The concept of roundness

The concept of roundness relates to the shape of a human body, and especially a female body. The first reference is when Nettie writes that she lives in a round mud hut. Shug also wants a round house, but says that other people call the idea “backward”. In order to achieve roundness, Shug sleeps on a round bed. Shug even designs a her own version of a round house made of mud or concrete, and says that everyone tells her she cannot put window in a round house. This is identical to what Nettie writes about roundness. The use of mud puts the hut into a biblical context since mankind was first created out of mud. Having a window is important because it allows people to see in as well as out. Thus, the round mud hut is almost a barrier between the women and the outside world. The desire for windows relates to a desire to be seen and understood, as well as able to see and understand.