Theme Of Friendship In Sula

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Family and friendship are important themes in the novel Sula.
Nel’s desire to never have a man look at her like the black soldiers looked at her mother on the train in 1920 shaped a lot of Nel’s personality and Nel was ecstatic when she seemed to have her revelation that she was her own person “I’m me. I’m not their daughter. I’m not Nel. I’m me. Me.” “Me, I want… I want to be… wonderful. Oh, Jesus makes me wonderful.” That seems like it would be a defining moment for Nel.
Nel’s friendship with Sula also shaped her- if she wasn’t friends with Sula she wouldn’t have been there when Chicken Little dies; there’s no way someone can stay the same as they were before when they see someone die right before their eyes. If she wasn’t friends with Sula than Sula sleeping with Jude wouldn’t have been such a big deal. Both Hannah and Sula slept with every man around their age in the Bottom but there was no mention of any other marriages being broken by the Peace women except for Nel and Jude’s marriage.
In fact, it seems like every other marriage was strengthened by the fact that Sula slept with every married man in the Bottom once. “And the fury she created in the women of the town was incredible-for she
Besides Sula, there is no mention of Nel having any other friends. It’s blatantly clear to see that Nel cares about her friendship with Sula. When Sula causes Chicken Little’s death by letting go of his hand which makes him fall into the river and drown Nel doesn’t rat her out. Nel has Sul as her bridesmaid when Sula comes back after 10 years of radio silence they seem to pick up where they left off and Nel wasn’t angry like most people would be if their best friend did that. When Nel comes to see Sula when she finds out the other is sick Nel helps her and yes she asks why Sula stole her husband but when Sula gave a weak response Nel doesn’t act enraged or attack her like many other women would, she is

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