Toni Morrison's Sula

Toni Morrison's "Sula" is a novel about the history of the black race in America. The novel deals with a variety of themes but perhaps the major theme portrayesd throughout the novel is 'Good Versus Evil", that is, the choice between right and wrong. This theme is brought into light on numerous instances by the choices and actions of the characters. The minds of the characters are like constant battle grounds for "Good Versus Evil", whereby they are faced with the ever so famous dilemma of making choices based on instinct and reason that would determine their or other's lives for the better or worse, that is, the decision of what is "right" and what is "wrong"; "good" versus "evil". A few of the main and conflicting issues that become cause for constant and persistent judgement are racism, motherhood, unfaithfulness and betrayal. Throughout the novel, Sula, the main character, is termed to be "bad", over and over again, by the somewhat conservative and judgemental society that she is forced to live in, while Nel is perceived as the image of "goodness".

The novel shows ongoinf problems that affect people of the bottom community just because of their race. It brings to light the discrepancies in wealth and social position between blacks and whites, revealing the harsh realities of African American lives. Right from the beginning of the novel, black peope are denied their freedom and fairness. For example, "The bottom" got its name from a cruel joke played on a black slave. A white farmer once promised his slave freedom and rich "bottomland" in exchange for some a freedom, however, instead of the fertile bottomland, he gave him a piece of hilly and eroded land. The farmer tod the slave that that piece of hilly land was the bottomland. "High up from us," said the master, "but when God looks down, it's the bottom of heaven - the best land there is." (Pg. 5). He had been tricked by his master and given a piece of land that was worthless for farming. The novel illustrates many other examples of such instantances where African American people are treated unfairly and are discriminated against. For example, there were separate cabins and restrooms for the "colored" on the train. Furthermore, black men were also denied work in the building of the new river road. All these examples point out the practice of discrimination against the black community by the "white people", which would be considered morally and ethically wrong in the eye of justice. Therefore, the white people had deliberately made the choice between good and evil, whereby they chose to inflict injustice upon the black people, their actions based purely on their "fantasized" perceptations of superiority (the white people) and inferiority (the black people).

Motherhood is quite a significant and a very persistent issue in "Sula". Different mothers in the nove fulfilled their roles as mothers in their own distinct ways, some seemingly stranger than others. Eva was a woman who loved her children and rumour had it that she went to the extent of sacrificing her leg so she could "earn" money for the upbringing of her children (pg.30). She was also a single parent after Boyboy left her to bring up their children on her own. These particular qualities of Eva are admirable and demonstrate the choices and decisions she made for the well being of her children, however, she ended up killing her own flesh and blood, burning him alive; her only son, Plum. This being the same son for whom once Eva had probed her middle finger inside his arse in order to looen his bowels so as to relieve him of his misery and to save his life (pg. 34). Of course Plum had his problems, but definitely did not deserver to be burnt alive by his own mother. This incident brings out an attribute very much questionable about the character of Eva, as a mother. She is faced with the choice of good and evil, right and wrong, and deliberately decides to burn Plum, perhaps because she wanted to take the easy way out, instead of attempting to help him resolve his problems.

The issue of unfaithfulness and betrayal are central issues that keep recurring in the novel, from Boyboy deserting his family to Jude and Sula betraying Nel. Boyboy did not live up to the expectations of being a good father or a good husband. He left his family when he no longer could face the challenges of providing for them, coward that he was. He came back several years later, accompanied by another woman and he did not even spark the interst to see his children (pg. 86). The choices made by Boyboy show what an irresponsible father and