After finishing Part III of Beloved, I couldn't stop thinking about how difficult it is for people to let go of the past. The characters struggle with traumatic memories throughout the entire book, but in Part III they are forced to confront them. The scene where the local women visited Sethe's home and Beloved vanished caught my attention the most. Because it demonstrated that occasionally people require assistance from others to overcome their difficulties, it felt like a turning moment.
Sethe was one character who kept coming to mind. She loves her kids, but her life is essentially controlled by the guilt she has from her past. She seems to have lost how to live for herself at the book's end because she has been focusing on her mistakes for so long. This got me to thinking about how simple it is for people to become mired in their own mistakes. Everyone makes poor choices occasionally, but focusing solely on those errors can prevent you from progressing.
I also enjoyed how much Denver had grown. She relied on Sethe for nearly everything in the start of the book and appeared afraid of the outer world. She starts to take charge of her own destiny and grows considerably more self-reliant in Part III. One of the most encouraging aspects of the book, in my opinion, was her development. It shows that despite coming from challenging circumstances, people can still develop and change. Denver's personality got me to thinking about how it might be frightening to venture outside of your comfort zone, but it can also make you stronger.
Paul D tells Sethe, "You your best thing, Sethe. You are." This is one of the most significant lines in the book, in my opinion, because Sethe spends so much time defining herself by her trauma and shame. Paul D is attempting to reassure her that she is more than the most awful thing that has ever happened to her. Many people evaluate themselves too harshly and forget that they are more than their faults, which makes that message seem meaningful.
The lesson I learned from Part III is that recovery takes time. The characters finally start to go forward, but they do not instantly become happy. I was reminded by the book of how crucial it is to accept the past without allowing it to control your future. I continue to question whether it is ever really possible to let go of traumatic memories or if the best thing someone can do is learn to cope with them.
