Morrison Toni’s Beloved (1998) is concerning an African-American family unit in 1800's whose values and beliefs have been affected by slavery. It is a narrative of how the family toiled against slavery effects as well as against the impacts of the FSL (Fugitive Slave Law) of 1850” I got a tree on my back and a haint in my house, and nothing inbetween but the daughter I'm holding in my arms.” Sethe. Moreover, it discusses the status of slave masters and their capacity to bring back escaped slaves. Besides, it is a narrative of Sethe, a character who fled from slavery and haunted by Beloved, her daughter she had killed instead of letting/leaving her daughter be caught and taken back to slavery.
Denver, one of the main characters, is the younger daughter of Sethe. Denver is born within a boat between freedom and slavery, but she is shown as a resilient character. Denver is deprived of her mother's attention and love because the past wounded sethe. Denver survived Sethe's attempted murder, and was forced to stay in prison with the mother as she was still nursing. She is lonely at number 124 (house of Sethe) since she never went beyond the yard within 10 years. The town dwellers avoided family of Sethe after the murder. Whenever Beloved comes, Denver gets possessive of her since she trusts Beloved is her sister ghost who has come to life for her company. "Beloved was hers." "so unrestricted was her need to love another. The display she witnessed at the Clearing shamed her because the choice between Sethe and Beloved was without conflict." (Morrison 123). She (Denver) attempts to safeguard Beloved because she fears Sethe may attempt to kill Beloved or all of them. Denver can get out of number 124 to seek assistance, as well as cares for her mother once Beloved leaves. "I have to tell her. I have to protect her" (Morrison 143)
The society ostracizes Denver because of her mother's actions, she had no playmate; rather she make friendship with Beloved. Denver lived in fear that Sethe may kill her, the same way her ghost sister was killed. When Sethe is almost swallowed up by her ghost sister, Denver steps out, the only world, Denver ever knew. Denver, for the first time within her life, joins the society alone and dares to seek assistance for Sethe. By this act, she sets into motion or process of reunion of the disintegrated or fractured society as well as the healing of her relationship with Sethe.
Despite Denver's capabilities to adjust, she has been disadvantaged or stunted by years of family isolation. Even though Denver is 18 years, she acts younger, keeping fear of the outside world (outside 124) as well as a perilously weak sense of self. Denver self-conception remains tentative and she feels slighted or hurt by the thought of the life, which do not welcome her; even the slavery life at Sweet Home. Indeed, Denver shapes her identity or life in relation to her mother. She as well shapes herself in relation to ghost sister; at first within the form of a baby ghost, later within the form of Beloved. Whenever Denver feels excluded from the attention and love of her family, for instance, when Sethe devotes her time to Paul D, "Love is or it ain't. Thin love ain't love at all." (p.173). Denver feels angry and threatened. Consequently, Denver treats Paul coldly most of the time.
Denver is portrayed as shy, introspective, sensitive, intelligent, as well as spend time lonely within a sylvan space “emerald closet” created by boxwood bushes "124 was spiteful. Full of a baby's venom." Toni Morrison, Beloved, Ch. 1. Sethe regards Denver as a “charmed” youngster who has extraordinarily survived, and all through the book, she is in contact with supernatural. This progress implies that determination or persistence is necessary for restoration or regeneration.
Works Cited
Morrison, Toni. Beloved. New York: Random House Audio, 1998. Print.
