Beloved
The Want to be Desired
The yearning of attention and affection is made consistent through Denver and Beloved’s desires. Due to the triangular mother-daughter relationship and frazzled family dynamic Denver and Sethe are shaken by the appearance of Beloved’s return. The apparent connection and control Beloved posses over this family drives the individual desire Beloved holds dearly, and the desires unique to Denver and Sethe.
Due to Denver’s secluded and solitary lifestyle created by Sethe’s lack of motherly affection, Denver yearns to be wanted and needed by an individual. She mimics her mother’s overwhelming desire of love with Beloved by making her a surrogate daughter instead of a sister. Through this infatuation Denver’s emotions and thoughts are consumed by Beloved, “She will forgo the most violent of sunsets, stars as fat as dinner plates and all the blood of autumn and settle for the palest yellow if it comes from her Beloved” (Morrison 143). Denver’s desire to have someone depend and need her drives her attachment to Beloved. Coinciding with that desire, Denver is upset by Beloved’s focus on Sethe and her effortless ability to make Sethe open up. Denver’s jealousy of Sethe’s sole ability to share her hushed past with Beloved consumes her. Denver constantly wants to be the center of attention because of her Mother’s imposed lonely way of life, which only allows Denver to receive attention from Sethe fueling her frustration. “Denver hated the stories her mother told that did not concern herself” (Morrison 74), touches upon Denver’s yearning for attention and subtle annoyance with Sethe’s interest in Beloved. Denver again desires Beloved to want to be engrossed with her and not Sethe because she fears that she will once again not be an object of desire. “Beloved took every opportunity to…get Sethe going” (Morrison 75), affirms how Denver notices Beloved’s sudden shift of attention from herself to Sethe. Beloved similar to Denver has a need
The yearning of attention and affection is made consistent through Denver and Beloved’s desires. Due to the triangular mother-daughter relationship and frazzled family dynamic Denver and Sethe are shaken by the appearance of Beloved’s return. The apparent connection and control Beloved posses over this family drives the individual desire Beloved holds dearly, and the desires unique to Denver and Sethe.
Due to Denver’s secluded and solitary lifestyle created by Sethe’s lack of motherly affection, Denver yearns to be wanted and needed by an individual. She mimics her mother’s overwhelming desire of love with Beloved by making her a surrogate daughter instead of a sister. Through this infatuation Denver’s emotions and thoughts are consumed by Beloved, “She will forgo the most violent of sunsets, stars as fat as dinner plates and all the blood of autumn and settle for the palest yellow if it comes from her Beloved” (Morrison 143). Denver’s desire to have someone depend and need her drives her attachment to Beloved. Coinciding with that desire, Denver is upset by Beloved’s focus on Sethe and her effortless ability to make Sethe open up. Denver’s jealousy of Sethe’s sole ability to share her hushed past with Beloved consumes her. Denver constantly wants to be the center of attention because of her Mother’s imposed lonely way of life, which only allows Denver to receive attention from Sethe fueling her frustration. “Denver hated the stories her mother told that did not concern herself” (Morrison 74), touches upon Denver’s yearning for attention and subtle annoyance with Sethe’s interest in Beloved. Denver again desires Beloved to want to be engrossed with her and not Sethe because she fears that she will once again not be an object of desire. “Beloved took every opportunity to…get Sethe going” (Morrison 75), affirms how Denver notices Beloved’s sudden shift of attention from herself to Sethe. Beloved similar to Denver has a need