本科学生毕业论文-论托尼莫里森作品中黑人女性意识的觉醒

TheAwakeningoftheBlackFeministfromtheNovelofToniMorrisonAbstract:InOctober1993,theNobelPrizeforLiteraturewasgrantedtoablackAmericanwomanwriter,ToniMorrison.SheisthefirstblackwomanwriterwhoisawardedtheNobelPrizeforLiterature;HerworksareaboutAfrican-AmericanwomenwhosufferedalotinthewhiteAmericansociety.Hernovelsusuallyfocusonsuchproblemsasblackwomen’sself-awareness.Shehelpstodevelopthenovelwritinginthe20thcentury.Sincethelate1770’s,theliterarycriticalfiledhaspaidagreatdealofattentiontoToniMorrisonandherworks.Variousbooksandessayswithallkindsofcriticaltheoriesandwaysareconstantlyemerging.ThethesismainlyconcernstheblackwomeninMorrison’sworks,andanalyzesself-consciousnessoftheblackwomanfurthelyfromSethe’sEndurance,Pacola’spraytoSula’sRebellion.ThethesisnotonlypromotesthestudiesofAfrican-AmericanblackfeministliteratureandalsooffersreferencestothestrugglesagainstcolonialismandhegemonyfortheThirdWorldandourcountryfromthede-marginalizationprocessoftheblackpeople,especiallytheblackwomen.KeyWords:ToniMorrison;blackfemale;blackfeminism论托尼莫里森作品中黑人女性意识的觉醒摘要:托尼·莫里森是美国首位获得诺贝尔文学奖的黑人女作家。她的作品主要写着美国黑人女性生活在白人统治的社会所遭受的一切。并且作品中针对美国黑人女性自我意识的觉醒。她推动了19世纪美国黑人文学的快速发展。自18世纪70年代中期开始，文学评论家们密切关注托尼·莫里森和她的作品。各式各样评论的文章，书籍，杂志相继而来。本论文分析的黑人女性自我意识的觉醒，从塞丝的忍受，佩克拉的祈求到秀拉绝望反抗。这不仅提升和带动美国黑人女性文学的力量，更为第三世界的人们反殖民反霸权、反压迫、尤其是黑人女性提供参考。关键词：托尼·莫里森；黑人女性；黑人女权主义1.IntroductionToniMorrison,whoisoneofthemostactiveblackwomenwritersinthecurrentliteraryworld,istheeighthwomanwriterandtheonlyoneblackwriteramongthetenAmericanwriterswhohavegottheNobelPrizeforLiteraturesince1901.OfthemostfamousnovelistsinAmericanliteraryworldofthetwentiethcentury,ToniMorrisonisabrightstaramongthem.KnownasoneofthemostoutstandingfiguresincontemporaryAmericanfiction,especiallythewinnerofNobelPrizein1993,ToniMorrisonhasachievedinternationalfameandpopularityforherproductiveworksinwhichsheshowsdeepconcernforthefateoftheblackpeople,especiallyblackwomen.ThethesismainlyconcernstheblackwomeninMorrison’sworks,furtheranalyzesself-consciousnessoftheblackwoman.FromSethe’sEndurance,Pacola’sPrayer,Sula’sRebellion.ThethesisnotonlypromotesthestudiesofAfrican-AmericanblackfeministliteratureandalsooffersreferencestothestrugglesagainstcolonialismandhegemonyfortheThirdWorldandourcountryfromthede-marginalizationprocessoftheblackpeople,especiallytheblackwomen.Thethesisdividedintothreeparts.Thefirstpartistheintroductiontotheblackculture,ToniMorrison,blackfeminist,blackpeople’sliterature.ThesecondpartistoanalyzeSathe’sendurance,Pacola’spray’sandSula’srebellion.Sathekilledherbabywithoutchoice;Pacolawanttohaveapairofblueeyesaswhitepeople;Sularevolt.Thethirdpartistheconclusion.Inthelastpart,thisthesissummerizesthreeheroinesandtheinfluenceoftheblackfeministontheworld.2.TheBackgroundInformation2.1TheIntroductiontoBlackCultureBlackculture,alsoknownasAfrican-Americanculture,intheUnitedStatesmeanstheculturalcontributionsofAfricanethnicgroupstothecultureoftheUnitedStates.African-AmericancultureisbasedonthehistoricalexperienceoftheAfrican-Americanpeople,includingtheMiddlePassage.ThecultureisbothdistinctandenormouslyinfluentialtoAmericancultureonawhole.TheAfricanAmericanCultureisacombinedculturalofthesub-SaharanAfricanandSaheleancultures.AlthoughslaverygreatlyrestrictedtheabilityofAmericansofAfricandescentstopracticetheirculturaltraditions,manypractices,values,andbeliefshaveevolvedinauniquewayandovertimehavemodifiedorblendedwithwhitecultureandotherculturessuchasthatofNativeAmericans.Accentuatedbytheslaveryperiod,theAfricanAmericanculturehasgrowntoadynamicculturewhichhasbeenevensuccessfulinhavingaprofoundimpactonmainstreamAmericanculture,aswellasthecultureofthebroaderworld.Foralongtime,theAfrican-AmericanculturegrewuniquelyapartfromthemainstreamAmericanculture,becauseofthepersistenceofslaveryandracialdiscrimination;thesocalled“slaves”becamedesperatetomaintaintheiridentitybyclingingtotheirowntraditions.Nowadays,theAfricanAmericanculture,thoughadifferentculturalbody,isapartandparceloftheAmericancultureonawhole.2.2TheIntroductiontoAmericanBlackpeopleliteratureAfricansweregreatstorytellerslongbeforetheirfirstappearanceasthecommodityofslavetradinginJamestown,Virginia,in1619.Therichandcolorfulhistory,artandfolkloreofWestAfrica,theancestralhomeofmostAmericanblacks,presentevidenceofthis,andmore.BoththeinternalstrifeandchaosofsomeWestAfricanstatesandthevoracityofthewhiteslave-tradershelpedstartthevillainousslavetradingacrosstheAtlanticOcean,whichwasnotendeduntilshortlybeforetheAmericanCivilWar.WhiletheEmancipationafterthe4-yearCivilWar(1861--1865)provedtobeemptywords,itbroughtblacksneitherfreedomnorrelieffromthestigmaofcolortheiridentitywassetinnewcodeswithoutqualitativedifferencefrombefore.Deprivedofalmostallthebasichumanrights,thesekidnappedAfricanshadtostrivejusttobealive,letaloneanyfineartorliterarycreation.Inthislengthytrek,themainliteraryexpressionoftheblackswastheslavenarrative.ThefreeAfricansintheNorth,andthosewhohadescapedfromslaveryintheSouth,madetheirmarkuponthateraandawakenedtheconscienceofthenation.Theirlackofformaleducationtingedtheirnarrativeswithastrongandrough-hewedtruth,morearrestingandpowerfulthanscholarship.ThebestknownoftheseslavenarrativescamefromthepenofFrederickDouglass,towhom,noabuseofjusticecanescapehisattentionandhiswrath.Generallyspeaking,intheeyesofmostcritics,theblackwritersofthatperiodwereonlystepchildrenandmimicsofthewhiteinmanyrespects(likelifestyle,outlookofvaluesetc.),althoughtheyproclaimanewracialconsciousnessforthefirsttimeinliterature.ThisattitudecontinuedinalesseningdegreethroughoutoneoftherichestandmostproductiveperiodsinAmericanblackwritingintheUnitedStatestheHarlemRenaissance（HR）.HRputanendtotheperiodoftheslavenarrativeandmadeprominentmanytalentedwriterslikeLangstonHughes,Z.N.Hurston.ClaudeMckay,JeanToomer,tonamejustafew.TheculturalemancipationofAmericanblacksthatbeganbeforetheFirstWorldWarwasnowinfullforcewhentheblackwritersdiscoveredanewvoicewithinthemselves.HRencouragedtheAmericanblackwriterstoappreciatethefolkrootsandtheirowncultureandtakethemasrichsourcesforliterarycreation.However,thebiggestgiftHRgotcouldbealesson,thatis,thestrangeseparationofblacksfromtheAmericanculturedominatedbywhites.Asnative-bornAmericans,blacks,unlikeotherimmigrants,withoutanyimmediatepast,historyandculturetocelebrate,wouldfindavastblankbothgeographicallyandspirituallywhentheydeniedAmericancultureandatthesametimeweresoalienatedfromtheirAfricanmotherland.ThatiswhytheartofHRwassoproblematic,feckless,andnotfresh,notreal.ThisfirstrenaissanceofblackwritinglivedthroughthetwentiesandearlythirtiesbutwassnuffedoutinthegeneraldebacleoftheDepressionstartingfrom1929.WiththepublicationofRichardWright’ssuccessfulnovelNativeSonin1940,anewerainAmericanblackliteraturebegan,whichcanalsobecalledaneraofnaturalism.BlackwritersledbyRichardWrightwerestronglystimulatedbythemissiontowakeuptheircompatriots’consciousness,toconvulsethewhites’soulsandthustoexpeditetheinnovationofAmericansocietythroughauthenticreflectionofthesocialstatusandthemiserablelifeoftheblacks.AftertheemergenceofRichardWright,theperiodofindulgenceforblackwriterswasover.Hereafter,blackwritershadtostandorfallbythesamestandardsandjudgmentsusedtoevaluatetheworkofwhitewriters.WhenRichardWrightdiedinParisin1960,anewgenerationofblackwriters,partlyinfluencedbyhim,wasbeginningtoexplorenewdirectionsinwritingandchallengeallpreviousinterpretationsofthelifeofAmericanblacks.(Tosomedegree,theBlackPowerMovementofthesixties,whichmainlyfocusedonthepoliticalrightsandinterestsoftheblacks,isthesecondrenaissanceofAmericanblackliterature.)Indoingthis,theyhavepartlyhelpedcreatethebasisforanewAmericanliterature.Basedontheexplorationandexperimentationoftheirforerunners,theblackwritersofpostmodernagehaverealizedthatnowitistimeforthemtodrawupontheuniversalvaluesinrecallingtheirpeople’sexperienceandthereshouldbenomoredanceswiththeshacklesofracialism.Americanliterature’scolorfuldiversegenresinitsdifferentperiodsbenefitfromitsmeltingandattractingtheculturesofdifferentnations.Americanblackliteratureisoneofitsmostindispensableandcharacteristiccomponents,andtheshiftofAmericanblackliteraturefrommargintocenterhasnecessarilybeenpromotingthedevelopmentofAmericanliteratureasawhole.ThehistoryofAmericanblackliteratureisemphasizedheresinceMorrisonisanothereminentwriterintheblackliterarycirclesafterRichardWright,RalphEllisonandJamesBaldwin.2.3TheIntroductiontoToniMorrisonToniMorrisonwasawardedthe1993NobelPrizeinLiterature,makingherthefirstAfricanAmericanfemaletowinthishonor.HerworksexploreissuesofAfrican-Americanfemaleidentityinstoriesthatintegrateelementsoftheoraltradition,magicalrealism,andpostmodernliterarytechniquestogivevoicetotheexperiencesofwomenlivingonthemarginsofwhiteAmericansociety.ToniMorrisonwasbornChloeAnthonyWoffordin1931inLorain,Ohio,thedaughterofashipyardwelderandareligiouswomanwhosanginthechurchchoir.Morrisonwouldrecountininterviewshowshegrewupinastorytellingenvironmentthatwouldlaterinformherworks.HerappreciationforAfrican-Americanfolkculture,mythandmusicgrewoutofherfatherhavingtoldhernumerousfolktalesoftheblackcommunity,hermotherhavingsunginachurchchoirandhergrandfatherhavingsupportedhisfamilybymeansofhisviolinperformances.Notsurprisingly,Morrisonlearnedtoreadatanearlyage.Later,asateenager,shereadwidely,fromJaneFamilycontinuestobecrucialtoMorrison’ssenseofwhosheis.OneofMorrison’searlymemoriesillustratesthecentralityoffamilyheritagetohersenseofidentity.Hermother,hergrandmother,andMorrisonherselfwereinthesameroomwithhergreat-grandmotherfourgenerationsofwomeninadirectfamilyline.Shewasimpressedthatinhergreat-grandmother’spresence,hergrandmotherbecameyouthful,withayounggirl’swaysofsittingandmovingMorrisonhassuggestedthat“thismemorymightbeconnectedtotwothemesinseveralofhernovelstherelationshipsbetweenthreegenerationsofwomeninafamily