Theme Of Racism In Toni Morrison's Sula

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Toni Morrison 's major element in the novel is racism. In the novel Sula, there are a lot of different themes and one of the theme is a community where Morrison connects the theme to the racism. The racism comes to play a major role in two girl’s life Nel and Sula. The novel is focused on two girls living in Medallion experiencing different aspects of life such as facing racial issues together. Nel and Sula both came from different families, but they both get really attach to each other and they share everything with each other. In this novel, Morrison described community has a major impact on the people living in the Medallion. Community help each other and they also accept some things such as accepting Shadrack and blaming Sula for everything
Helene and Nel entered onto whites men faced instead of the colored box. The Conductor of the train was very rude to Helene and said:“What you think you doin’, gal?” ( Pg 20). Helene was so scared she barely talked, she was shivering. Morrison showed how racism changed Nel’s behavior towards her mother Helene. Nel was happy when Helene faced racial discrimination in the train and ashamed of her mother 's action she took in the train, As it is stated in the novel “ He stood there staring at her to move aside.….. Her mother’s foolish smile”( Pg 21-22). Helene had to be nice to the conductor even though she didn 't want to be and that leads Nel to hate her mother. It was the racism which made Nel hate her
Black men Couldn 't fulfill their dreams because of their race. Nel’s husband Jude wanted to build roads, but his race limited the opportunities. As Toni Morrison stated in the novel“ He wanted to swing the pick or kneel down with the string or shovel the gravel. His arms ached for something heavier than trays, for something dirtier than peelings; his feet wanted heavy work shoes, not the thin-soled black shoes that the hotel required” (Pg 81-82). Ajax wanted to fly airplanes but just like Jude he couldn 't Jude and Ajax wanted to do something big and they are ready to do anything to fulfill their dream but because of their race they could not do anything big that they wanted to

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