“When I put that headstone up I wanted to lay there with you, put your head on my shoulder and keep you warm” (Morrison, 241)
Dear Sethe,
It is hard not to dwell on our past mistakes. Sometimes, the mistakes we have made can consume our thoughts. They can cause us to become stuck, wishing we could go back and do things differently. We cannot let our past mistakes prevent us from living in the present.
When you spoiled Beloved with fancy foods and gifts after realizing she was your baby reincarnated, I saw the regret and grief behind your actions. To me, it seemed like you wanted to make Beloved happy as a way to make it up to her. Sethe, Beloved accused you of causing her pain and abandoning her. That must have been extremely painful to hear as a mother. I hope you can keep in mind your intentions and situation at the time. You wanted the best for your baby. You knew there was no way to escape the harsh reality she would have faced being enslaved. You have endured many terrible things, and you did not want her to experience the pain and suffering that you faced.
Mother and daughter bonds are like no other. Sweet Home would have had ownership over your child, and you would not get a say in anything that happened to her. I believe your motherly instincts took over at this moment. All you wanted was to protect her from the extensive suffering she would have faced being enslaved. I could not begin to imagine how difficult it was for you to make the decision to kill your baby. To those who have not heard your story, they are quick to judge. Your actions seem unjustifiable and unforgivable. But the hardships you have faced throughout your life have helped me to understand the reasoning behind your actions. I feel I have no place to judge you for what you have done. You have been through experiences beyond imagination. I know your intentions behind your actions were good and you meant to do more good than harm.
I am extremely sorry you ever were in a situation where this was a decision even in consideration. I hope moving forward, you can find peace knowing you did want you thought was best. It is normal to have regret but do not let your mistakes consume your life. You have a daughter who looks up to you. She needs you to be a strong role model. You can help guide her to make better decisions than you. We all make mistakes, but we cannot let those mistakes define us.
I encourage you to focus on the present and use what you have learned from your past mistakes to now treasure your time with Denver and build the relationship you would have wanted with Beloved, with her. Denver loves you and needs her mother to be present in her life. You have been through more than anyone knows so allow yourself to heal and give yourself grace.
Wishing you all the best,
Maddie McElwee
“She was shocked to see how small the big things were: the boulder by the edge of the road she once couldn’t see over was a sitting-on rock. Paths leading to houses weren’t miles long. Dogs didn’t even reach her knees.” (Morrison, 289)
Dear Denver,
I can’t imagine how hard it was for you to be isolated in your house. You had no one to talk to. Sethe was around but she was never present. She always had her attention on other things. This breaks my heart because a mother plays an important role in their daughters’ lives. They become the first role model to look up to and aspire to become.
I hope you know that Sethe does love you. Her intentions are always good, even if her actions are wrong. She was in a difficult situation and has been haunted by Beloved’s presence, reminding her of her past actions. But understand that Sethe killed her baby to have the opportunity to escape and give you a better life. I know Sethe’s reasoning for killing her baby was to prevent her from enduring the horrors of slavery. But, if she had not done that, I do not think Sethe would have ever tried to escape to Ohio. She would have tried to stay wherever her baby was and would not have been able to abandon or escape without her.
So, in a twisted way, Sethe’s actions have brought you to where you are today. Free. I have wanted to tell you how proud I am of you. You were shy and reserved in the beginning, but you have flourished. You took matters into your own hands and sought out help for Sethe and Beloved. You searched for a job that would help provide an income. You also left the house after years of never leaving. That must have been so scary. But it all worked out for the best.
When you left the house, it seemed like you saw the world in color for the first time. How did you even know where to go? You met people who treated you with respect and did not turn away from the sight of you. You saw the world in a whole new life and understood what the world has to offer.
Life gets better. Venturing away from what is comfortable helps us gain new perspectives and grow. Your experience venturing away from the comfort of your home has helped shape you into a strong and independent woman.
I am so proud of you,
Maddie McElwee
"And he did it for seven years till he found himself in southern Ohio, where an old woman and a girl he used to know had gone." (Morrison, 13)
Dear Paul D,
You have been through more than I could ever imagine. You were enslaved and then imprisoned and now you are finally free. I can’t imagine the immense amount of trauma and PTSD you now suffer from. Sethe has had experiences similar to yours. Especially your shared time at Sweet Home. I hope you can find comfort in knowing that you are not alone. Sethe is there for you as a person to confide in.
On the contrary, Sethe needs you as well. She needs a stable person in her life who will not leave her side. I hope when you came back to Sethe at the end of the book, you meant it when you said you would stay and take care of her. Denver has moved on and is ready to support herself independently. That leaves Sethe alone in the house. She is having major struggles coping with the loss of her baby and then the presence of Beloved. You can be there to remind her of her good intentions and show her that she has someone in her life who cares for her.
