"Spiritual" Friendship in Toni Morrison's Sula
"Spiritual" Friendship in Toni Morrison's SulaMost of the pieces of African American literature we have explored thus far, deal with an individual search for identity. In "Sula," Toni Morrison takes an atypical approach, having her character's search for identity take place together, rather than individually. This joint search for identity translates into a book that is actually about friendship. However this friendship functions not only on a superficial level, but also on an almost spiritual plain.
Nel is completely passive and gives in to everything her mother tells her to do. The loss of this bond leaves each woman completely fragmented and incomplete. Then Nel's eventual recognition of this lost bond finally reunites the two women on a spiritual level. Then, when the separate their lives are incomplete once more. "We was girls together," she said as though explaining something. The comfort each feels in the other's home demonstrates their initial and subconscious desire to merge into one being. Only by a join effort can they really be whole. Morrison shows that the two facets cannot thrive individually. Nel recognizes this at the end of the novel: "All the time, all the time, I thought I was missing Jude. By setting the two up as polar opposites, Morrison makes it clear each one has something the other lacks. This deficiency of each character in one particular area and the strength of the other in that same area is so great that they almost become two facets of the same being. " And the loss pressed down on her chest and came up into her throat. ry Sula and Nel are essentially opposites.
Common topics in this essay:
Nel Nel,
Toni Morrison,
Nel Sula,
Sula Nel,
African American,
Lord Sula,
search identity,
Morrison's Sula,
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Acceptance Essays
