I just saw this film on TV a few weeks ago. having not read the novel, I must say I'm confused on a few things. I get most of it. But not the bit in the begining about Sethe's mother hanging. Huh? Why? What was with the French? And the speech that said your mom had lots of men (most not by choice) but she only loved your father? I'm pretty puzzled by this and why it was included. Maybe there was more cut out from the TV version?
shareHi - I am reading the book and have not see the movie but I think I can shed some light. I am not sure why Sethe's mother was hung (that wasn't clear in the book either, at least not to me) but the speech about her "mom having lots of men (and most not by choice)" I took to mean that she was raped alot. In the book the woman tells Sethe that many times her mother 'got pregnant as a result of these rapes and threw the babies away' (I am paraphasing) (so incredible sad and heartbreaking) She goes on to tell her that Sethe was not killed by her mom (and loved by her mom) becasue She was not raped by Sethe's father but rather he was a black man that she loved and consented to have sex with him. This speech was so very painful to read in the book... so so sad.
shareok, I get that, but does anyone know why they would hang her mother?
shareIn the book it's implied she was hung for trying to escape. Sethe tries to "disremember" this as it would mean her mother was going to leave the plantation without her.
Hippolito...shurrup.
Sadistic people...anybody who could rape, rob, burn slaves alive, and cause all around havoc would have no problem hanging a slave women who was a rebel.....
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