THE INFLUENCES OF FAMILY ON SULA’S PERSONALITY
IN TONI MORRISON’S SULA
A THESIS
Presented as a Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements To Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree
In English Language Education
By
Lia Henora Pangaribuan Student Number : 011214133
ENGLISH EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM
DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA
iv
PAGE OF DEDICATION
When things go wrong, as they sometimes will, When the road you’re trudging seems all up hill, When the funds are low and the debts are high, And you want to smile, but you have to sigh, When care is pressing you down a bit, Rest, if you must, but don’t quit
Life is queer with its twists and turns, As everyone one of us sometimes learns, And many a failure turns about
When he might have won had he stuck it out, Don’t give up, thought the pace seems slow You might succeed with another blow
O ften the goal is nearer than It seems to faint and faltering man, O ften the struggler has given up
When he might have captured the victor’s cup. And he learned too late, when the night slipped down, H ow close he was to the golden crown.
S uccess is failure turned inside out The silver tint of the clouds of doubt And you never can tell how close you are, It may be near when it seems a far,
S o stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit It’s when things seem worst that you mustn’t quit
Author Unknown
D edicated with love and
gratitude to:
v
STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY
I honestly declare that this thesis which I wrote does not contain the works or part of the works of other people, except those which were cited in the quotations and the bibliography, as a scientific paper should.
January 12,2007 The writer,
vi ABSTRACT
Pangaribuan, Lia Henora. (2007). The Influences of Family on Sula’ Personality in Toni Morrison’s Sula, Yogyakarta: English Education study program, Sanata Dharma University.
Personality is influenced by many factors. The most important factor in is family because it is the starting point of one’s personality development where a child will learn the values of life and social relationships in the society by watching his parents.
The aim of this study is to answer the two questions which are stated in the problem formulation. The first is how the characters of Hannah and Eva Peace are described and the second is how the family influences Sula’s personality.
The method applied in this study was library research. The sources that the writer used were found in the library and some other places, the writer also borrowed some books from some friends. The writer used two kinds of sources. The primary source was obtained from the novel Sula written by Toni Morrison and the secondary sources were obtained from books on literary works. Because this study is concerned with personality, the writer used psychological approach in analyzing the problems. In analyzing the novel, the write employed theory of character, theory of characterization, and theory of psychology.
The findings of the first analysis show the characters of Hannah and Eva Peace. Hannah Peace is Sula’s mother. She is an attractive and flirtatious woman. Hannah Peace is a woman who believes in non-commitment relationship. A lot of her time is spent in lovemaking and she never cares about her daughter. The first findings also answer the characteristics of Eva Peace, Sula’s grandmother. She is an attractive woman. By seeing her struggles in facing life, the writer concludes that she is an independent and tough woman. She is also a spontaneous woman. She is a rebellious and stubborn woman.
In the second analysis, the findings reveal the influences of family on Sula’s personality. This analysis is divided into two sub-categories. First is the influences of Hannah Peace and the influences of Eva Peace. Hannah influences Sula on her perception of being attractive and her belief in non-commitment relationship with men. Her mother’s rejection brings some negative influences on her feeling of insecurity, her disrespect to others and her irresponsibility. Eva Peace influences Sula on her spontaneity, her independence, and her egoism.
vii ABSTRAK
Pangaribuan, Lia Henora. (2007). The Influences of Family in Toni Morrison’s Sula, Yogyakarta: Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris,Universitas Sa nata Dharma.
Kepribadian dipengaruhi banyak faktor. Faktor yang paling penting pembentukan kepribadian adalah keluarga karena keluarga adalah titik awal dari perkembangan kepribadian seseorang dimana anak akan belajar nilai-nilai hidup dan hubungan sosia l dalam masyarakat dengan cara mengamati orangtuanya.
Tujuan dari skripsi ini adalah untuk menjawab dua pertanyaan yang terdapat dalam rumusan masalah, yaitu yang pertama bagaimana karakter dari Hannah dan Eva Peace dideskripsikan dan yang kedua bagaimana keluarga mempengaruhi kepribadian Sula.
Metode yang digunakan dalam skripsi ini adalah studi pustaka. Sumber-sumber informasi yang penulis gunakan terdapat diperpustakaan dan beberapa tempat lainnya, penulis juga meminjam dari beberapa teman. Penulis menggunakan dua macam sumber. Sumber utama didapatkan dari novel Sula karya Toni Morrison dan sumber kedua didapatkan dari buku-buku tentang literatur. Karena skripsi ini berkaitan dengan kepribadian maka penulis menggunakan pendekatan psikologi untuk menganalisa masalah. Dalam menganalisis novel tersebut, penulis menggunakan teori tokoh, teori penokohan, dan teori psikologi.
