Kelly ConradMr. SiekerEngl. 1520-210117 April 2015 Beloved: Slavery and Motherhood Toni Morrison's novel Beloved captures the harsh hardships endured during slavery in the 1800s, as well as domestic life. Sethe is not just a recently freed slave, but a mother fighting to protect and maintain normality 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 to be an ideal life for herself. Slavery and racism in America only began in the 1600s when African slaves were transported to the American colony of Jamestown in 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 act stated that all fugitive slaves must be returned to their original masters and must obey this law. After numerous years of torment and manipulation, freedom was in prospect when a man named Abraham Lincoln won the presidency. Abraham Lincoln had strong anti-slavery views and was determined to end the chaos and violations faced by African American slaves. After a long battle for the liberation of slaves, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. Lincoln declared that “the slaves within any State, or designated part of a State… in rebellion,… shall then, hereafter, and forever be free” (Lincoln, 1863). More than three million black slaves were officially free and finally able to create a life based on their own beliefs and morals. The novel Beloved by Toni Morrison perfectly captures the history and abuse of slavery. Sethe, an escaped slave, has dedicated her time to creating a life for herself and her family. When the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 was passed, Sethe knows that this means her children will have to become slaves. As Sethe struggles to become a better mother to Denver, she becomes a slave to her own children. Both appear to have the same power, which sometimes causes confusion among those who know more. Throughout the story, we see the obvious torture and mutilation that Sethe endures as a slave. She was constantly exploited, beaten, humiliated and harassed. But as the story progresses, we see that most of Sethe's difficulties come from her own children. The weight of her dead baby, her daughter's anger, and the disappearance of her two sons cause Sethe to remain trapped in her own grief. Although Sethe is enslaved by her children, she still shows strong compassion towards them and only wants wanting to be best