Student Question
What are some bodily allusions in Sula and their connection to sexuality?
Quick answer:
In Sula, bodily allusions connected to sexuality are evident when Nel and Sula, at twelve years old, are appraised by men and called "pig meat" by Ajax. This crude term, seen as a compliment by the narrator, highlights the dehumanization of the girls and suggests their already skewed views on sexuality and gender relations.
The chapter entitled "1922" opens with Nel and Sula walking to Edna Finch's ice cream parlor even though it is "too cool for ice cream." As they walk, young and old men alike appraise their twelve-year-old bodies. Finally, Ajax (who will later become Sula's lover) calls them "pig meat." While the phrase is certainly crude, Morrison's narrator calls the term a "compliment" and notes that Sula and Nel have to be careful not to show their "delight" at being noticed. The term "pig meat" suggests a dehumanization of the girls in the men's eyes, and the fact that the girls enjoy the remark suggest that Nel and Sula already have skewed views of sexuality and gender relations at their young age.
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