Monday, April 11, 2011
Through Chapter 21's stream of consciousness approach, I began to better understand Denver's reasons for staying put in 124 all of this time despite hating it. Denver talks about how scared she is of her mother, how there might be "something else terrible enough to make her do it again." (242). Through this great, yet reasonable fear Denver is forced to stay in the house, as she fears her life will end if she does not abide by Sethe's rules: "So I never leave this house and I watch over the yard, so it can't happen again and my mother won't have to kill me too." (242). Because of this fear instilled in her by Sethe and her brothers, Denver has grown up as an isolated individual. When Paul D was staying at the house she became jealous of the attention he received, and was only able to find consolation when Beloved entered the picture. With Beloved, Denver has found someone who she can be with, someone to give her that friendship she so desperately desired her entire life. Denver feels an intimate connection with Beloved---one that is only heightened by the blood bond they share---and it seems she will do whatever it takes to make Beloved hers.
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Originally I thought Denver's love and devotion was just because her mother was all she had left or around in her life, come to find out it was almost a bribe for her mother to not hurt her! The first person narration really helped me see how scared Denver is of her own mother and that her obsession for Beloved is really just her trying to protect who she believes to be her sister. I think because Beloved is really the only other human connection she has that her continual obsessive drive to be around Beloved all spawns from this fear for her own life and her "reborn" sister's life as well.
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