After reading the first half of Sula,
what impacted me the most was the realization Nel had that she is her own
person. This passage, found on page 28, seemed to have been plucked out right
from my own memory. I once had a very similar experience in which I realized
that I was independent and not a part of my parent’s lives or the part of the
lives of people around. I was very young, around 7, when the thought just
seemed to plant itself in my head. I realized that I could make my own
decisions and have my own opinions without looking to my parents for approval.
I can recall the first decision I made was what clothes I would wear for the
day. In retrospect, it was the most inconsequential of decisions, but at the
time, it was life changing. Nel’s experience very much mirrors my own. She
looks in the mirror and says to herself: “I’m me. I’m not their daughter. I’m
not Nel. I’m me. Me.” Although those were not my exact words, it was the same
thought I had.
For me, this new found identity
brought a freedom that I hadn’t felt previously. I feel like this is the same
thing that is happening with Nel. She decides then and there that she wants to
be accomplished. She prays to Jesus to make her wonderful. She decides she’s
going to go places and see things. Nel wants to get out of Medallion and at
this time, this is her ultimate goal.
This point in Nel’s life is one that
I believe all people can relate to. The point where you say to yourself “I am
my own person and I will have accomplishments”. Although the passage had a more
morose tone to it, I couldn’t help but smile while reading it because it reminded
me of my childhood and all the plans I made for myself. Some I have achieved
while others have fallen off my bucket list, but the feeling of wanting
something badly and making it a point to recite it to myself while looking at
my reflection in the mirror is something that is etched in my memory. While
reading that one part in the book, I imagined it was me who was living in that
moment.
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