Hasil analisis pertama menunjukan karakter Hannah dan Eva Peace. Hannah Peace adalah ibu dari Sula. Ia adalah seorang wanita yang mena rik dan juga seorang wanita penggoda. Ia adalah seorang wanita yang senang menjalani hubungan dengan pria tanpa komitmen. Ia menghabiskan banyak waktu hanya untuk bercinta dan ia tidak pernah peduli dengan anak perempuan satu-satunya. Hasil analisis yang pertama juga menjawab karakter Eva Peace. Dia adalah nenek dari Sula. Dengan melihat perjuangannya menghadapi kehidupan, penulis menyimpulkan bahwa is adalah seorang wanita yang mandiri dan tabah. Dia juga adalah wanita yang spontan. Eva Peace adalah seorang wanita pemberontak dan keras kepala.
Hasil analisis yang kedua menunjukan pengaruh keluarga terhadap kepribadian Sula. Hasil ini dibagi menjadi dua sub-kategori. Pertama adalah pengaruh Hannah Peace dan yang kedua adalah pengaruh Eva Peace. Hannah Peace memberi pengaruh terhadap Sula mengenai persepsi menjadi wanita yang menarik dan juga kepercayaannya terhadap hubungan tanpa komitmen dengan pria-pria. Penolakan Hannah kepada Sula membawa beberapa akibat yang buruk terhadap perasaan tidak nyaman, ketidakhormatan kepada orang lain dan juga sikap tidak bertanggung jawab Sula. Eva Peace juga memberi pengaruh terhadap kespontanitasan, kemandirian, ketegaran dan kegoisan Sula.
viii
STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY... v
ABSTRACT ... vi
ABSTRAK ... vii
TABLE OF CONTENTS ... viii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS...…………. xi
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION ... 1
A. Background of the Study ... 1
CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE ... 6
A. Theoretical Review ... 6
B. Theoretical Framework ... 13
CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY ... 15
ix
B. Approach ... 16
C. Method of the Study ... 16
CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS ... 19
A. The Characteristics of Hannah Peace and Eva Peace ... 19
1. The Characteristics of Hannah Peace, Sula’s Mother ... 19
x
2. The Influences of Hannah Peace and Eva Peace on Sula’s
Personality ... 39
B. Suggestions ... 39
1. Suggestions for Future Researchers ... 39
2. Suggestions for Teaching Implementation ... 40
BIBLIOGRAPHY ... 44
APPENDICES APPENDIX 1. The Summary ... 46
APPENDIX 2. Biography of Toni Morrison ... 49
APPENDIX 3. Lesson Plan of Reading II ... 54
APPENDIX 4. The Material for Reading II ... 56
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First of all, I would like to thank my dear Lord, Jesus Christ, for His everlasting love, blessing, and guidance during my study at Sanata Dharma University. His kindness has given me spirit to finish my thesis. It is amazing that at last I could finish my study.
I would like to express my gratitude to my major sponsor, Henny Herawati, S.Pd., M.Hum., and my co-sponsor, Ch. Lhaksmita Anandari, S.Pd., M.Ed., for their advice and patience in guiding me to write this thesis.
My deepest gratitude goes to my beloved parents, Mr. Frans Pangaribuan and Mrs. Berliana Sianturi for their beautiful love and for their patience in teaching me the meaning of life. I will never forget every single tear and sweat they have paid to make the way I am now. I also thank my beloved sister and brother for supporting me in finishing my thesis.
I also thank all people in CEC Klaten, Dra. Lanny Anggawati and Dra. Wena Cintiawati for giving me time and chance to learn more, Ms. Endang for checking my thesis, bu Kris and mba Ida, all English teachers, Kakak, K’Maria, Widhie, Yani, mba Rini, Uni, Shinta, and Ima.
My gratitude also goes to my friends in Pondok Putri Nadira, Dina, Yeni, Eva, Ratna, M’Dewy, Nova, Maria, Agustina and Ella for the joys, tears, and laughters we have shared together. I would like to thank all my friends in campus that I cannot mention all of them here, for the wonderful friendship.
