Sula by Toni Morrison Analysis
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Questions and Answers

What is the name of the husband who left after five years of marriage?

  • Hannah
  • Ralph
  • BoyBoy (correct)
  • Plum

    • How does Eva initially deal with Plum's constipation?

  • Changes his diet to include more fiber
  • Keeps him hydrated
  • Uses a finger of lard (correct)
  • Gives him medication from the doctor

    • What does Eva do after leaving her children with Mrs. Suggs?

  • Returns with money (correct)
  • Moves in with BoyBoy
  • Gives up on her family
  • Decides to travel the world

    • What is the primary feeling Eva has towards BoyBoy during his visit?

    <p>Hatred</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does Eva refer to her three adopted children?

    <p>Dewey</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is Hannah's age when she is described as too young to watch the babies?

    <p>5</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Eva mostly do after retreating to the upstairs of the house?

    <p>Looks out from the balcony</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why do people think Eva is crazy regarding her adopted children?

    <p>They can't tell the children apart</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What significant event is marked by National Suicide Day, which occurs every January 3 since 1920?

    <p>A remembrance of past suicides</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Shadrack feel when he sees his reflection in the toilet?

    <p>Joy and relief</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was Shadrack's emotional state when he walked away from the hospital grounds?

    <p>Overwhelmed and lost</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What relationship does Helene Sabat have with her daughter Nel?

    <p>A relationship focused on improvement and control</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Helene Sabat's grandmother symbolize in her upbringing?

    <p>A figure of constant vigilance and caution</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What major life event does Helene go through at the age of 16?

    <p>She marries Wiley Wright to escape her home</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary feeling Shadrack experiences during his breakdown on the side of the road?

    <p>Sadness and despair</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Shadrack hope to achieve by establishing a time and place for death?

    <p>To preemptively deal with grief</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What action does Sula take to assert her dominance over the boys?

    <p>She cuts the tip of her own finger off.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main activity that Nel and Sula engage in during the summer?

    <p>They explore the neighborhood.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does Nel differentiate between love and like in her conversation?

    <p>Love is a deeper emotional bond.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What age difference exists between Sula and Ajax?

    <p>17 years</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What unfortunate event occurs while Sula is playing with Chicken Little?

    <p>Sula accidentally lets him slip into the river.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is Ajax's relationship with his mother described as?

    <p>Adoring and somewhat idolizing</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does Sula respond emotionally after her encounters with Ajax?

    <p>With postcoital sadness</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does Sula react after Chicken Little falls into the river?

    <p>She flees and collapses in tears.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What assumption does the bargeman make regarding Chicken Little's situation after he is pulled from the river?

    <p>He believes the parents are responsible.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What unusual gift does Ajax bring to Sula?

    <p>A glass bottle</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the Sheriff of Porter’s Landing report regarding the demographics of the area?

    <p>Only a few Black people live there.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Sula do with the Deweys when they crash in on her?

    <p>She gives them each a dollar</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the state of Chicken Little's body after he has been missing for three days?

    <p>It is in a state of decomposition.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Ajax enjoy doing at airports?

    <p>Eavesdropping on pilots</p> Signup and view all the answers

    During their intimate moments, what does Sula reflect on about herself?

    <p>The fear of possession</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What incident involving Ajax is mentioned that showcases his troubling behavior?

    <p>He caused a car accident with the Mayor's niece</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What do the robins symbolize upon Sula's return to Medallion?

    <p>Good luck and new beginnings</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does the community initially react to Sula's return?

    <p>With a mixed response bordering on welcome</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What object does Eva use during her tense interaction with Sula?

    <p>A door lock</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What significant change does Sula bring to Nel's life?

    <p>Joy and a brighter outlook</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What do the children think about Sula's return?

    <p>They are scared of her</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What confession does Sula make to Nel regarding Eva?

    <p>She has had Eva put away</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Nel recognize about Sula during their conversation?

    <p>Sula makes reckless emotional decisions</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does Jude's reaction to his work insult contrast with Sula's perspective?

    <p>Jude seeks comfort, but Sula finds it unremarkable</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Morrison indicate as a fundamental question regarding black women's choices?

    <p>What choices are available to black women outside their own society’s approval?</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What literary effect does Morrison aim to achieve through the use of folk language and vernacular?

    <p>To reflect authentic cultural experiences</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What aspect of creativity does Morrison highlight through the phrase 'Nobody was minding us, so we minded ourselves'?

    <p>The freedom to express oneself without constraints</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does Morrison describe the neighborhood of the Bottom in the context of black culture?

    <p>As a place marked by destruction and loss</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Morrison suggest is linked to the concept of female freedom?

    <p>Sexual freedom</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What underlying theme does Morrison explore regarding the character Shadrack?

    <p>The search for identity amidst chaos</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is suggested by the phrase 'the bottom of heaven' in relation to the Bottom?

    <p>A reflection of black joy and resilience</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was notable about the context in which Morrison wrote Sula, particularly regarding her personal situation?

    <p>She was a broke, single mother facing hardships</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Foreword

    • The author felt embarrassed to be labeled a politically-minded writer.
    • Readers expected aesthetic literature, but critiqued it based on moral correctness of characters.
    • The author writes from personal and political compulsion.
    • Her writing focuses on the artistic and aesthetic questions of the Black writer.
    • What is friendship among women when unmediated by men?
    • What choices are open to Black women outside of their community?
    • What are the risks of individualism in a homogenous community?
    • Female freedom always implies sexual freedom.

    Part One

    • The Bottom neighborhood in Medallion was in decline.
    • The destruction of Black culture and heritage is detailed.
    • Music, dancing and laughter were part of Black culture, but so was pain.
    • The origin of the Bottom name is a joke: "the bottom of heaven."
    • Shadrack and Sula's lives are discussed.
    • Sula's life in the Bottom is also detailed.
    • Black people were struggling in the early part of the 20th century; the context of the time period is detailed.

    Part Two

    • Sula's return and events in Medallion are discussed.
    • Neighbors' reaction to Sula's arrival includes fear.
    • Neighbors suspect Sula's evil intentions.
    • Relationships and events surrounding Sula and neighborhood are described.
    • The author explores themes of love, loss, and community.
    • The author writes about Sula and Nel's friendship.
    • Sula was a source of fear to others in the neighborhood.
    • Other residents' relations and interactions are explored.
    • The author writes about jealousy among the neighborhood's residents, exploring the complex human interactions in the area.
    • The author explores themes of racism, sexism, and family in the different characters.

    Other

    • Dates and years are mentioned
    • Specific characters' names are mentioned

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    Description

    This quiz explores key themes and character dynamics in Toni Morrison's novel 'Sula'. It delves into the complexities of Black womanhood, friendship, and the challenges within the Bottom community. Participants will examine the artistic questions raised by Morrison and the implications of individualism in a Black cultural context.

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