,andthemanyportraitsofstrongwomen.”Morrisongraduatedfromhighschoolin1949andreceivedaB.A.fromHowardUniversity,whereshemajoredinEnglishandminoredinClassics.AftercompletinganM.A.atCornellIn1958shemarriedHowardMorrison.Theyhadtwosonsanddivorcedin1964.AfterthedivorceshemovedtoSyracuse,NewYork,wheresheworkedasatextbookeditorattheNewYorkCityheadquartersofRandomHouse.Asaneditor,Morrison’sworkcontributedtoAfricanAmericanliteratureintwoways.Firstly,shewasinfluentialinpublishingmanyotherblackwriters,suchasGaylJonesandToniCadeBambara.Second,hereditingworkbroughtherintocontactwithmaterialsthatshelaterusedasimaginativestartingpointsforhernovels.Shecontributedtoaprojecteventuallypublishedintheearly1970sasTheBlackBook.ThisprojectfirstdrewMorrison’sattentiontoMargaretGamerStory.MorethanadecadeaterTheBlackBook,sheremainedthisstoryinBeloved(1987).Morrisonresumedherteachingcareeradecadelater,servingasavisitingprofessoratYalebetween1976and1978,andthenfrom1984to1989astheAlbertSchweitzerProfessoroftheHumanitiesattheStateUniversityofNewYorkatAlbany.In1989MorrisonbecametheRobertF.GoheenProfessoroftheHumanitiesatPrincetonUniversity.Todate,Morrisonhaspublishedeightnovels:TheBluestEye,Sula,SongofSolomon,TarBaby,Beloved,Jazz,ParadiseandLove；aworkofliterarytheory,aplay,andashortstory.Morerecently,”shehaswrittenchildren’sliteraturewithhersonSlade.ScreenplayshavebeenwrittenforTarBabyandBeloved.”ToniMorrisonisafamouswriterwhohasfinishedninenovels,threebooksofchildren’sliterature,sevennon-fictions,oneplayandetc.AmongherbestknownnovelareBeloved,TheBluestEye,andSula.Iappreciateoneofthreewomen.2.4TheBlackFeministBlackwomenarelivingamuchterriblelifethanthewhitewomen.Theirpsychologicalpainisalwaysoutofpeople’sexpectation.Inordertoobtaintheirownrightsandsupporttheirchildren,somewomenaresufferedthehardshipsanytime.Duetopoverty,blackfemalesareuneducated,innocentandfoolish.Theyignoretheimportanceofahealthyfamilyenvironment.Theterm‘blackfeminism’wasnotspreaduseduntilthebeginningofcontemporaryblackwomen’smovementinthe1970s.However,blackfeministscholarsfrequentlyapplyittoakindofblackwomen’ssurvivalstrategiesandactionsinthepast.Itisusedtocharacterizeblackwomen’straditionofcourage,independence,andpragmatismunderthecruelconditionsofslaveryandinstitutionalizedracism.Blackwomen’swidespreademploymentoutsideofhomehassometimesbeencitedasevidenceoftheirfeministgoals,althougheconomicnecessityhasbeenamorelikelymotive.Blackfeminismhasbeenusedtodefinepoliticaltheoryandpracticethatexplicitlyaddressesgenderandsexualoppressioninblackwomen’slives.AfricanAmericanwomenhavealwaysbeenawareoftheinfluenceofrace,class,andgenderoppressionontheirlives.Sinceslavery,theyhavestruggledinvariousformstoeradicatetheinjusticesthattheyandtheircommunitiesface.Thetermblackfeminismwasnotwidelyuseduntilthebeginningofthecontemporaryblackwomen’smovementsinthe1970s.Theterm‘blackfeminism’alsomademanyAfricanAmericanwomenconfronttheirownviewsonsexismandwomen’soppression,andwassometimesreferredtoaswomanishbecausebothwereconcernedwithstrugglesagainstsexismandracismbyblackwomenwhowerepartoftheblackcommunity’effortstoachieveequityandliberty.TherealdifferencebetweenblackfeminismandthepoliticsofmainstreamEuropeanAmericanfeminismispayattentiontothesimultaneityofoppressionsthataffectblackandotherwomenofcolor,especiallyracism,sexism,classoppression.However,blackfeminismisusedtodescribeBlackwomen’straditionofcourage,Independence,andpragmatismunderthecruelconditionsofslaveryandracism.Blackwomen’sactivism,focusingonarangeofissues,hasbeendescribedasfeminism,especiallywhenithasoccurredinallfemalegroupings.Blackfeminismhasofcoursebeenusedtodefinepoliticaltheoryandpracticethatexplicitlydescribesracial,sexualandclassoppressioninBlackwomen’Asabranchoffeminism,blackfeministliterarytheoryemergesinthe1970s.Itmainlystudiesthemultipleoppressionsofsexism,racismandclassprejudicesimposedonblackwomenintheAmericansociety,revealsthesufferingsofblackwomencausedbythemultipleoppressionsandprovidesmethodstohelpblackwomen.Hernovelshavealwaysbeenheavilyfocusingonsuchproblemsasblackwomen’sself-consciousness,theirsearchforindependenceandself-identityunderthemultipleoppressions.Aroundthethemeofquestingforself,andfromtheperspectiveofblackfeministcriticism,thisthesisanalyzestheidentity,characterandbehaviorofthemaincharacters,especiallythreewomencharacters,andshowsthehardcourseofblackwomen’sseekingtheirselves.3.TheAnalysisandContrastofMorrison’sNovels3.1“Sethe”FromBelovedBelovedisthemostfamousworkofToniMorrison,whichwasawardedPulitzerPrizein1988.In1993,shewasawardedtheNobelPrizeforLiteratureforhernovelBeloved.Ithasbecomethetopofclassicmasterpieceofmagicrealism.ThereasonwhyBelovedachievessuchwonderfulsuccessandattractssomanyreadersallovertheworldisthatbecauseofMorrison’suniqueartisticstyleofblendingmagicrealism,whichisrootedinLatinAmericanliteratureandabsorbstheessenceoftheWesternmodernliteraryschools,withthetraditionalblackculturerootedinhernativesoil.Belovedissetinthe1870s,isaftertheendoftheCivilWar,duringtheperiodofso-calledReconstructionwhenagreatmanyofrandomviolencewasplaceduponblacks,boththeslavesfreedbyEmancipationandotherswhohadgottentheirfreedomearlier.Therearemanystoriesandvoicesinthisnovel,butthecentralonebelongstoSethe.ShewasaformerslavewhofledwithherchildrenfromKentuckytofreedominOhio.Shemovedinwithhermother-in-law,butatsomepoint,hertoddlerdaughterdiedandhertwosons“wentaway”.Thedeaddaughtergottheword“Beloved”onherheadstone.TheonlychildSethehadremainedwasDenver,whowasonlyasmallbabyatthetime.Manyyearslater,Denverwas18andlivedanisolatedlifeatthehousewithhermotherandPaulD,amanSetheknewfromhertimeinslavery.Denver’sgrandmotherhaddiedandtheneighborhoodwouldnotliketoassociatewithSethe.Whenayoungwomanappearedatthehouse,DenverwasquicktobefriendherandSethewashappytoacceptherinthefamily.ShewascalledBelovedanditwassuspectedthatshewastheghostofthesmalldaughterthathaddiedformanyyears.Inhumanhistory,manychildrenmaynotperformtheirfilialduty,butparentsarelovingtheirownchildrenforever.And"Beloved"ispreciselycharacterizedthatseemscontrarytocommonsenseSethe'smother;shedecidedtocruellycutthebaby’sthroat.Ordinarythinksthatthebehaviourmaybetoocruel,butinthespecialway,weseemtounderstandthatthemothercan’tresist,inordertoallowherchildrentogetfromslavery,shehadnochoicerelativelytherepugnantslavery,shemuddledalongfromdaytoday,ratherthandead.Sethesubverttheauthorityofthewhitesocietywithterribleprice,writtenwithblood.Withherstrongmaternallove,expensivefreedom,verystrongresistancepassion,makeinfanticidesublimationasaritualofredemption.ThisisSathe’sendurance.3.2“Pecola”FromTheBluestEyesTheBluestEyeisMorrison’ssecondnovel,writtenin1970.Withitspublication,Morrisonestablishedhernewidentity.ThestoryissetinthecommunityofasmallMidwesterntownandistoldfromtheperspectiveofClaudiaMacTeerasachildandanadultaswellasfromathird-person,omniscientviewpoint.Itscharactersareallblack.PecolaBreedlove,thecentralcharacter,isatroubledandpooryounggirlwithahardlife.HerparentshavebeenconstantlyfightingphysicallyandverballyandPecolaiscontinuallybeingtoldandremindedofwhatanuglygirlsheis.Thereforesheprayseachnightfortheblue-eyedbeautyofShirleyTemple.Shebelieveseverythingwouldbedifferentifshehadbeautifulblueeyes.ThroughthedescriptionofPecola’squestforbeautyandacceptanceinthewhiteworldwithblueeyes,thenovelexploresthemythofwhites’definitionofbeautythatironicallycorrespondstoblackgirl’spsychologicaloppressionthatculminatesinhertragicresultinmadness.Atthattime,inwhitepeople’seyes,blackisanominouscolorwhichsignifiesevil,wickedness,disgrace,andsin.Duetotheirblackskin,theyareconsideredbythewhitesasevilandpoorlytreated.AftertheCivilRightsMovement,thepolitical,economicandsocialconditionsofAfricanAmericanshavetoacertainextentbeenameliorated.Butracismneverreallyleavesthem,anditjusttakessophisticatedformswithacloakonit.Blackpeoplecontinuetobeseenas,foolish,anddevilishandlivemiserably.Pecola,theprotagonistinTheBluestEye,issuchapassivevictimofthewhitenormofbeauty.MorrisonsaidthattheideaforTheBluestEyewaspartiallyfromaconversationwithanelementaryschoolclassmate.Thegirl,whowishedforapairofblueeyeslikethatofawhitegirl,revealedhercontemptforherownracialidentity,andraisedtroublingquestionsaboutbeautyandoppression.Inthenovel,this12-year-oldblackgirl——PecolaBreedloveandherfamiliesaredescribedas“aggressivelyugly”(Liu25).Theeyes,thesmalleyessetcloselytogetherundernarrowforeheads.Thelow,irregularhairlines,whichnearlymet.Keenbutcrookednoses,withinsolentnostrils.Theyhadhighcheekbones,andtheirearsturnedforwards.Shapelylipswhichcalledattentionnottothembuttotherestoftheface.Youlookedatthemandwonderedwhytheyweresougly;youlookedcloselyandcouldnotfindthesource.PecolainfersfromherdailyexperiencesthatherdistinctivefeaturesasanAfricanAmericandonotfitthestandardsofthewhiteaesthetics,andthatitisher“ugliness”thatisolatesheratschoolaswellasathome.Believingthathergloomy,forlornliferesultsfromher‘unacceptable’physicalappearance,sheprayseachnightforobtainingapairofblueeyes,which,toher,representsaniconoftheprivilegesgiventothewhites.Pecolatriestounravelanenduringaestheticparadox:whetherdandelionsareweedsorbeautifulflowers.Bysymbolicimplication,Pecolastrugglestofigureoutwhethersheisa“weed”ora“flower”,whethershehassomevalueorundiscoveredbeautybeyondherdepreciatedpositionintheschemeofthesociety.Whilewalkingoverafamiliarroute,Pecolaenjoystheinnocenceofachild’sviewoftheworldandtheminutedetailsinitthatadultsoftenoverlook——cracksinthesidewalk,weeds,etc.AtthismomentPecolacannothelpindulginginherreverieandassumingherunobstructedidentificationwiththingsastheyare.ForPecola,however,thismomentofchildhoodinnocenceandself-affirmationarealltoobrief.Hersubtlesenseofself-affirmationisimmediatelyshatteredbythecruelrealitywhenitencounterswiththeeyesofthedominantsociety.Asalittleblackgirl,Pecolanotonlyhastofacethenakeddespiseandnegationfromthewhiteracists,butalsosuffersfromthehurtandinsultsfromtheblackmenandwomen,thosewhohavethesameskincolorwithher,bearthesameoppressionwithherandaretakenasfellowmenbytheinnocentgirl.Theworsthurtisfromherbrokenfamily.Itisapsychologicalcommonsensethatafamilyisastartingpointforachildtogainherinitialself-cognitionandself-identity.However,Pecola’sbrokenfamilygiveshernothingbutfear,self-hatredandhurt.Herbeingrapedbyherfatherandresentedbyhermotheraccelerateherdisintegration.3.3“Sula”FromSulaTheyear1973witnessedMorrison’sthirdnovel,Sula.Finishedin1977,itcontinuestotalkaboutblackfemaleexperience,butemphasisisshiftedfromchildhoodexperiencetolastingbondingbetweengirlsandwomen.ThestoryhappensattheBottom,amostlyblackcommunityinOhio,situatedinthehills.ThenoveltellsthelifeexperiencesofseveralblackwomenEva,Sula,Nel,etc.Eva,Sula’sgrandmother,isastrong-willedandindependentblackwoman,andsheisn’tthatsortofwomanwhosurrenderstofateorhardshipseasily.Afterherhusbandabandonsher,shesacrificesalegtosupportherchildren,andbecomestherulerofhermaternalfamilywhoinfluencesSulaalotlaterinsearchingforherself-identity.SulaandNelaregoodfriends,growinguptogetherandswearingtoeachothertosearchfortheirownworld,whileendupindifferentpathsoflifeaftergrown-up,Sulabreakspopularstereotypesofblackwomeninwesternliterature,sherebelsagainstherfateandsearchesforheridentityIndidually,butfailsandendswithdeath.Inthisnovel,Morrisonportraysseveralblackwomenfigureswhoresisttraditionalvaluesandseektheirself-identityunderthetripleburdensofracism,sexismandclassism.Threeheroines,Eva,SulaandNelaredepictedinthisnovel.Theytakeapathlesstraveledbytherestofthecommunitypeopleandsetgoodexamplesfortheirwomensuccessors.Sulacanbeinterpretedasasongforblackwomen.Evagivesusasongofindependence,Sula,asongofrebellion,andNel,asongofepiphany.Throughthesesongs,ToniMorrisonletusknowthatamultitudeofblackwomenarenotsatisfiedwiththeirmiserablerealityandstrivefortheirindependenceandidentity.Theanalysisofthesecharacterssurelyhaspracticalandtheoreticalsignificancetotheblackliteraturestudy.Sulaisatypicalexampleofblackwomen’ssearchforspiritualfreedom.Sheseeksthesamerightsasman,doingthingslikeaman.Sherebelsagainsthermotherandgrandmother,betraysherfriend,andtriggershercommunitywithherunconventionalbehavior.Inthisway,shesearchesherspiritualfreedomuntiltheendofherlife.SulaissetinAmericafromthendofWorldWarItothemid-1960swiththeBlackCivilRightsMovementandWomen’sLiberationMovementasitsmainbackground.InSula,MorrisontellsthetruthsofAmericansocietybyportrayingracistdamagetoblackpeopleandblackcommunity.”Ifthereisvalidityinthemaximthatshallthetruthwillmakeusfree,thenToniMorrison’sSulamightwellberegardedasamanifestationoftruth,hence,acorrespondingavenuewhichleadstowardsomekindoffreedom”(Wang23).Sulacanbeinterpretedasablackfeministnovel.Speakingofblackfeminism,itisunreasonabletodiscussitwithoutcomparingitwithfeminism.Atonelevel,feminismandblackfeminismsharemanycommonconcernsaboutwomen’slegalstatus,rights,discrimination,andsexualoppression.Blackfeminismisthecomplementandamendment.Feminismiswidelyrecognizedasthelegacyofmiddleclasswhitewomenwhoworkforthelimitedemancipationofwell-to-dowhitewomenandexcludetheneedsofwomenofcolor.Takingwhitesupremacyandblackwomen’slowstatus