My special thanks go to Antonius Himawan Yudha for all his support during my effort to finish this thesis, and for all the beautiful memories and togetherness we have shared together. May God give him His Grace in everything he does.
Last but not least, I would like to thank all the people whom I cannot mention one by one here for their support and help so that I can finish this thesis. May God bless them all.
Lia Henora Pangaribuan
1 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
This chapter presents six parts, namely the background of the study, problem limitation, problem formulation, objective of the study, benefit of the study, and definition of terms. The background of the study contains some reasons which serve as a basis for writing this thesis and the importance of discussing the topic of the study. The limitation of problem states the problems which are limited. The problem formulation states the problems discussed in this study. The objective of the study states the aim of this study. The benefit of the study states the expected benefit of the study for the readers. The definition of term clarifies some important terms used in this study, the influences of family on Sula Peace’s personality.
A. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Human personality differs from one another. There are no people in the world who share the same personality. Each person has a distinct and unique personality that shapes the person’s characteristics. When people with various characteris tics live together and make interactions, conflicts may rise due to the differences. Therefore, understanding about human personality will lead people to be more tolerant to others. By then, the conflict can be easily overca me.
human personality. There are many factors and family takes the most important factor in shaping the child’s personality. In childhood, a child gets education from his family. A child learns by imitating his parents or the members of his family. When he grows up, a child will be influenced by some aspects, such as family, environment, school, and so on.
In this study, the writer is going to analyze Toni Morrison’s novel, Sula. Toni Morrison is an Afro-American who became the eighth woman and the first black woman received the Nobel Prize in literature in 1993. She becomes a single parent for her two sons since her divorce from Harold Morrison. This is the main reason why many of her novels are influenced by her personal life about marriage, single parent, divorce, and also the relationship between mother and children as seen in Sula and Beloved.
Sula tells the story about a Black woman’ life experience. The woman is
Sula Peace. This novel tells about Sula’s life from her childhood until her death. There are many problems that happened in her life, especially her relationship with the people ar ound her. She learns many things from her family background. As Light and Calhoun claims family is the primary agent and the starting point of one’s personality where a child will learn the values and social relationships in the society by watching the parents (1989:124). Sula is not only influenced a lot by her mother but also her grandmother. By watching their behaviours everyday, Sula has her own perception about value of life.
around and will imitate the way they behave. Childhood is a crucial phase because it gives important contribution in shaping the personality of a child. Therefore, early years are critical because a child’s attitude, habits and behavior patterns are in the process of being formed (Light, 1989: 124).
Seeing the fact above, the writer would like to focus this study on the influences of family on Sula Peace’s personality. Sula is chosen as the subject matter of the analysis because of three reasons. Firstly, the novel is very interesting, especially for the writer. The writer is interested in exploring more about the central character. It is known that one’s personality depends on what he learns in his childhood. Here, the writer will learn more about how the family influences one’s personality. Secondly, it is interesting and tempting to learn about the life and the struggle of life in Toni Morrison’s Sula. In that novel, we can learn about life through one of the major character’s personality and the messages implied in the novel. Thirdly, by reading and analyzing this novel, the readers can learn and understand how to view the world and how to understand other people and their personality.
B. PROBLEM LIMITATION
C. PROBLEM FORMULATION
Having presented the background of the study, in the following are presented the problems which are going to be analyzed in this study. They are:
1. How are Hannah Peace and Eva Peace described?
2. How do Hannah and Eva Peace influence Sula Peace’s personality?
D. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
In this writing, the writer would like to analyze the influences of family on Sula Peace’s personality. The objectives are:
1. To describe the characters of Hannah Peace and Eva Peace. 2. To reveal the influences of family on Sula Peace’s personality.
E. BENEFITS OF THE STUDY
can be a benefit for Sanata Dharma University, especially English Education Study Program, by providing their students a material for reading and speaking classes.
F. DEFINITION OF TERMS
In analyzing this novel, there are four terms that need to be clarified in order to provide an accurate analysis and a clearer explanation to answer the formulated problems. These terms are:
1. Influence
Influence is defined as power to affect somebody’s character, beliefs or
actions through example, fear admiration, etc. (Hornby, 1987: 437). In this study, inf luence refers to family.
2. Family
Family is enduring social group based on marriage and blood relationship,
exercising hereditary and environmental influences of prime dimensions on the offspring (Pikunas, 1969: 60). In this study, family refers to Hanna h Peace as Sula’s mother and Eva Peace as Sula’s grandmother.
