Internal conflicts of beloved
Internal conflicts of belovedThe conclusion of the novel Beloved is packed with internal reconciliations, retributions and salvations, both those that were accomplished and those that were narrowly missed. The two main characters that did experience a reconciliation, retribution or salvation in the largest degree, or at least should have, in my opinion, were Denver and Sethe.
Denver was raised in an environment that some would deem not entirely healthy. To start with, her entire family was shunned by the community due to some unspeakable act committed by her mother, of which she was never explained. Her family was in shambles: her father disappeared long ago, her grandmother on her deathbed, her brothers on the verge of running off, and her mother a broken woman, all of which eliminated a solid support base in dealing with the community. Finally, to make matters worse, the ghost of her dead
infant sister haunted the house, causing troubles wherever she could and constantly making mischief. Needless to say, Denver did not have the strong background often needed to make a successful go in the world. Yet she did make an attempt, until finally beaten down and forced into a self-imposed exile by an innocent question by a young boy, "Is it true your ma killed your baby sister?" that turned everything around and made even her strongest attempts seem worthless.
And she was forced to stay inside and live a lonely life, brightened only when Beloved finally appeared. And when Beloved eventually became a detrimental force in Denver and Sethe's life, Denver was forced to enter the world and society. And her meek and gracious nature gained her immediate acceptance. "It didn't stop them from caring whether she ate and it didn't stop the pleasure they took in her soft 'Thank you.'" Although it was a necessity, Denver was able to break through the fear she had of society and of leaving 124. Her biggest personal weakness was resolved by the conclusion of the book, and she is prepared to enter into a spot in the community and not be excluded because of the actions of her mother and the overshadowing ghost of her baby sister.
Sethe's retribution or personal reconciliation, however, was not nearly as smooth or complete as Denver's. Actually, Sethe's reconciliation was not even acheived within the confines of the book. It could very well have been, but the author took a less satisfying route towards the resolution which left a lot of questions concerning Sethe unanswered.
In my personal (and humble) opinion, I believe that a much more satisfying ending would have involved Sethe getting rid of the spirit of Beloved on her own. Although, at the time of the "Misery" (the name given to the slaying of Beloved) she believed that she was doing the right thing, and may...
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