individual characters and the events that revolve around their lives motivated by the theme of infidelity and sexuality in the book Sula

 individual characters and the events that revolve around their lives motivated by the theme of infidelity and sexuality in the book Sula

Female sexuality is an eminent theme in Toni Morrison’s work, particularly in her book by the title “Sula.” Toni has deployed her outstanding creativity attributed with a high degree of linguistic richness in the portrayal of the societal perceptions of sexuality and infidelity among the female characters present. Sexuality is a central theme that drives events in her book as many of the main characters in the book are seen deep into psychological conflicts among themselves, facilitated by a closely related to the subject. Morrison covers the subject of sexuality extensively by describing how they affect the lives of individuals in society and how society perceives sexuality behavioural makeup of various personalities in the society. To achieve a comprehensive analysis of the theme, we shall discuss individual characters and the events that revolve around their lives motivated by the theme of infidelity and sexuality. This is as described below.

Firstly, we have an encounter with the first female character in Sula by Morrison by the name of Eva Peace. Eva’s experience with men was not good, and this changed her perception concerning men. She is left with the responsibility of looking after her three kids when their father decided to leave. BoyBoy Peace married Eva at a tender age; during this time he was a loving and caring man. However, he abruptly changes and abandons his family. Eva takes the man’s responsibility of providing, which the society terms as a man’s role. Eva became proactive as she decides to try her chances outside the village. She left her children with a neighbour to hustle outside, and after some time she returns with economic muscle enough to take care of her family. Eva raises a structure at 7 Carpenter Road that later on houses Hannah, Sula (Morrison, 34). Despite the secret of the source of Eva’s money, it is evident that she does not fall for the typical idea that women offer themselves in exchange for money. Therefore, Eva is an example of the female character in the novel that chooses to observe values of her sexuality as expected by society. In the novel, “Eva as old as she was…had a regular” group of men sweet-talking her through calls, but she remained a virtuous woman, took it as a way of entertaining them and herself through their talks (41). It is a fact she was attracted to men which is the sexual nature of human beings although she chooses to withhold her sexual desires as she is not involved in any sexual relationships with men, even after she is left by her boyfriend. According to Bjork, instead, she only flirts with her male visitors.

Eva’s case leads to the next character who happens to be her daughter and the mother to Toni’s novel main character named after the novel’s title Sula, named Hannah. Hannah stays with her mother and daughter in the same house, and contrary to her mother’s life principles, Hannah is addicted to casual sex. She indulges herself into sex with any man visiting their home. Shockingly, Hannah has sex with the newly wedded men renting the Peace house for their honeymoon, and this establishes the presence of infidelity in the society. Hannah made use of her body and flirting with luring men into their sex cycle. In this case, sexual immorality is evident as Hannah does not observe the social values regarding the subject of sexuality by committing herself to a single healthy relationship (Peach, 237). Gender issue also arises as Eva fails to portray a good example to her daughter. Mothers have the gender responsibility of teaching their daughters on values of marriage and what the society expects from them.

Moreover, Sula, the main character in Morrison’s Novel, helps us develop our study of the themes of infidelity and sexuality, which surrounds her life since her birth. Sula is born in a family where healthy relationships are a nightmare. It all started with her grandmother, who passed the ritual to her mother, who happens to be her daughter. Just like her mother, Sula lacks crucial social skills and understanding of the accepted code of conduct due to the poor upbringing by her relatives(Peach). For instance, she relates to love with jealousy, devastation, molestation, fear, and craving. As a result, she adopts her mother’s promiscuous behaviour, which builds the foundation of her life. Her choice ruins her life and costs her most valued relationship with her friend Nel. As early as twelve, Nel and Sula had developed sexual desires for men. They started developing sexual desires to men as they had even started identifying beautiful men around in the summer. It was early for them although they were very eager, curious and ready to explore the world of sexuality. Eventually, the girls manage to experience what sex was all about as they grew to women. Their experiences are a total illustration of the theme of sexuality, as illustrated in the novel.

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In Toni Morrison’s novel Sula readers are presented with different themes that dominate most societies in the current world. There are issues of gender, race and class, among others. In the novel there are expectations from the society depending on one’s gender, race or the class they are in. People in these categories have to deal with societal pressures as they are expected to conform in a certain way of life as the society requires of them. One of such characters in the novel is Nel. Nel is an African-American woman in a racist society where everyone is defined in terms of their color, gender or class. The aim of this essay is to analyze the character in Nel and outline the kind of societal pressures that she faces, how she responds to them and the consequences of her responses. The essay will also discuss what the author tries to imply in terms of the relationships between the actions of these characters in the novel and the racial, gender or familial needs or desires.

Nel, as a child, watches her black mother being humiliated by a white conductor in a train. She witnesses her mother’s indignity when she squat to urinate in a field where she could be seen by white passengers. Such events in her childhood make her determination never to be like her mother. Nel is brought up in a calm, quiet and orderly home which her friend Sula admires. On the contrary, Nel admired the noisy and unorderly home of her friend Sula. Just like any other character in the novel, Nel had her own societal pressures on her shoulder.

The first societal pressure began when she was chosen to marry Jude. This was an arranged marriage, and she did not take any part in choosing her husband. The society expected her to get married, be a mother and take care of her home; which she conformed to. In marrying Jude, she was hoping that they will share the same dreams. However, in reality, she had to give up her dreams and adopt and authenticate her mother’s as well as black society’s conventional ideas about marriage, happiness, motherhood and religion. Thus, she gets married and stayed in Bottom, where she gave birth to children as expected of a married woman. She goes to church and is aware of the expectations of the society of an African American woman. She confirms.

On Sula’s death bed, she tells Nel that she knows what kind of life she was living even if she (Sula) was not living it. She says she is aware of what coloured women in the country were doing. They were dying like her, but the only difference is that they were dying like stumps. She says that she has lived and she is dying like a redwood (Morrison, 143). This shows that she was aware of the fact that women have accepted the lifestyles and the positions the society had given them. Though Nel is pf the opinion that Sula should have been married and had children in Medallion, Sula is content with the life she has lived (Morrison, 143).

In conclusion, Sula and Nel grew inseparable, although the fate of their friendship was destroyed by their uncontrolled sexual behaviours as discussed below. Nel chose to get married, although Sula does not value love. Eventually, Nel gets married to Jude. However, “she loses her husband to Sula’s careless seduction” (Morrison). It was very hard for Nel as she faced sexual betrayal from her closest friend. As a result, her friendship succumbs into sexual irresponsibility that leads to infidelity. All of the above is full evidence of impacts of sexuality in the community, which Toni Morrison has been able to achieve in an excellent scope. Therefore, she receives all the credit for her excellent work in exploring the themes of sexuality and infidelity to an incredible level.