For Morrison, history is a subject that she often reflects upon in the novel Beloved. One obvious connection between history and her novel is the inescapable horror of slavery and the impact it has on the characters, especially Sethe. At first glance, the tree on Sethe's back appears to represent nothing more than scars from a past beating. However, when analyzed more closely, the tree illustrates the need for characters to cope with the past …showed first 75 words of 1600 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1600 total…everything because Beloved "her best thing...left her" (p272). Paul, free himself, thanks to the unlocking of his tobacco tin, makes Sethe realize that she is her best thing. Sethe is herself beloved. Beloved is gone, but instead of dying, Sethe can now begin to live her free life to the fullest extent. She conquers her conscience and her past with the help of her future, her real daughter, Denver, and her lover, Paul D.