3. Personality
Personality is defined as the unique combination of thoughts, feelings and
6 CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF R ELATED LITERATURE
This chapter provides the theories that are related to this study. This chapter will be divided into two main parts, namely the theoretical review and theoretical framework. The theories in theoretical review consist of theory of character and characterization, theory of critical approach, and theory of personality.
A. THEORETICAL REVIEW
This part contains two sub parts, the theory of character and characterization and the critical approach.
1. Theory of Character and Characterization
Character has an important role in a novel. It makes the story more meaningful because the author could convey the message of the story to the readers through the characters. According to Nurgiyantoro, reading a novel means that the readers are faced wit h the character (1995:176). Therefore, it is very important for the readers to know the theories of character so that the readers are involved in the whole story.
Forster differentiates flat character from round character. A flat character has a steady characteristic, which means that the characteristic does not change from the beginning of the story until the end of the story (1974: 46-51).
In order to analyze the characters in the novel more easily, it is important to know how the author pre sents the characters in the story. In this case, we have to know whether it is presented directly or implicitly. According to Murphy, there are nine ways that are used by an author in presenting the characteristics of the characters in the novel (1988:30-38).
First of all is personal description. It refers to the physical appearance of the character, such as the height, the posture of the body, and the skin color. This kind of description helps the readers to visualize the character and to understand the physical characteristics. Second is a character as seen by another. The character is described through the opinions of the characters. Third is speech. Speech is a manifestation of character. The author explains the character through what the person says about him or her. From the way he or she speaks in a conversation or the way he she gives opinion to others.
shows what the characters look like. Sixth is reaction. The personality of the character can be understood from his or her reaction. The reaction of the character reflects her or his thought.
Seventh is through direct comment. The author gives the readers a straight forward description about the character. It helps the reader to find the information about the character more easily. Eighth is thoughts. The author gives direct description of the character’s mind, what he or she is thinking about and it leads to the mental process of the character. The thought inside the character’s mind can be disclosed. The last way is mannerism. The author describes the character’s mannerism that may also tell reader something about the characters.
2. Theory of Critical Approaches
The last approach which is used by the writer is psychological approach which involves the theory of psychology to understand literary works. (1997: 6-15).
This approach involves the theory of psychology to understand literary works. Many modern writers follow a certain theory of psychology to create the characters and themes in their works. The approach involves various theories of psychology to explain the characters’ personality in a story. In this case , the psychological situations of the characters in the story become the concern (Rohrberger and Woods, 1971:13). The psychological approach analyzes the character described in the novel deeply. It means that the analysis elaborates other aspects behind the character itself so that the result has a deeper meaning. This analysis deals with the reasons why the characters described in the novel have such a kind of behavior; and how family influences the character’s personality.
3. Theory of Personality
The c haracters in a novel have personality and the characteristics make the imaginary persons alive. In the novel, the characters face some incidents. Those incidents may change their personalities. Some personalities are changing and some are not changing. Hur lock says that the term “personality'” is derived from the Latin word persona which means “mask” (1974:6). Personality is defined as the dynamic organization within the individual of those psycho-physical systems that determine his characteristics behavior and thought (Hurlock, 1974: 7).
behaviors. Personality is dynamic continually exist over time and situation. Phares states that pattern of characteristics throughout feelings and behaviors that persist over time and situations and that distinguish one person from another (1984:673)
a. Personality Factors
The personality can be influenced by some factors. Horney (1990: 450) says that there are two important factors in shaping human personality, namely: environmental and social factors. She adds that the most important point of these two factors is human relationship in which the child grows up. Horton and Hunts say that the factors are hereditary, physical environment, and culture (1980: 114). Hurlock says that the physical condition is also important in influencing one’s personality. The child will accept their body depends on how significant people see it (1974 : 536). Pikunas also claims that personality is influenced by hereditary influence and environmental influence. The hereditary influence concerns biological molecules. Environmental influences include physical environment, family, peers as models, and education for life, and community (Pikunas, 1969: 54). In this study, the writer only discusses the influence of family on one’s personality.
b. Family as the Most Important Factor
take the biggest part in shaping their children’s personality. Children take a look at how their parents behave in daily life. They will consider an event as a positive thing if their parents give a positive response in it. Sullivan says that if parents behave that the children are worthwhile, they will develop good self-image and self-worth but if their parents do not see them their children as worthwhile persons, they will cause the negative self-image development (1986-93:94).
