After finishing the book, I was able to reflect on it and find a few different themes and even sub themes. There was obviously a theme of death throughout the book and even ended with the main character, Sula dying. I think this has a meaning that's deeper than surface level. I think it says a lot about the lives they led and the struggles they all faced. Moreso, there are subthemes such as a connectedness. The book opens with Shadrack then we don't see him again until the last chapter which brings the story full cirlce. On that topic, my first passage I've chosen is the last line of the book which reads, "It was a fine cry--loud and long--but it had not bottom and it had not top just circles and circles of sorrow." (174) The quote, circles and circles, I feel is very symbolic of the book. Each person in this town had such a strong impact on each other and what one did affected the others dramatically. It reminds me of a pond when something small is dropped in and the ripples span out from the center, each getting bigger and each being created by the previous one. Even with characters that came across to us as being independent were strongle affected by those around them.
Secondly, I've also chosen the passage from page 131. I'm not going to type it because it's a half of a page long. It's the scene where Sula is looking the the mirror, tracing lines on her face. She puts a ribbon in her hair which is out of Sula's character. This scene shows a moment of weakness from a woman that has previously shown to be shamless and disreguarding of other's judgements and thoughts. She shows a very vulerable, soft side of herself and I, as a reader, felt like I was seeing something I wasn't supposed to. It's a moment, that I feel like, she is almost realizing that she may not be the person she WANTS to be or has put her self up to be in the preceeding time. We have seen her softer side before like when she over hears her mom saying that she loves Sula but doesn't like her, but not like this. What upsets me the most is that it wasn't family or friends that makes her reach this moment of weakness and complete honesty but a man. I think that says something and opens up discussion on women's issues.
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1 comment:
I thought both of your thoughts were interesting. i too believe that teh circle represented a great deal of connection between sula, nell, shadrack adn the rest of the community. everyone affects everyone els in one way or another. they were also affected by te white community below them.
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