Searching For Identity——An Analysis Of Female Characters In Toni Morrison's Sula

AbstractIn l993, Toni Motrison was awarded the Nobel Prize as the first AfficanAmerican women writer. It signified the formal establishInent of Black LiteratUre.About ten novels of this taIented writer have attracted critical acclaim as well asconunercial success. It is because of her Persistent endeavor that black literatUre,especially black women literature, has become the increasingly tremendous branchof AJnerican literat'Ur.Toni Motrison has featured her whting not only with some unique blackwomen characters that had never emerged in American literature befOre, but alsowith distinctive black cuIture. This essay, consisting of an anaIysis of SuAnne ofher most controversial works and a discussion on features of Morrison's literary...creation, is written with a pmpose to interpret the black women characters' shareddesire of searching for identity under sexism as welI as racial discrimination interms of her theme, environment,characterization and style.The novel explores the relationship betWeen Nel Wright and Sula May Peace;their reIationship to their conununity, the Bottom; and that co!nmunity's view ofwho a woman should be. In Sula, readers may be startled to see so many peculiarbehaviors and even alienated lifestyles of black women in a black comrnunity calledthe Bottom. Through analyzing these behaviors and Iifestyles, this thesis tries todemonstrate the deeply hidden desire of black women----searching for identity.Sula breaks through all categories and insists on the same privileges that menobtain f sexuaI liberation, freedom of movement, irresponsibiIity, Iack of sociaI orfaInilial commiboent. Sula breaks from every expectation the black community hasfor a woman. She consciously danms herself in the eyes of others so as to prove toherself that a black woman can do what she does. At the expense of her reputationand any settled existence, she has achieved a fOrm of personal liberation.To evaluae the dialectic betWeen the self and society in Sula, it is necessary toanalyze the roots of the Bottom's mentality, to discuss racism's impact on theIIcoIInnuni. Their philosoPhy edsbits a ctwcism about the ltritS of liVing, Whichis Md in a history of StrUgglin continually tO sdrive. In their view althughNatUr's signS are seldOm colltrOlled by the actions of men, they must relatC to thecourse of huInan events. Their attitud toWard evil reflects their oprience undevarious opPrsslons.Various irnages of black mothers aPPearing in Sula are as striking andLmfOrgettale as you can irnagne. Thrugh the descriPton of the black women'sliVes of the former genration, Toai Monison not only disPlays their differen Waysin searching for their ditw undr the circles of oPPression Which aPpears to be theAntial Stage of searching for identity, but also draInatizes the connnwhty's sPndrichaess and poverty. The novel outlines the precise bountw of the Bottom'sto1erance to a woman's behavior. ms coInmedty absorbs many styledelene'sladythe and hyPOctitical mannr, Hannah's elegant sensuality, even EVa's arroganM of her soru long as they remain wiffon its dedriion of woman as wife,mothe) or man lover. Their StrUggle is vagUe and subconscious within the Bottom'slnd. Some of their rebellious behaviors are even distorted by the deePly rootedvalue system of the Bottom. After all, the rebellious SPint sParkling in their livesfosters the more comPlete and conscious rebellion in their lled generation tha willbe rePresented by Sula. She will hilfill their dreams in their youth even withuttheir consent. The BottOm is afraid of fimdamental change because its lhaion,therfore, it can't absOrb Sula's behaVior. Actually, Only the BottOm can leave Sulaas she is; While the so-called evil force, Sula. keeps the BOttOm alive by stiInulatinit through her "evil" behaviors. Along with her death comes the disintegration ofthe BOttOm. From thes point, we can say that Sula is inseParable with the BottOm.Motriso...