Topic > Sula by Toni Morrison - Sula and Nel as soulmates

Sula and Nel as soulmates in Sula by Toni Morrison In examining the two distinct characters of Nel (Wright) Greene and Sula Peace from Sula by Toni Morrison, a The unique individual soul emerges from the two women. This soul takes into account good, bad qualities and gray areas. The gray zone qualities are necessary because, while Nel displays more stereotypical "good" qualities than Sula, the stereotypes of good and bad do not fully fit the definition. Nel and Sula combined create a ying and yang type of soul, each half including part of the other half. Even though the two women sometimes have opposing points of view, they arrive at their opinions with each other's help. The two characters need each other to exist to the point of becoming “two throats and one eye” (Morrison 2167). A physical example of how connected the two girls are is seen when they line up head to head forming a complete, continuous, straight line (2124). The greatest influence on a growing girl is her mother, and in some cases, like Sula, her grandmother. To fully grasp the bond between Nel and Sula, one must examine who and what their mothers were and what traits and beliefs they passed on to their daughters. Nel's mother, Helene, tried to teach her daughter how to be a stereotypical "good woman", a supportive wife, and a caring mother. As an example to her daughter, Helene took great pleasure in raising Nel and found in her "more comfort and purpose than she had ever hoped to find" in her life (2105). Helene was proud of motherhood and was even prouder when someone complimented how "obedient and polite" Nel was (2105). Helene's embrace of these qualities, an adaptation to the sta...... middle of paper ......; http://www.time.com/time/magazine/1998/ > (accessed September 9, 2001) Morrison, Toni. Sula. New York: Penguin Books Ltd, 1973. "Toni Morrison." Contemporary Authors, Gale Research, 1993; abstract at (accessed September 26, 2001) O'Neill, Cynthia. Goddesses, Heroes and Shamans. New York: Larousse Kingfisher Chambers Inc., 1994. Pessoni, Michele. "'He was laughing at their God.': Discovering the Goddess Inside Sula." African American Review 29 (1995): 439-451. Rigney, Barbara Hill. The voices of Toni Morrison. Columbus: Ohio State University Press, 1991. Rubenstein, Roberta. “Pariah and community”. Toni Morrison: Critical Perspectives Past and Present.Ed. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and K. A. Appiah. New York: Amistad Press, Inc., 1993. 126-1 58.