Essay On The Birthmark In Toni Morrison's Sula

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Set high up in the hills of a small Ohio town, the Bottom, the novel Sula, written by Toni Morrison, symbolically represents each character’s view of the birthmark across Sula’s face. The close-knit community of the Bottom creates an environment where scrutiny thrives upon one character, Sula. Sula leaves a lasting impression on each individual she comes in contact with while living in the Bottom. The distinctive birthmark receives various interpretations from the people who Sula interacts with, for each individual the birthmark is a representation of their own personal identity, rather than Sula herself. Sula’s birthmark is first referenced as a stemmed rose in the year 1922. Sula’s birthmark is attributed as a stemmed rose from not only …show more content…

A rose can indicate romance, it’s the flower of love, beauty, courage, and respect. Sula created a relationship with Nel that was full of love. Nel saw this love given to her in the rose shaped pigmentation on her friend’s face. However; the stem covered in thorns represents hurt and pain. When Sula returned to the Bottom 10 years after Nel’s wedding, “the rose mark over Sula’s eye gave [Nel] a glance of startled pleasure. It was darker then Nel remembered” (96). Over their years apart Sula’s birthmark has grown darker, indicating a change in her character. The darkened birthmark implies that over their time apart Nel has started to view Sula’s character in a darker way. In 1937 after Sula slept with Nel’s husband, Jude, Nel broke off their friendship. The year was 1940 when the two childhood friends would cross paths once again. Sula has become sick and Nel decided it was time to visit and check on her. This was “the first time in three years she would be looking at the stemmed rose that hung over the eye of her enemy,” Sula has now become an enemy to her once inseparable friend (139). Nel “would be facing the

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