Sula (novel)
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| Author | Toni Morrison |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Novel |
| Publisher | Random House |
| Released | November 1973 |
| Media Type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 192 pp (hardback edition) |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-394-48044-9 (hardback edition) |
Sula is a novel by Toni Morrison about two friends, Nel and Sula, whose relationship examines the confusing mysteries of human emotions. The novel addresses ideas of good and evil and how the two, at times, seem to resemble one another. Morrison uses the theoretical ideas of Jacques Derrida, Edward Said, and Michel Foucault to question the hierarchy of binaries and apply this to race relations in America.
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[edit] Plot introduction
The author's perspective is philosophical and at the same time painfully personal and insightful. Not only does she show the similarity between good and evil, but she also shows how two women become one and the consequences that that fact has in their lives.
[edit] Plot summary
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[edit] Main themes
One of the biggest themes of the novel is good versus evil and at times the distinction between these two is blurry. This ambiguity is due to the fact that much of the so called evil is that of people's perspective.
Throughout Sula, Toni Morrison plays with the idea of dominant female characters. It is odd to find out that there are more men characters mentioned than women characters in the book. Yet most of the women characters take on masculine roles. For instance, Sula does not act like every other woman in the Bottom. She is in charge of her life, and does what she pleases, no matter how far she goes. Sula’s interest with Jude is one of the many examples that have shown how her interest conflict with her relationships with others. Her curiosity has power over her personality, and it has made her such a diverse character.
Even though the main theme of the book is good vs. evil, this theme affects everyone in the book, especially Nel and Sula. Most readers would consider Nel the “good” girl, and Sula would be labeled as the “bad” girl. However, towards the end of Sula’s life, she presents Nel with an idea that maybe she was the good one all along, and Nel was the bad girl. “How you know?” Sula asked, “About who was good. How you know it was you?” (146). This statement shocks Nel because she cannot comprehend why Sula, of all people, is telling her that she was the “bad” girl. Who can really define what good and evil is when everyone has a different perspective on the issue? Therefore, this poses the question, “What was good and evil in the book?” Was Eva burning her child evil? Was sleeping with Jude evil?
[edit] Feminist theme
Not only is Sula a woman in the Bottom, she is also a minority in a larger society dominated by a majority at least on an implicit level.
Born in an unconventional household and in an unconventional family, Sula’s early life is almost solely dominated by female role models such as Eva, Hannah, and even Nel to an extent. All female characters have influence upon her; with the possible exception of Shadrack, no male characters appear to have a tremendous amount of influence upon Sula. This situation supersedes both her race and color to make her displaced even among those that she is most like. As the proverbial outcast, Sula both embodies a rebellious spirit within minorities in general and is a totally unique anomaly.
Sula, however, is not the most powerful woman in the novel. While Sula may strive for power, sometimes succeeding and oftentimes failing, Eva has already achieved independence, albeit through a great deal of personal sacrifice. She has control of her family at a minimum, but has been shown to be a dominant force in the community of the Bottom.
The focus on emotional connection, however, only furthers female stereotypes preexisting before publication. Morrison did nobody any favors when she chose to portray most of the secondary female characters, Helen and Nel (when not with Sula), as being clingy family women. While this may demonstrate Sula’s uniqueness in the community, especially given her status, the perpetuation of stereotypes in this case is too blatant to ignore. Of course Morrison employed such done again character types to address the true problems in the African American community, and the fact that they aren't being solved. It's no wonder one can find so many stereotypes in Morrison's writing, when one can look around and see them all about oneself.
[edit] Characters in "Sula"
- Sula – the main protagonist
- Eva – Sula's grandmother
- Hannah – Sula's mother; Eva's eldest daughter
- Helene – Nel's mother
- Nel – Sula's best friend (can also be considered a main protagonist)
- Shadrack – A paranoid shell-shocked WW1 veteran who returns to Sula and Nel's hometown. Invents National Suicide Day
- Jude – Nel's husband
- Ajax (Albert Jacks) – Sula's confidant and lover
[edit] Sources
Rios, Mike. Notes on Sula. 4 Jun 2001. <http://www.nt.armstrong.edu/WLsulanotes.htm>.
Ward, Selena. SparkNote on Sula. 10 March. 2006 <http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/
