Comparing Excess in Morrison’s Sula and Ginsberg’s Howl Essay -- compa

Application of Excess in Morrisons genus Sula and Ginsbergs Howl In William Blakes Marriage of Heaven and Hell, he declares that the road of excess leads to the palace of wisdomThose who restrain desire, do so because theirs is weak enough to be restrained. These beliefs are reiterated and expanded upon in both Toni Morrisons novel Sula and Allen Ginsbergs epic poem Howl. both authors challenge the conception of socially imposed boundaries, which suppress the absolute granting immunity of thought and action, by venerating the human temperistic of excess. Instead of persistent by the social norms of the general cultural animosity towards excess, Morrison and Ginsberg use this vilified holding as a means to transcend the aforementioned boundaries that have hampered noetic growth and the liberation of the self. The fact that both authors are of minority backgrounds compounds the avidness of oppressiveness that both have experienced in their lives and allows us to come parallels between their beliefs and how they challenge such despotism. Morrisons Sula deals with the novels namesakes journey to follow the road less traveled, and to escape the throes of a perceived life of perpetual imprisonment of the self that has engulfed some of the women of her time. The most obvious trait that resides in all aspects of Sulas character is that of excess. She wages a one-woman war against societys ordained boundaries with an arsenal of excessive behavior and actions. The prospects of a fixed life of brotherhood and childbearing, which is the envy and ultimate objective for women of her age in Bottom, is unappealing and an tout ensemble putrid existence to her. In order to understand the complex foundation of Sulas character... ... electrified out of the coma by our own souls airplanes nose drops over the roof theyve come to drop angelic bombs the hospital illuminates itself unreal walls collapse O skinny legions run outside O starry-spangled traumatize of merc y the eternal war is here O victory bury your underwear were free(111). Freedom is what Morrison and Ginsberg strive for in their single works of Sula and Howl. Both authors implement the use of excessive behavior, deemed dissentient to the social standards of the day, in order to transcend its boundaries and achieve self-actualization. Morrison and Ginsberg in egress countermand the adage of conform or die into that of conform and die. workings CitedGinsberg, Allen. Howl Original Draft Facsimile, Transcript, and Variant Versions. Ed. Barry Miles. New York Viking, 1986.Morrison, Toni. Sula. 1973. New York Plume, 1982.