Sula Coming Of Age Essay

Teenage rebellion is typically portrayed in stories, films, and other genres as a testosterone-based phenomenon. There is an overplayed need for one to acknowledge a boy’s rebellion against his father, his life direction, the “system,” in an effort to become a man, or rather an adult. However, rarely is the female addressed in such a scenario. What happens when little girls grow up? Do they rebel? Do they, in a sudden overpowering rush of estrogen, deny what has been taught to them from birth and shed their former youthful façades? Do they turn on their mothers? In Sharon Olds’ poem, “The Possessive,” the reader is finally introduced to the female version of the popular coming-of-age theme as a simple

The utilization of traditional and non-traditional gender roles in the novel “Song of Solomon” written by Toni Morrison shows the influences, expectations and impact that the gender roles have and place not only on the individual characters but on men and women in general and within the different communities.

Being oppressed by her mother, Nel has an attraction to Sula's carefree environment which, unlike her own, lacks any oppression. Likewise, Sula has an attraction to Nel's peaceful and orderly environment. They both desire something that the other does not have, and that's where such a strong attraction comes from. Together, they are perfect- Nel finds in Sula the youthfulness and the fun she's missing, and Sula finds order and stability in Nel.

The climax of the story is when Nel finally confronts Sula. Each girl carried demons, guilt, and frustration over their lives and their choices. Nel finally vents her anger and pain and asks for an explanation from Sula. Nel's " thighs were truly empty and dead too, and it was Sula who had taken the life from them" (Morrison pg. 110-111). After leaving Eva at the home, Nel is so upset that she heads to Sula's grave. She sadly thinks about how none of the townspeople mourned her death. Nel calls out for Sula and it is then she finally forgives her for cheating with Jude. She starts crying, for the first time in years. Nel finally finds peace by grieving for Sula. When reading that part I think it was then that she realized it was Sula who she was missing & not Jude. When reading the story I couldn’t help but feel mixed emotions for Sula. It was a combination of sadness for all

Nel and Sula’s relationship is a complex one, which allows for the novel to become incredibly in depth and driven by interesting characters. Sula’s relationships with her mother and grandmother are opposite of Nel’s relationship with her mother. This is, perhaps, why their personalities differ so much once they reach adulthood. Both become their mothers.

Despite being presented as opposites of good and evil, Nel and Sula are actually quite similar, as both Nel and Sula posses the traits that defined the other, effectively blurring the lines between good and evil. As young girls, Nel pushed herself to become friends with Sula in the first place as “Nel, who regarded the oppressive neatness of her home with dread, felt comfortable in t with Sula, who loved it and would sit on the red-velvet sofa for ten to twenty minutes at a time… As for Nel, she preferred Sula’s wooly house”(29). As a child, Nel yearned to be free and independent, and to be her own individual self separate from who her mother expects her to be. Sula however already lives this life of living in a non-traditional home and

"She thought she liked the sootiness of sex and it's comedy; she laughed a great deal during the raucous beginnings, and rejected those lovers who regarded sex as healthy or beautiful. (122)" Motif: Sex is the one thing that broke Nel and Sula up. Sula, being free spirited, believed that there was nothing wrong with having multiple partners, while Nel thought of sex as a precious thing that she shared with her husband. Nel is hurt that Sula slept with Jude, and is shocked by Sula's answer of "just because. "

Right off the bat, the readers can see how females are disregarded as actual people but rather in a concept of lesser value. Females, in general, are raised to be someone’s wives and mothers instead of being raised as a “career women” because the term itself is considered off-putting. Although being treated as a “housewife” or someone’s “girl” has become

Nel has joined the people of the town and stop talking to Sula after her husband cheated on her and left the

Children followed the robins in fascination, and men followed Sula the same way as she offered mystery and an intriguing personality. Morrison states, “Accompanied by a plague of robins, Sula came back to Medallion. The little yam-breasted birds were everywhere, exciting very small children away from their usual welcome into a vicious stoning.” Like the robins flying, dying, and pooping everywhere, Sula’s metaphorical bile left Nel single, and brought chaos to hometown. Coming of age is evident in that Sula like many young adults, experiences love, lust, and death.

Although most humans are born free, they can live life bound by the barriers and expectations of society. The novels The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie and Sister Wife focus on female protagonists who break out of the moulds their societies place them in and form their own identities. In this essay, I will argue that these novels show how feminism has a positive impact on society and on the individuals who practise it. To do this, I will analyze how the cultures restricted females, how each protagonist resisted conformity, and the successful conclusion each character reached.

In Sula, Nel is presented as someone who conforms to society’s ideals, especially when compared to Sula. Sula disregards the community’s gossip and acts out as she pleases, while Nel is a conformist. As a result of

We as the readers assume that Nel does not love Sula, rather despise her. But we see that in the very end of the book, after the funeral, Nel is crying out how much she misses Sula and really loved her. Nel would not have realized this had Sula lived, but the death of Sula shown a light on now that Nel can not go back and talk to Sula and forgive her, Sula is gone and all Nel has left are the memories. Towards the finale of Sula’s life, she still can not wait to tell Nel what death

The novel allows the reader to gain insight into the lives of women who have been treated as the inferior sex. The

Although many people assume feminism to be a form of anti-male mentality, Toni Morrison’s novel Beloved proves that is not the case. In the middle of slavery, inequality, racism and severe societal discourse, the central focus is on women. Other complex, well-developed male characters relate to issues of equality and racism in their trials and tribulations. In several instances, both the males and females of this story work together and find comfort in each other while dealing with their struggles. Through the feminist critical approach, the women of Beloved are better understood.