Family plays the important roles for the children development. Children will understand who they are and their roles in social life for the first time in family. The smallest unit of society is a family with a father, a mother and children in it. Children receive their first training in their home; Kaalish states that parents and other significant figures probably have the greatest influence of values and attitudes because the parents have the authority in estimating child’s attitudes (1975:55). Parents are models for the children, whether consciously or unconsciously, they will copy the models. The children live with parents, so they internalize the parents’ values such education, religion, humanism, and work. It will be easier for children to adapt to the family and the closest people value, which he interacts, rather than other people.
parents how to get proper in the society, or the smaller unit, community (Light, 1989: 124).
Parents are instructor s, educators, advisors, supervisors and facilitator s and role models (Parker and O’Neil, 1997: 32-39). Parents give the order and information to the children as the instructor s. They give rules for their children for their own good. Parents give knowledge about all of the things around them as an educator, they give not only intellectual things, but also give moral teachings for the children. This is done to make the children understand the environment around besides the family. As the advisors, the parents give advices for what is happening and what will happen for the children to be able to come into appropriate way that leads the children, and for the best solution. Parents will keep their eyes on the children: keep the children away from destructive and irresponsible behavior when they act as supervisors. Parents’ role is needed for children development. The y facilitate the children by sending them to school and giving them toys to play. As the role models, the parents place themselves as models for the children to imitate.
The emotional condition and social development of a child are influenced by the mother’s attitude. If a young mother has happy memories of her childhood and feels good about the way in which she is connected to her parents and siblings and they are to her, she will look for ways to recreate that experience in her own family. She may model the upbringing pattern of her mother.
Parents have big contribution toward their children. This is because the children first social environment is the home where they live. Family and parents will determine the first attitude toward others and social activities. Positive or negative development that the children have depends on what the parents to do to them. That is why the parents must play their role in proportional manner in order to get the best result of their children’s personality. Crow and Crow mention that a child’s behavior is influenced not only by the family attitude toward the treatme nt of himself but also the attitude displayed by the various member of the family toward one, another, their behavior at home, and the relationships to person and things outside home (1983: 167) .
Grandparents also play an important role in shaping one’s personality. The influences of grandparents depend on how long they live and what roles they play in one family. The longer they live, the greater the influences they bring toward their grandchildren (Hurlock, 1974: 505).
B. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
15 CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY
In this chapter, the writer will discuss three parts namely subject matter, approach and method of the study. The subject matter deals with the major subject of the study. The approach concerns with the literary approach that the writer used to analyze the novel. Method of the study deals with the sources that the writer used in analyzing the study and the procedures concern with the steps used in completing the study.
A. Subject Matter
Sula is alone because Nel breaks off the friendship with Sula. Finally, Sula dies in a painful death, never feels loved, knowing that Nel and the entire town think poorly of her and judge herself of no value.
B. Approach
This study focuses on the influences of family on Sula Peace’s personality. The writer used psychological approach which involves the theory of psychology to understand literary works (Rohrberger, 1997: 6-15). The reason why the writer chose this approach is because the influence s of family on one’s personality can be revealed by psychological theories. That is why psychological approach is the most appropriate approach in discussing the problem in this study. By using psychological approach the analysis of the influences of family on Sula Peace’s personality could be done effectively.
C. Method of the Study
In order to complete the study, the writer uses method of the study in analyzing the influences of family on Sula Peace’s personality. It includes library research, primary and secondary data, and the procedures.
The secondary sources are sources that become the supporting source in giving information in the writer’s study. Firstly, Understanding Psychology written by Kasschau, Human Development(An Emergent Science) written by Pikunas, Child Development written by Hurlock, and The Adolescent written by Rice. Those books are used by the writer to find out the theories of personality. Secondly, the writer used some literary books, such as Understanding The Unseens written by Murphy, A Handbook of Critical Approaches to Literature
written by Guerin, et al., Modern Literary Theory written by R ice and Waugh, A Course Glossary of Contemporary-Literary Theory written by Hawthorn. The
literary books are used to get the theory of character and characterization and also the approaches.
Besides those books above, there are many other psychology books, literary, and internet sources that support the writer’s analysis. The complete information about all of the books that are used can be found in the bibliography of this study.
CHAPTER IV
ANALYSIS
In this chapter, the writer analyzes the problems. The writer uses all theories that support the analysis of the influences of family on Sula Peace’s personality in Toni Morrison’s Sula .
