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Motherhood In Toni Morrison's Sula

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In Sula, the issue of insurgency remains controversial from the very beginning of the story till the end. The story starts from a town called the Bottom, inhabited overwhelmingly by former-black slaves and white inhabitants as a minority. Located at the top of a hill, Bottom stairs over a white populated city called the Medallion that also embraces the Bottom town. A woman in the town called Eva Peace gives birth to several children, including Hannah Peace, in addition to adopting some others. After marrying Rekus, Hannah gives birth to Toni Morrison’s novel protagonist, Sula Peace. The author manifests Sula as a naughty child who refuses to be subordinated to any local traditions of Bottom’s folks. Moreover, she does everything that has …show more content…

The issue of motherhood considered essential among local people of Bottom, so the person who refuse it, face social critics. Eva represents a great example of motherhood in the story when she decided to look after her children after her husband abandoned her. Furthermore, she was concerned when she fed Plum with her milk, and said “something must be wrong with my milk” (Morrison33). Feeding a child with mother’s milk was a vital aspect of motherhood, especially among black inhabitants of the Bottom. However, Sula refused the issue of motherhood completely. Therefore, her behaviors unpleasantly welcomed by local folks. All the people in the town started to ignore her, but “Sula does not see herself in conjunction with any of their idea” (Galehouse342). She bravely rejected all the traditions imposed by the black community. Marriage and milk are two essential part of motherhood, which have been refused by Sula. First, she ignored marriage proposed by Nel. Second, she rejected milk when Ajax brought it to her. Thus, motherhood was not something really matters for Sula, but remains important for the locals. Therefore, Bottom people made that a pretext to demonize

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Definite expectations and social norms restrain the residents’ individuality, and the embracement of identity and refusal to conform to the morals and mundane lifestyle of the town result in ostracization, isolation, and fear. Initially, defiance of their principles frightens the residents and they hide from it, but eventually grow accustom to and incorporate such things into their regimen, “...they had simply stopped remarking on the holiday because they had absorbed it into their thoughts, into their language, into their lives” (Morrison 15), and ultimately become dependent on them. Just as “Suicide Day became a part of the fabric of life up in the Bottom of Medallion, Ohio” (Morrison 16), Sula, a promiscuous and nonconforming individual, forces the town to develop a strong identity, which dissipates upon her death. Throughout her entire life, Sula challenges her society and aims to develop her own identity instead of conforming to orthodox rules, infuriating her town.

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One relationship that emphasized the fluctuation of loyalty is the connection between mother and daughter. This relationship is closely shined upon as the dominant figures, such as men, are decrease and eliminated from the lives of the women. Morrison has created several instances where there is a conflict between Hannah and Sula in order to emphasize the central theme of loyalty by demonstrating the selflessness mothers possess to provide for their children. While creating a complication between mother and daughter, Morrison also fulfilled the problematic trust that is displayed within the friendship of Sula and Nel. This relationship was used in order to display the everlasting loyalty that true friendships hold.

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