Toni Morrison's

A detailed Summary of Toni Morrison's

Inherent to human nature and their morals, are dualities, such as good and bad, in a character which produces all the emotions, experiences, and forces that motivates an individual to overcome the struggles of life. One, without the other, will not suffice in its existence. Consequently, only the combination of both characteristics will succeed in constructing a solid identity. Such is the case in Toni Morrison's "Sula".

Throughout the progression of the plot, Nel and Sula complemented each other in such a way that allowed them to form a single functional unit. Therefore, only with Sula's aide was Nel able to surpass the restrictions that her mother placed on her. Contrary to the statement that "Sula was the worst thing that ever happened to Nel," Sula did not corrupt Nel, but rather, assisted her in gaining the freedom that she craved. While Nel was desperately trying to fulfill the desire of being her true self, Sula was searching for "something else to be" (Morrison 52).

In the process of their coinciding pursuits, Nel and Sula discovered that they provided for each other the missing fractions of their identity. By themselves, Sula and Nel appeared to be polar opposites of one anoth

Morrison attempts to show, through Nel and Sula, how the two extremes blend to form the perfect relationship, one that demonstrates the duality of human beings. Neither Nel nor Sula is complete without the other; they need each other for relief from their restrained conformities, in order to have a fulfilling existence. In that aspect, Sula and Nel both require the other's polar personalities to form a healthy balance. They cannot act independently of each other to surpass barriers, but rather, need to be as two parts interacting as one. Being versatile and capable of all sides of the spectrum, like the extremes of Nel and Sula, is the only way of survival. Therefore, the combination of the two characters is the perfect underlying understanding of both each other as a unit and their own individual personalities separately. The characters use each other's strengths to project the needs of one another. On one hand, they did not want to see the problems in their own personalities, but at the same time; these realizations helped them to understand their own vices and virtues. It is truly unfortunate that these two soul-mates took an entire lifetime to figure out that "that something else to be" was in fact, themselves.

Together, they were able to withstand obstacles neither would have been able to face alone. In addition, their newfound power allowed them to explore the freedom of expression and thought. As a consequence, through Sula's support, Nel was able to achieve the courage to discard the repulsive clothespin her mother made her use to "pull her nose" (Morrison 55) and "slid the clothespin under the blanket as soon as she got in the bed" (Morrison 55). Likewise, Nel also helped Sula by comforting her in her times of need.

er. Whereas Nel was reserved and confined, the daring Sula displayed a wild array of spontaneous action and thought. Under Hannah's discipline, Nel was raised to be "obedient and polite", with no freedom for personal expression. So much that, "any enthusiasms that little Nel showed were calmed by the mother until she drove her daughter's imagination underground" (Morrison 18). Sula, on the other hand, existed in the unrestrained essence of her turbulent home. In it, she learned "that sex was pleasant and frequent, but otherwise unremarkable" (Morrison 44). While Sula was searching for the sense and morality that being "wedged into a household of throbbing disorder and constant awry" (Morrison 52) did not provide her, Nel was desperately trying to escape the confines of "the high silence of her mother's incredibly orderly house" (Morrison 51). So, it was with these two qualities that the two girls were drawn towards each other. Within them, one found what the other lacked. As a result, each girl's flaw was transformed into her advantage.

As a result, the bond they sha

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Approximate Word count = 1898
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English