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Self indulgence Quote by Toni Morrison

“Sula was distinctly different. Eva’s arrogance and Hannah’s self-indulgence merged in her and, with a twist that was all her own imagination, she lived out her days exploring her own thoughts and emotions, giving them full reign, feeling no obligation to please anybody unless their pleasure…” quote by Toni Morrison
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““Sula was distinctly different. Eva’s arrogance and Hannah’s self-indulgence merged in her and, with a twist that was all her own imagination, she lived out her days exploring her own thoughts and emotions, giving them full reign, feeling no obligation to please anybody unless their pleasure pleased her. As willing to feel pain as to give pain, to feel pleasure as to give pleasure, hers was an experimental life – ever since her mother’s remarks sent her flying up those stairs, ever since her one major feeling of responsibility had been exorcised on the bank of a river with a closed place in the middle. The first experience taught her there was no other that you could count on; the second that there was no self to count on either. She had no center, no speck around which to grow. […] She was completely free of ambition, with no affection for money, property or things, no greed, no desire to command attention or compliments – no ego. For that reason she felt no compulsion to verify herself – be consistent with herself””

Toni Morrison

About This Quote

Source Novel: Sula by Toni Morrison, 1973

Sula lives an autonomous life, rejecting external expectations, embracing both pleasure and pain, and defining herself beyond societal norms.

In simple terms: She lives freely, without needing others' approval.

Key Takeaway

Cultivate self‑defined purpose.

Themes

freedom identity nonconformity self‑discovery

Mood

reflective introspective

Type

literary existential

When to use this quote

  • personal relationships
  • career choices
  • creative projects
  • ethical dilemmas

Key Concepts

autonomy existentialism

Questions to Reflect On

  • What does true freedom mean to you?
  • How do you balance self‑definition with community?
A Different Perspective

Total freedom can lead to isolation or lack of direction.

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