A. The Characteristics of Hannah Peace and Eva Peace .
Hannah Peace’s characteristics can be explored by using Murphy’s theory of character and characterization.
` 1. The Characteristics of Hannah Peace, Sula’s Mother. a. An Attractive and Flirtatious Woman
Hannah, Sula’s mother, is described as an attractive and beautiful woman. Many men in the area where she lives are attracted to her. She is aware of her beauty and uses it to seduce men around her.
She made men aware of her behind, her slim ankles, the dew smooth skin and incredible the length of the neck. Then the smile eyes, the turn of the heads - all so welcoming, light and playful. Her voice trailed, dipped and bowed; she gave a chord to the simplest words. Nobody, but nobody, could say “hey sugar” like Hannah. (p.42-43)
Hannah can break up a marriage . What she wants after her husband dies is some touching everyday. While women always talk about her, surprisingly men never gossip about her. Men consider that she is a kind and generous woman with her extraordinary beauty. The men try to protect her from their wives ’ anger.
b. A Woman Who Believes in Non-Commitment Relationship with Men Hannah rejects commitment in her relationship. She does not believe in love anymore. She chooses to be a single woman since the death of her husband. She will not sleep with the men after love-making because it implies a measure of trust and a definite commitment for her. Hannah will do everything for lovemaking. When there are no places for private and spontaneous love making in her mother’s big crowded house, she will take the man down into the cellar in summer or into the pantry when it is winter. When those places are not available, she will go to the seldom-used parlor or to her bedroom. She loves the last place, because her partner’s tendency is always to fall asleep afterwards and Hannah will leave her lovers to sleep alone in her bedroom. She is fastidious about whom she sleeps with. She always avoids sleeping with those men.
She would fuck practically anything, but sleeping with someone implied for her a measure of trust and a definite commitment. (p.44- 45)
c. An Irresponsible Mother
in her family. She may model her mothering upon her mother’s example (1969: 61). Hannah Peace does not have good memories about her childhood. She never remembers that her mother ever plays with her and her siblings. Eva Peace, her mother, only cares about how to keep her children survive who only fulfills her children’s physical needs. Hannah does not feel the love from her mother because there are not enough attentions from her.
The second strange thing was Hannah’s coming into her mother’s room with an empty bowl and peck of Kentucky wonders and saying, “Mamma, did you ever love us?” She sang the words like a small child saying a piece at Easter” (p. 68)
Hannah is not the typical of a good mother. As a good mother, she should teach Sula good values as the basis of her personality. She never cares and pays attention to her daughter because she is always busy with her business. Besides, she shows many bad attitudes about her relationship with many men to her daughter, Sula Peace. Hannah also says that she does not like Sula.
“Well, Hester grown now and I can’t say love is exactly what I feel.” “Sure you do. You love her, like I love Sula. I just don’t like her. That’s the difference.”
“Guess so. Likin’ them is another thing.”
“Sure. They are different people, you know….”(p.57)
2. The Characteristics of Eva Peace as Sula’s Grandmother a. An Attractive Woman
The Peace women simply loved maleness, for its own sake, Eva, old she was, with one leg, had a regular flock of gentlemen callers, and although she did not participate in the act of love, there was a good deal of teasing and pecking and laughter. The man wanted to see he r lovely calf, that neat shoe, and watch the focusing that sometimes swept down out of the distances in her eyes. They wanted to see the joy in her face as they settled down to play checkers, knowing the even when she beat them, as she almost did, somehow, in her presence, it was they who had won something. (p.41)
b. An Independent and Tough Woman
Eva peace is a widow with three children. Her husband, Boy-Boy, leaves her after five years of a sad and terrible marriage. He likes to drink, womanize and abuse Eva Peace. He leaves Eva with their three children and no money. Eva is described as a tough and independent woman. Although her anger is great at the day when her husband marries another woman, she knows that she has to survive for her three beloved children. She decides to leave Bottom, the area where she lives. She goes to the city for earning money. She leaves her children with her neighbor Mrs. Suggs for eighteen months. When she returns to Bottom, she changes physically. She only has one leg.” Eighteen months later she swept down from a wagon with two crutches, a new black pocketbook, and one leg”(p.34) .
