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Sula

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Sula
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Sometimes life is full of challenges and miseries especially when you are faced by seemingly unbearable problems or circumstances and your only option is to take a drastic action and face your demons. Toni Morrison says,
“In much literature a woman’s escape from male rule led to regret, misery, if not complete disaster. I wanted to explore the consequences of what that escape might be, on not only a conventional black society, but on female friendship. In 1969, in Queens, snatching liberty seemed compelling. Some of us thrived; some of us died. All of us had a taste”(xvii).
Toni Morrison’s novel, Sula is the story of a strong and determined black woman who is face with the adversity and challenges in life
…show more content…
He is frightened, very anxious, nothing in his possession, nobody with uncertain future ahead of him. For example, in the back of the wagon, on his way to Medallion, he is contemplating about the situation. The narrator says, “He knew the smell of death and was terrified of it, for he could not anticipate it. It was not death or dying that frightened him, but the unexpectedness of both. In sorting it all out, he hit on the notion that if one day a year were devoted to it, everybody could get it out of the way and the rest of the year would be safe and free. In this manner he instituted National Suicide Day (14). In other words, Shadrack believes that he has a control over death, the anxieties and uncertainties that goes along with it by setting aside a day to celebrate a rhetorical annual suicide day. This important because Shadrack thinks that by actively participating in the National Suicide Day, he is taking away the insecurities and making sure that the future comes along according to his plan. In conclusion, Shadrack is taking charge of his uncertain future, death and anxieties by celebrating a National Suicide Day once a year to ensure that the rest of the year will be free of these …show more content…
But my lonely is mine. (143)
In other words, Sula is saying that she lives a life the way she wanted it. It might not be perfect, lonesome even but she did it herself and she owns everything in it. This is important because Sula has taken charged of her life and the situation she was in and do not blame anybody for this is what she is and proud of it no matter what the consequences it may bring. In conclusion, Sula faced her own demons by taking charged of her life situation and be proud of everything that goes along with it because she lives a life in her own way.
When Nel mustered the courage to confront Sula about her affair with her husband Jade. Nel asked Sula why she hurt her the way she did. Does their friendship matter at all? Sula answers back, “It matters, Nel, but only to you. Not to anybody else. Being good to somebody is just being mean to somebody. Risky. You don’t get nothing for it”(144-145). In other words, Sula is saying that whatever happens, happened for no reason at all. It bears no meaning to anybody unless you have personal motives that get along with it. This is important because it shows that in life, people do what they do because it matters to them but sometimes they do things just for the sake of doing it. The act only affects the person based on their personal perception, however taking responsibilities of the consequences of your actions in overcoming your challenges determine the kind of person you

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