Sula

## Discussion Questions: *Sula* by Toni Morrison Consider these questions as you reflect on and discuss *Sula*: 1. **Friendship & Identity:** Sula and Nel are depicted as two halves of a whole. In what ways does their friendship influence each woman's sense of self? How do their identities shift when their bond breaks apart? 2. **Good vs. Evil:** Morrison intentionally muddles conventional ideas of morality. How does the community of the Bottom label Sula as "evil"? Do you agree with this characterization? What does the novel imply about who has the authority to determine what is good or evil? 3. **Freedom & Conformity:** Sula opts for radical self-determination, while Nel generally adheres to societal norms. What are the benefits and drawbacks of each choice? Which character do you believe ultimately experiences more freedom? 4. **The Bottom as a Character:** How does Morrison portray the Black community of Medallion, Ohio — referred to as "the Bottom" — as more than just a backdrop? What does the neighborhood's history and eventual decline represent? 5. **Trauma & Survival:** Various traumatic incidents (like Chicken Little's death, the plague of robins, and Eva's decisions) remain mostly unaddressed among the characters. How does silence operate within the novel? What does Morrison convey about how communities manage — or struggle to manage — shared trauma? 6. **Morrison's Narrative Structure:** The novel is structured by years instead of conventional chapters. How does this chronological approach influence your reading experience? What does it reveal about time, memory, and history in the lives of Black women? 7. **The "Pariah" Figure:** Sula is regarded as an outcast, yet her existence paradoxically enhances the community. How can someone be both harmful and essential? Can you think of other literary or real-world figures who fulfill a similar role?

ap_lit · common_core_ela · ib_lang_lit

## Discussion Questions: *Sula* by Toni Morrison Consider these questions as you reflect on and discuss *Sula*: 1. **Friendship & Identity:** Sula and Nel seem to represent two halves of a whole. In what ways does their friendship influence each woman's understanding of herself? What changes occur in their identities when the friendship falls apart? 2. **Good vs. Evil:** Morrison avoids simplistic moral labels throughout the novel. How does the community of the Bottom label Sula as "evil"? Do you agree with this characterization? What insights does the novel offer about how communities create ideas of good and evil? 3. **Freedom & Conformity:** Sula opts for radical self-invention and rejects the expectations placed on Black women during her time. What are the consequences and freedoms that come with her choices? How does Nel's more traditional path compare? 4. **Trauma & Survival:** Several traumatic incidents — such as Chicken Little's death and Eva's burning of Plum — are approached with notable emotional distance. How does Morrison's narrative style influence the reader's reaction to trauma? What does this imply about how the characters (and the community) deal with pain? 5. **Place & Community:** The Bottom itself acts like a character in the novel. How does Morrison utilize this setting to examine the connection between a community and the individuals who either challenge or uphold it? 6. **The "Deweys" and Otherness:** Minor characters like the Deweys and Shadrack exist on the outskirts of the Bottom's society. What role do these figures play in the novel's discussion of identity, war, and belonging? 7. **Morrison's Title:** The novel is named after Sula, yet Nel's viewpoint is also crucial. Why do you think Morrison chose to call the book *Sula*? What does this decision highlight about the themes of the story?

ap_lit · common_core_ela · ib_lang_lit · aqa

## Discussion Questions: *Sula* by Toni Morrison Consider the following questions as you reflect on and discuss *Sula*: 1. **Friendship & Identity:** How does the relationship between Sula and Nel influence each woman's sense of self? In what ways do they embody two halves of a whole, and what does their eventual estrangement reveal about identity and independence? 2. **Good vs. Evil:** Morrison avoids labeling Sula as simply "evil." How does the novel challenge traditional moral categories? What does it mean to live outside the community's moral framework, as Sula does? 3. **Community & Belonging:** The Bottom operates with its own rituals, myths, and judgments. How does the community act almost like a character in its own right? What does it gain — or lose — by designating Sula as its scapegoat? 4. **Gender & Freedom:** Sula rejects the conventional roles assigned to Black women in her time and place. How does the novel depict the costs and freedoms of her choices? Is Sula a feminist figure, a tragic one, or both? 5. **Memory & Trauma:** Several characters in the novel bear deep, unspoken traumas (e.g., Hannah's death, Chicken Little's drowning, Plum's fate). How does Morrison utilize silence and memory to explore how trauma influences lives and relationships? 6. **The Deweys & Marginalization:** The three boys known as "the deweys" lose their individual identities completely. What might Morrison be conveying about how society treats those labeled as "other" or unfit? 7. **The Novel's Ending:** Nel's final cry — *"We was girls together"* — is one of the most renowned lines in American literature. What does this moment reveal about grief, love, and the essence of female friendship? Why do you think Morrison chose to conclude the novel this way?

ap_lit · common_core_ela · ib_english · aqa