Morrison’s use of Racism in Sula Racism examines many different elements of a piece of literature. But it also helps a reader examine and process to help appreciate and understand the work of literature as a whole. Sula is a 1973 novel by Nobel Prize winning author Toni Morrison. This novel took place in a black community called Bottom that is situated in the hills of a wealthy community, Medallion, Ohio. The characters in Sula are two african american best friends, Sula and Nel who grew up together. These two characters became very close through adolescence but suddenly traumatic accidents and situations occur that changes everything in Sula. Toni Morrison uses racism throughout the novel in a unveiling way that creates thought and discussion for the readers. Racism is a broad topic…show more content… Toni Morrison uses community to dissect and analyze racism in sula by the use of the story of Bottom given to a black man, the people going down the tunnel on National Suicide Day, and…show more content… Sula grew up in the black community of Medallion in the 1920s and is shaped by her experiences with family and friends. A strong sense of feminine identity is displayed in this independent young woman and when she returns to Medallion as an adult, she is feared and treated as an outcast because of her refusal to obey the anticipated rules found in black society. Sula focused on the workings and struggles of the black society because she was viewed differently. Toni Morrison creates Sula as a figure in the novel where readers interpret whether she is good or bad to the community of Medallion. The black community makes Sula alienate herself from her people and this relates to racism because of the irony that goes on. Readers would think white people would be the only ones who would make black people alienate themselves from others and this is Toni Morrison’s execution towards
