Separation Anxiety In Margaret Garner's Beloved

Having separation anxiety and similar psychological disorders, were very common at the time because of the culture. This is because, “Slavery not only inhibited family formation but made stable, secure family life difficult if not impossible” (Williams). Slaves were at the mercy of their owners and this prohibited any sort of functional parenting. An owner had more rights to a baby than either of the birth parents. This cause psychological distress and starts to uncover some sanity in what Margaret Garner (the real Sethe) did and why Beloved acted the way she did in the novel.