Newton's Principle in Toni Morrison's Beloved

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Isaac Newton, the famous 18th century physicist, wrote, “To every action there is always opposed an equal reaction” (Brainy Quote). Newton was explaining physics, but the principle functions throughout the evolving world that we live in and is a fundamental theme in Toni Morrison’s novel Beloved. Morrison depicts the helplessness of a mother, Sethe, who commits an act of homicide, an act that leads to her living in a world consisting of a strained relationship with her children—that strained relationship being the “reaction” to her horrific act. At the time she commits the crime, Sethe believes that it will provide a safe haven for herself and her children, but that turns out to be far from the reality. In the novel, Sethe’s act of infanticide …show more content…

Likewise, Denver indicates that she cannot grasp why her mother would pour the blood out of someone, especially her own daughter. The young girl contends that “All the time, I’m afraid the thing that happened that made it all right for my mother to kill my sister could happen again. I don’t know what it is, I don’t know who it is, but maybe there is something else terrible enough to make her do it again.” (242-243) Though Denver tells of her fears of the memories, she also speaks of her desire to know what the memories truly do hold. Morrison’s use of the nebulous word “thing” points to the reason behind Sethe’s motive of committing infanticide, which Denver can’t name. Chiefly, the “thing” is what causes Denver to be in a state of distraught. Denver believes this “thing” may motivate her mother to act the same way once again. Furthermore, Morrison’s use of repetition “I don’t know” twice—emphasizes Denver’s need to know what that “thing” might be and wants to know not only the objective facts of the past, but to understand the underlying motives that can cause her mother to perform such an act again without a clear understanding of why. Denver does not wish to be confined within boundaries where her “freedom” to live is taken away. One can see the internal struggle in Denver, which raises questions about Sethe’s inexplicable

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