Losing both the ghost and the physical form of Beloved would be detrimental to Denver’s health, which would make her feel useless and ultimately unloved.

She just wants to escape her life and go back to having the company that Sethe and she had before, the ghost of 124 (Beloved). This is depicted by Sethe spending so much time with both Paul D and Beloved because Denver believes that her reality, in this moment of time, is that: “Paul D took her away, a dream-come-true comes true just to leave her on a pile of newspaper in the dark.” The word “dark” is usually defined as a color tone or without light, although in this case, it’s a word that represents loneliness, sorrow and death. Although at the same time, Morrison’s use of the word “dark” shows Denver’s sadness because of the reality that Sethe now has both Paul D and Beloved and has left her alone. Morrison’s shows Denver’s depiction of her reality as being connected to her past and her emotions of sorrow are a way to show she doesn’t want to face her existence. She has fears of abandonment which is shown through Beloved leaving her and Denver’s unwillingness to let anyone she loves go. Denver doesn’t want to have to face the reality that her past might also be her future, which only includes having Sethe as a companion. At the beginning of the passage when Denver thinks, “This is worse than when Paul D came into 124”, her loss of Beloved, because of Paul D’s presence, made her almost go crazy and now that Denver has gotten Beloved back, she can’t stand to lose her again.

Her emotion of sorrow shows how she’s afraid to lose anything in her life, such as her new friend Beloved, because of her fear of having no one to turn too. Denver’s loneliness controls her inability to deal with Sethe’s new partner, Paul D, and being away from Beloved. Throughout this passage, Morrison describes Denver’s need for compassion and to be around her family at all times.

“This is worse than when Paul D pile of newspaper in the dark.” (145)ĭenver’s Emotion of Sorrow and Loneliness

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