Themes

Maternal Nature

            A major theme in Sula is the maternal nature of the characters Eva and Hannah.  Through them, future generations carry this maternal nature whether they want to or not.  Eva had a twisted maternal nature towards Plum.  When he was younger, she would have done anything for him.  When Plum was a baby, Eva had to “shove the last bit of food she had in the world, up his [bottom]” when he was constipated (Morrison 34).  She would sacrifice her last piece of nourishment so that her baby would not be uncomfortable.  As he grew older, the same was true, but in a different way.  She burned Plum to death, and listened to his piercing cries while it occurred.  Her reason behind the burning was that Plum was trying to climb back into her womb, that she did not want to carry again.  The womb was his life when his mother did everything for him.  Plum was supposed to grow up and make her proud, not become a child-like drunk.  In her twisted look towards motherhood, she put an end to his apparently unhealthy life.  In a way, she saved him from eating away at himself.  Eva burned her son to death before he could harm himself or anyone else any longer.  Though this act was cruel and wicked, Eva thought that she was doing her son a favor.  She was doing what any mother would do for her son.  She put him out of his misery.  However ironic Eva’s maternal nature was at times, when it came to her daughter Hannah everything mattered.  Eva risked her life jumping out of a window to save her daughter from burning to death.  Even though Hannah died, this showed how much Eva really cared for her first born child.  This theme shows that although Sula came from a background of strong mothers, she would not be a part of it.  Eva and Hannah did not let their sexual dominance of men stop them from being the mother’s that they were, but Sula did.  Sula would never become a mother.   

Heat

            We see heat displayed in intensifying and magnifying aspects of, Sula. In sexual situations, women are often described as hot and steamy with sweat down their faces and legs. The parching atmosphere adds to the novel to give it a scandalous and sensual persona for the women. When Sula participates in intimate activities, no matter what time of year, we see and feel the heat she produces. Most women, particularly Sula, produce a radiating heat around them, exuding their sexual drive. We as readers can sense the feeling of passion, as Morrison describes the heated situations between the women and their partners.  Heat creates images of want and desire throughout the work. Morrison displays heat of oppression between the workers of the highway. Blacks are not given opportunities promised to them and are denied work to the whites. Friction arises with the heated tempers between Sula and Nel. Their bond of friendship has been torn apart with the acts of betrayal and trust, when Sula sleeps with Nel’s husband.

 Indecisive Nature of Women

            The women within Sula fail in keeping their men faithful. They sleep with many partners, including those who are married. The decision in staying with one man, performing one job, contributing in one action, remains a lacking in these women’s life. They desire the benefits of both possessing one man and the freedom in relating with many.

            Raising their children remains often inconsistent as well. For a period of time, raising one’s children was to be in a strict and disciplined manner, but over time women would often result to carelessness, allowing their children to behave as they wished. No one woman performs sound and stable actions and decisions throughout the work, as presented among: Sula, Nel, Eva, Hannah, Helene, and Teapot’s Mamma.

Sexual Dominance

            The major theme of the story, and almost a tradition among the title character’s family, sexual dominance runs rampant throughout the novel.  Eva keeps her one leg in emaculate condition so that her male callers will continue to pay for her time, which allows Eva to support her family after her husband leaves.  Hannah also becomes prostitute herself to support Sula and herself after her husband dies.  Sula, by far the most dominate of the family, uses sex only for the dominance depicted by the lavishness of her infatuation in the description of her relations with Ajax.  She controls everything about this and all other encounters with men, however this façade falls away once she encounters Ajax, whom requests her dominance.  The characters institute sex as their greatest asset and universal fix it all, not caring about the feelings and emotions of the other characters as long as they fulfill their own needs. 

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