In this brief but crucial interlude, Morrison reveals the ghost's strength by proving her ability to overpower a reluctant adult male. The biblical allusion to Lot's wife, who instantly stiffens into a column of salt for her sin of disobedience, indicates that Paul D realizes the immorality that he contemplates: coupling with a willful, unstable girl whom Sethe loves "as much as her own daughter." By giving in to temptation, he not only betrays his relationship with Sethe but also dissolves the bond between himself, Sethe, and Denver, whose shadows appeared to link hands on the day of the carnival.
Paul D initially appeared to be a normalizing force in Sethe and Denver's lives. His entrance into their lives signaled the beginning of a healthy relationship for Sethe and the introduction of a father figure for Denver. Paul D exorcised the house of its unnatural ghostly presence, rendering it calm and stable for the first time since Sethe's oldest daughter died. At the carnival, Paul D bridged the gap between Sethe and the townspeople, conversing with them in a friendly, easy-going manner. As he, Sethe, and Denver walked home, their joined shadows seemed to signify that Sethe and Denver had accepted him and the normalcy he offered.
