Denver the Sheltered Child

So far in Beloved, we seem to have come to the consensus that Denver is a very sheltered child. We learn that she has no friends, and her favorite spot to pass time is a patch of trees in her backyard. Though Sethe means well, I began to question whether her lengthy precautions were a necessity. From the start of the book we know 124 as being "spiteful," and all those who walk past it are overcome with a feeling of immense sadness. As a result, Denver does't have any friends who want to come over. Though Denver seems to be a relatively normal child when presented in the context of the house, it is soon apparent that she has unresolved issues within her.

In the novel, Denver is portrayed as a particularly possessive and lonely character. For starters, the idea of a time before she came into this world makes her very uneasy. This is why Paul D's appearance into their life angers Denver. She sees that they share a bond from the past she can't match, and he becomes an important part of Sethe's life. Thus, Denver is protective of Sethe. Once Beloved comes into the picture, Denver also can't separate herself from her. This clingy behavior is probably the outcome of the loneliness she has had to endure for a majority of her life. Interestingly, Denver favors Beloved's presence but is wary of Paul D. This is because Paul D represents the past, and while he has come back from a second round at the future, it is Beloved's turn. Additionally, her brothers abandoned her nearly a decade ago, and Denver is now Sethe's only remaining child. This predicament is what causes Denver to be so unnerved when it comes to human relations.

One thing this dynamic made me question was if this was a wise decision on Sethe's part. We learn that the concept of rememory is very important to Sethe. In this world, one can hear or stumble upon someone else's memories and remember them as their own. Considering her hard past, it is understandable why she wouldn't want to open up to Denver about these parts of her life. Sethe has lost so much in her life, and the memories are her only connection. The saying that the deceased "live on in our memories" is very applicable here. However, maybe Sethe doesn't want to share her memories. Instead of hurting Denver, she is worried Denver won't be able to appreciate her memories to the same extent Sethe endured them. We see an example of this when Sethe tells Paul D the story of her milk being stolen. She is frantically trying to make him understand the extent of her violation, but Paul D doesn't really get it. It is maybe at this point that Sethe realizes that the idea of rememory is something she should stray from, supporting her denial that Beloved is the reincarnation of her lost child.

Overall, I guess I'm just confused about where Sethe is coming from. I understand why she has sheltered Denver the way she did, but I wonder if this has some repercussions that may impact the plot later on. By not being taught her mother's, and country's, past, Denver may not be ready to face the world. I feel it's possible that her character may play a turning role later on in the novel.