One of the most enigmatic characters in Sula, Ajax is a young, energetic resident of the Bottom, who seems to be a brutish, sexist man, but also proves to have a sensitive, mysterious side. It is Ajax who catcalls to Nel Wright and Sula Peace when they’re still young girls, and years later, Ajax begins an affair with Sula. We learn that Ajax is unique in the Bottom, because his mother was a mysterious, theatrical woman who practiced witchcraft: as a result, Ajax has always been good at talking to women, and shows genuine interest in their thoughts and feelings. While these qualities attract Sula to Ajax at first, it’s strongly implied that their relationship ends when Ajax gives in to his desire for independence, and leaves the Bottom.
Ajax Quotes in Sula
The Sula quotes below are all either spoken by Ajax or refer to Ajax. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
1939
Quotes
She lay down again on the bed and sang a little wandering tune made up of the words I have sung all the songs all the songs I have sung all the songs there are until, touched by her own lullaby, she grew drowsy, and in the hollow of near-sleep she tasted the acridness of gold, felt the chill of alabaster and smelled the dark, sweet stench of loam.
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Ajax Quotes in Sula
The Sula quotes below are all either spoken by Ajax or refer to Ajax. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
1939
Quotes
She lay down again on the bed and sang a little wandering tune made up of the words I have sung all the songs all the songs I have sung all the songs there are until, touched by her own lullaby, she grew drowsy, and in the hollow of near-sleep she tasted the acridness of gold, felt the chill of alabaster and smelled the dark, sweet stench of loam.