Toni Morrison's Beloved and Jane Smiley's A Thousand Acres appear different on the surface but are actually quite alike. The similarities can be discovered by analyzing the protagonists, Sethe and Ginny, inspecting their female roles, and understanding the trauma they have suffered. Withstanding trauma causes Sethe and Ginny to define and perform their roles in an extreme way, and struggling and surviving gives them strength. Power and independence, however, have severe consequences as each woman becomes capable of murdering the person she loves the most. This thesis explores how Sethe and Ginny gain power and the consequences of that power.