If you stay, please help Sethe manage her time better. The last time you stayed with Sethe, Denver was left alone. She felt isolated and did not get much attention from Sethe. Please be mindful of this because this made Denver feel extremely lonely.
After everything you have endured, know that you still have a purpose in life. Sethe needs you to support and care for her. Look at Sethe as a beam of hope. She will be there to love you. Together, you can support and confide in one another, for both of you understand each other’s trauma.
You got this!
Maddie McElwee
“It ain’t my job to know what’s worse. It’s my job to know what is and to keep them away from what I know is terrible. I did that.” (Morrison, 194)
Dear Beloved,
You appeared when we least expected. You threw everyone off guard and disrupted the dynamic of the house. But who can blame you? You were mad, hurt, and upset, rightfully so. You wanted answers, but that does not give you the right to treat Sethe the way you did.
Sethe had good intentions in her actions. She wanted to save you from experiencing the horrors and pain she had already endured. It is not fair for you to show up out of nowhere and yell at Sethe. She carries an immense amount of guilt for what she did, and she does not need you to make her feel any worse. Be thankful she did her best to save you. Be thankful you did not experience the pain and suffering of being enslaved.
Sethe loves you with her whole heart. She saw her baby within you. When you sang the song that only her baby would know, in that moment she knew who you were. She did everything she could to make you happy. She took you in and treated you as her own. She took care of you even though you made it extremely difficult. She cared for you more than Denver, who needed her mother’s presence the most. Sethe spent all her money on spoiling you with everything you could want, and it was never enough. You always asked for more. Nothing was ever good enough to satisfy you.
I think you had intentions of creating chaos and disrupting Sethe and Denver’s peace. How could you come to her home and then leave out of nowhere without saying goodbye? Sethe has been in bed for days mourning the loss of her baby and struggling to cope with her guilt. She’s left to wonder what could have been. Sethe needs to find healing and peace to move on from her past, and your presence sets back her ability to heal.
I am sorry for the pain you have endured, but your presence causes more pain than you could imagine. Maybe it is best that you are gone, but I hope you know you always have and always will be missed.
Don’t drag others into your darkness,
Maddie McElwee
“Lay em down, Sethe. Sword and shield. Down. Down. Both of em down. Down by the riverside. Sword and shield. Don’t study war no more.” (Morrison, 101)
Dear Baby Suggs,
You have the most beautiful soul. You have endured so much trauma through being born into slavery and having children while you were enslaved. But you persevered and found a chance to escape giving you a new chance to live life. Despite all the hardships, you never let it make you bitter. You always showed compassion and love.
Your death was a great loss, and you will be missed dearly. Your kindness and compassion along with your sermons have touched the lives of so many people. You helped bring your community together. You have completed great work and it is a shame you passed so soon. I know when Sethe killed her baby, it killed a part of you inside. It made you feel broken and lifeless with only 28 days left to live.
You knew Sethe’s intentions were good and it is truly inspiring that you do not hold it against her. You understood the position she was in. You also know the pain and trouble being enslaved inflicts within your mind. Nevertheless, it still broke your heart. That was your granddaughter. Her death pushed you into a depression phase causing you to stop preaching and ultimately ending in your death.
Since it was Sethe’s actions that caused your decline and death, do you think the community would hold her responsible?
I wish you were here now because you could see how Denver has flourished into an independent young woman. She must take after you because she is kind and hardworking. She is determined to get a job and make a better life for herself. The people she now works for, know you! They speak highly of you and say they could recognize a descendant of you anywhere. I hope this shows you how big of an impact you have had on others.
Although you are no longer here, you have never been forgotten. Sethe and Denver miss you terribly. But your light shine throughout them, their house, and the community because you have touched so many lives.
The world is a better place because of you,
Maddie McElwee
“Take them out and they disappear again as though nobody ever walked there.” (Morrison 324)
Dear Narrator,
Thank you for the insight you share with your readers. You help us see the interworkings of each character. With your help, we begin to understand the methodology behind Sethe’s actions. We watch Denver’s rise to independence, but we also see the trauma and destruction that has occurred in all of the characters’ lives.
You show us the good and the bad, even if it is hard to digest. You do not hold back the truth. I think you feel you must tell it how it is in an attempt to bring justice for the lives of enslaved people and help the world never forget the suffering of innocent people that happened in America. You are extremely strong and carry the weight of each person’s dark story. But because of you, we know the truth. We learn more of the horrors enslaved people faced and saw the depression and PTSD it caused them to have.
You see everyone’s past, present, and future. Through your eyes, we know who each character truly is and what has shaped them into the way they are.
Thank you for your honesty and strength throughout this journey and know that you are the voice for the innocent people who suffered and died without sharing their voice.
Thank you,
Maddie McElwee