Surname 1
Student's Name
Professor's Name
Course Number
Date of Submission
Comparison of Sula and Nel
Introduction
The novel Sula is a fantastic piece of literal art by Toni Morrison. In her book, Morrison
casts two main protagonists, Sula and Nel. She cultivates these characters' personalities in a very
contrasting way, with each of them coming from different backgrounds. Their individual life
experiences help them figure out and identify who they are. This essay discusses how growing up
in individual households, their community, and their separation in adulthood helped mold and
discover their true selves.
The Community
Sula and Nel come from a fictional town in Ohio in the Bottom, a mostly black community.
The community is situated in the hills above the Medallion community, a wealthier neighborhood,
and primarily white inhabitants. The Bottom was given as a gift to a former slave by a master who
tricked her telling her that it was a great place since it was closer to heaven (Stein). However, the
trick caused a vibrant community's development, making the whites take an interest in it and
destroy much of the town to create a golf course.
, Surname 2
Growing Up
Meanwhile, Sula and Nel's families are greatly contrasted. Nel is a child who has been
brought up in a family rooted in social convention. Her home is very stable, although it could be
characterized as rigid. The conventional life is unsettling for Nel as her mother reinforces them
and requires her to follow in the same footsteps. Her doubts about living this type of life are
enforced and strengthened when she encounters her grandmother Rochelle, the only woman in
their family who lived an unconventional life.
On the other hand, Sula comes from a family that lives contrary to social expectations. She
lives with her mother and her grandmother. Both of these women are viewed by the community as
loose. Her grandmother loves flirting with men though she does not engage in intercourse with
them. However, her daughter sleeps with anyone who takes her interest though she never enters
into relationships with them. Their house serves as a steady stream of borders and a home for three
other adopted boys.
Nel's mother comes from a background of social conformity raised in the deep culture of
religion. Morrison uses her to show the excessive order which stifles a person's personality, a
situation that was seen in the entire Bottom community. Celine raised Helene under strict social
conventions to crush any spark of wildness in her, all of which were characteristics in her mother
Rochelle. Hellene conformed to a middle-class woman's stable life and tried to impart the same in
her daughter, Nel's life. However, despite her conformity linked to the white community in
Medallion, she still suffers from racial discrimination by the white, as seen with her interaction
with the train's conductor. It is evident to Nel that her middle-class status, religion, and conformity
do not protect her from exploitation and discrimination from racism.
Student's Name
Professor's Name
Course Number
Date of Submission
Comparison of Sula and Nel
Introduction
The novel Sula is a fantastic piece of literal art by Toni Morrison. In her book, Morrison
casts two main protagonists, Sula and Nel. She cultivates these characters' personalities in a very
contrasting way, with each of them coming from different backgrounds. Their individual life
experiences help them figure out and identify who they are. This essay discusses how growing up
in individual households, their community, and their separation in adulthood helped mold and
discover their true selves.
The Community
Sula and Nel come from a fictional town in Ohio in the Bottom, a mostly black community.
The community is situated in the hills above the Medallion community, a wealthier neighborhood,
and primarily white inhabitants. The Bottom was given as a gift to a former slave by a master who
tricked her telling her that it was a great place since it was closer to heaven (Stein). However, the
trick caused a vibrant community's development, making the whites take an interest in it and
destroy much of the town to create a golf course.
, Surname 2
Growing Up
Meanwhile, Sula and Nel's families are greatly contrasted. Nel is a child who has been
brought up in a family rooted in social convention. Her home is very stable, although it could be
characterized as rigid. The conventional life is unsettling for Nel as her mother reinforces them
and requires her to follow in the same footsteps. Her doubts about living this type of life are
enforced and strengthened when she encounters her grandmother Rochelle, the only woman in
their family who lived an unconventional life.
On the other hand, Sula comes from a family that lives contrary to social expectations. She
lives with her mother and her grandmother. Both of these women are viewed by the community as
loose. Her grandmother loves flirting with men though she does not engage in intercourse with
them. However, her daughter sleeps with anyone who takes her interest though she never enters
into relationships with them. Their house serves as a steady stream of borders and a home for three
other adopted boys.
Nel's mother comes from a background of social conformity raised in the deep culture of
religion. Morrison uses her to show the excessive order which stifles a person's personality, a
situation that was seen in the entire Bottom community. Celine raised Helene under strict social
conventions to crush any spark of wildness in her, all of which were characteristics in her mother
Rochelle. Hellene conformed to a middle-class woman's stable life and tried to impart the same in
her daughter, Nel's life. However, despite her conformity linked to the white community in
Medallion, she still suffers from racial discrimination by the white, as seen with her interaction
with the train's conductor. It is evident to Nel that her middle-class status, religion, and conformity
do not protect her from exploitation and discrimination from racism.
