery in the 1800s, as well as life at home. Sethe is not only a recently freed slave, but also a mother struggling to protect and maintain normalcy for her children. In this story of manipulation and neglect, there is a war between memories of slavery, motherhood, and the search for what she hopes will be an ideal life for herself. Slavery and racism in America did not begin until the 1600s, when African slaves were transported to the American colony of Jamestown, Virginia in 1619. African slaves were brought to America to speed up production and distribution. The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 was passed by the United States Congress on September 18, 1850. This law stated that all fugitive slaves must be returned to their original masters and must obey this law. After many years of torment and manipulation, freedom was on the horizon when a man named Abraham Lincoln won the presidency. Abraham Lincoln had strong anti-slavery views and was determined to end the devastation and violations suffered by African American slaves. After a long battle to free the slaves, on January 1, 1863, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. Lincoln declared that “the slaves within any State, or in any designated part of a State…in rebellion…shall then, henceforth, and forever, be free” (Lincoln, 1863). More than three million black slaves were officially free and finally able to create a life for themselves based on their own beliefs and morals. Toni Morrison's novel Beloved perfectly captures the history and abuses of slavery. Sethe, an escaped slave, devoted her time to creating a life for herself and her family. When the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 was passed, Sethe knew it meant her children would have to become slaves. As Sethe struggles to become a better mother to Denver, she becomes a slave to her own children. They both seem to have equal power, which sometimes causes confusion as to who knows better. Throughout the story, we see the obvious torture and mutilation that Sethe endures as a female slave. She was constantly exploited, beaten, criticized and attacked. But as the story progresses, we see that most of Sethe's difficulties come from her own children. The burden of her dead baby, her daughter's anger, and the disappearance of her two sons leave Sethe trapped in her own grief. Although Sethe is enslaved by her children, she still shows strong compassion towards them and only wants is better for them.