Morrison's characterization of Denver reveals a pensiveness, a longing to cancel an old debt. Isolated physically and emotionally by her mother's secrets, she knows only the oral tradition of her birth and other bits of her life story that she has derived over the years. By identifying with Sethe's flight into the woods, Denver is able to feel the dogs following and dread the white men's "mossy teeth" and their guns. Emulating a nursing mother, she thrives on feeding Beloved's curiosity about the past.
The portrayal of Amy Denver, for whom Sethe's second daughter was named, echoes images of touching and healing that were introduced earlier in the book. Morrison hints at Amy's nature by her name, which derives from the Latin word amor, or love. An ignorant, tactless child, Amy expects Sethe (Lu) to die. Yet, cheerfully humming, she detours from her own flight to gather cobwebs, elevate Sethe's swollen feet, and prattle on about her desire for bright red velvet, which symbolizes luxury.
