Denver's Fear

"I don't know what it is, I don't know who it is, but maybe there is something else terrible enough to make her do it again" (205). Throughout the novel, Denver demonstrates a constant fear that Sethe will attempt to kill her. The presence of this fear is due to the fact that Sethe tried to kill Howard, Buglar, and Denver all once before. Sethe also succeeded in killing Beloved. The above quotation is an example of Denver's worrying about whatever possessed Sethe to attempt murder the first time is still alive inside of her or somewhere else. "I need to know what that thing might be, but I don't want to" (205). Although Denver desires to know what it is that urged Sethe to commit the horrible crime the first time, at the same time she is scared. I believe the reason Denver is scared for the reasoning to be revealed is because if it is something that could easily occur again, Denver has even more reason to worry for her own life and personal well being.
I believe that Denver is also fearful of Sethe being taken away and Denver herself becoming lonely. She has fear that Sethe may be taken away by both Beloved and Paul D. Her fear that Beloved will steal Sethe is shown throughout various areas of the book. When Beloved first arrives, Denver wants to sleep in the same room with her and tries as hard as she can to keep Beloved away from her precious mother, Sethe. From the get-go, Denver is clearly aware that the Beloved that came out of the water is the same Beloved as the baby that was murdered by Sethe. Perhaps in attempts of gaining revenge, Beloved may try to hurt Sethe or just steal her away from Denver, when Sethe is all that Denver has remaining. Denver's fear of Paul D taking Sethe away is shown in the scene where Denver, Sethe, and Paul D attend the carnival, just before Beloved comes into the picture (not as the baby, as the woman). Again through the mentioning of Sweet Home and Paul D attempting to get Sethe to "like" him, I think that Denver becomes jealous and fearful that she will lose Sethe.
One of the last things that I believe causes fear in Denver is that something will happen to either her or Beloved (because of something Sethe does). Denver desires to protect herself and her newly reincarnated sister until her daddy comes back with her. Although as the reader, we are very aware that her father will not be coming back, Denver still has faith in the idea that he will be returning. "Now it's just us and I can protect her till my daddy gets her to help me watch our for Ma'am..." (207). When Paul D leaves 124, Denver feels the need to protect her sister until her father is present and can protect the both of them from their mother.

Why do you think Denver is fearful of finding out what "that thing" that possessed Sethe to murder her own children might be?
Do you think Denver is being selfish when she gets upset that everyone is talking about Sweet Home which she was not a part of? Or do you think she is justified in the sense that she fears she will become lonely when everyone realizes they maintain a special bond that does not involve her?