Sula and Nel

A detailed Summary of Sula and Nel

Toni Morrison's "Sula" is an eloquent discussion of the nature of evil. The story follows the lives of two black female friends, presents differing views on evil. On one hand, we have society's conventional view of evil represented by the character of Nel and also seen in the Bottom's disapproval of Sula. The other view of evil is seen through the character of Sula and through her actions which conflict with traditional society. The friendship of Sula and Nel is the means by which the author conveys her message about evil in the relationship. In the relationship the two different conceptions of evil mix and create an essentially neutral mixture. By looking at Nel's and Sula's friendship and the two different views of evil that they surface, the author shows us the subjective and relative nature of evil and how friendship can overcome any evil.

In the Bottom, the dominant view of evil is society's conception. Its guidelines for good and bad behavior can be seen through society's reaction to Sula. Her return to the Bottom after a ten year absence is greeted with the same way one would greet a pest, a plague or an illness. The novel shows society's negative view of her when it describes how Sula arrived "accompanied by a

For Nel and Sula, and all their trials together, they last because of their deep friendship. The concept of evil is raised in their friendship. Despite their divergent views on what constitutes evil, Sula and Nel reconcile in the end, as Nel realizes that what ultimately matters is the depth of their friendship. At the end of the novel, Nel feels a sense of sorrow. However, she realizes that "all the time, I thought I was missing Jude" (174), when in fact she was missing Sula, her closest friend throughout almost her entire life. Putting aside any opinion about Sula's actions with Jude, she longs for the Sula, saying "We was girls together. O Lord, Sula, girl, girl, girlgirlgirl", a cry with "circles and circles of sorrow" (174). Nel realizes that what mattered was not how she and Sula differed but rather it was the strength of their common friendship which overcame any conflicting conceptions of evil that they might have held.

While society's view of evil is directed at disapproving of anything that would break down the institution that makes society work, Sula's view of evil and her motives are based on a different goal and she evaluates her actions by a different set of standards; in other words, "Sula was distinctly different" (118). Sula "had been looking all along for a friend" (122) and that is the only goal by which she measures her action's. In sleeping with many men, she is seeking an outlet for the "misery and...deep sorrow" (122) which she feels. By this she is trying to find a friend who she can confide in. In her quest for some relief of the "loneliness" (123) that she feels and her search for a friend, she commits many acts that are harmful to others, such as sleeping with Jude. The only evil action would be one that is not directed towards friendship. She is not so much trying to find the "sadness that she yearned for" (122), as she is trying to share it with someone such as Nel. As long as Sula tries that, she cannot judge herself to be wicked, even though her promiscuity makes her seem evil to society. For Sula herself, "as her experiences multiplied she realized that not only was it not wicked, it was not necessary for her to conjure up the idea of wickedness in order to participate fully" (122), because she knows that the act of sex is just her way of achieving the ultimate goal of friendship.

Sula's

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Approximate Word count = 1590
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Novels