Analysis Of The Birthmark In Toni Morrison's 'Sula'

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The Birthmark Journey If you have ever looked at identical twins side by side, it is often difficult to distinguish one from the other. However, with a unique birthmark, the twins are differentiated. Birthmarks play a significant role in identifying a person. In Toni Morrison’s novel, Sula, a birthmark is demonstrated as a motif in the literature showing the difficulties of an independent Black woman during the twentieth century. Sula, the protagonist's, grows up defying the social norms making her birthmark a symbol that represents a variety of beliefs that receives backlash from the townspeople. Typically, one’s birthmark symbolizes the unchanging authenticity of oneself, however, with Sula, it alters through the many interpretations people …show more content…

After several years past Sula exhibited her independence, traveling around the largest cities of the country. When she returns to the Bottom, she visits Nel. While they were young, Nel and Sula were inseparable since they grew up alongside each other. Thus, when they reunite Nel can tell something is odd with Sula. Nel ponders on how the mark grew darker giving Sula’s glance a “suggestion of startled pleasure” (96). Nel’s interpretation of Sula’s birthmark foreshadows Sula’s life in the Bottom due to her distinct lifestyle compared to Nels'. Nel follows the social norms of her community; she is a wife and a mother. Sula ignores the norms meanwhile she is traditional. Even Nel’s children view Sula as different. While both friends are catching up from their years apart, Nel’s children come up to their mother to ask why they are laughing since they are curious to find out what makes their mother laugh so boldly. Thus, Sula responds, “Tell you?” The black mark leaped” (98). Nel’s children see that the birthmark as something dark and dangerous like a threat to the family. Nel and her children's thoughts invoke Sula’s birthmark as wicked due to her different persona. The birthmark highlights a difference between Nel and Sula lifestyle and also indicates how Nel’s perspective of it showcases her restrictive social …show more content…

They gossip about her return bring darkness to the town. The townspeople began interpreting her birthmark as “not a stemmed rose, or a snake, it was Hannah's ashes marking her from the very beginning” (114). Sula’s mother, Hannah, ashes represent her violent death of being burned alive. The representation of Hannah’s ashes highlights the legacy of sleeping around with men she supposedly left for Sula to fulfill. Therefore, in the community’s eyes, Sula is like her mother. Also, the townspeople believe the random accidents that occur in the presence of Sula are her fault. Sula disregards their bitterness and continues to live by her own rules. Not letting their hatred impose her independence, she continues living by her terms; so ironically labeling Sula as evil changed their behaviors. They united “once their personal misfortune was identified, they had leave to protect and love one another” (117). The townspeople commences a world of upright, moral, and sober lives once they saw Sula as malicious. In fact, they were the ones' neglecting and being reckless with their lives before demeaning Sula's birthmark. The townspeople unity in their personal beliefs leads them to demean

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