Eva Peace is a tough woman. When she is in the city, she does not get a good job. At that time, it is very hard for Black people especially a woman to get the better living. She realizes that her three children need her soon so she chooses the short way to get much money. She loses her leg. Nobody knows exactly how she loses her leg but they believe she does a great thing to earn money.
c. A Spontaneous Woman
She often does something without thinking about the long term effects. One of her greatest mistake s is burning her own son, Plum. Plum has a traumatic experience. He experienced a post-war trauma which is commonly experienced by soldiers. Hannah cannot stand seeing her son’s suffering, so she decides to end her son’s life. She thinks that Plum’s life is worthless since the war ends and it is better to end Plum’s life than to see his suffering. She kills her own flesh and blood. She tells the members of house that it is done by the feeling of a mother’s love.
Eva stepped back from the bed and let the crutches rest under her arms. She rolled back a bit newspaper into a tight stick about 6 inches long, and lit it and threw it onto be d, where the kerosene soaked Plum lay in snug delight. (p.47)
d. Rebellious and Stubborn Woman
B. The Influences of Hannah Peace and Eva Peace on Sula Peace’s Personality
Hurlock says that there are some determinants which influence one’s personality. One of the determinants or the most important factor is family. Hurlock says that family’s influence on one’s personality is the greatest when the major part of one’s time is spent in the home and with the members of family (1974: 351). Family is defined as a group of people who have relation in blood. Pikunas also states that family is the primary agent and the starting point of one’s personality where a child will learn the values and social relationships in the society by watching the parents (1989: 124). T his study reveals the influences of Hannah Peace, Sula’s mother and Eva Peace, Sula’s grandmother. They give big influence to Sula’s personality. In order to make the discussion clearer and more organized the writer will divide the influences into two sub categories, the influence of Hannah Peace and the influences of Eva Peace.
1. The Influences of Hannah Peace
a. Sula’s Perception of Being Attractive
Later, people will consider that the birth mark over Sula’s face is a symbol of evil which makes her different from other women.
Sula flaunts the community's and society's conventions. Sula was a heavy brown with large quiet eyes, one of which featured a birthmark that spread from the middle of the lid toward the eyebrow, shaped something like a stemmed rose. It gave her otherwise plain face a broken excitement and blue-blade threat like the keloid scar of the razored man who sometimes played checkers with her grandmother. The birthmark was to grow darker as the years passed, but now it was the same shade as her gold-flecked eyes, which, to the end, were as steady and clean as rain. (p.52-53)
Hannah Peace is a very beautiful woman. Men are attracted to her, not only because of her beauty but also her attitude. Sula does not have the beauty of her mother but when she is an adult, she knows how to be an attractive woman like her mother. She goes to college and returns after ten years leaving Bottom. People around the Bottom are surprised that Sula transforms into an attractive woman just like her mother. Hannah puts a huge contribution toward Sula’s personality. Sula’s mother gives her a perception that being a woman should be attractive. She learns much about dressing-up. She realizes that one of the ways to be an attractive woman is to become a good-looking woman. Through her appearance, men will be attracted to her. She learns it from her mother when she was a child.
The writer believes that the transformation of Sula Peace is the influence of her mother. As a young woman, she will be proud when a lot of men are attracted to her.
According to Medinnus, there are three main parental variables which influence the personality of their children. They are parent’s personality, behavior and attitude (1969: 347). When Sula was a child, her mother has a lot of affairs with men. Then, as a young woman, Sula serves the mirror which reflects her mother’s behavior. She becomes a flirtatious woman too. She does what her mother does in her childhood. She seduces men, single or married, to get sexual pleasure.
b. Sula’s Belief in Non-Commitment Relationship with Men
Sula has a lot of affairs with White men when she is in the city. The people in Bottom consider her as a bad woman because she sleeps with Whites (p.112). Hannah sleeps with many men since the death of her husband. She will have lovemaking with married men or single men. She does not care with the feeling of their wives. Seeing her mother’s action teaches Sula that having sex frequently is pleasant. Seeing different men come is something commonly happen in her house. When she was a child, she often sees men sleep on her bed because she sleeps on the same bed with her mother.
is different from the other girls who live in Bottom. When other children giggle about underwear, she has already known about lovemaking before her mature age. Sula came home from school and found her mother in the bed, curled spoon in the arms of a man. Seeing her step so easily into the pantry and emerge looking precisely as she did when she entered, only happier taught Sula that sex is pleasant and frequent, but otherwise unremarkable.(p.44) Actually, Sula has a very good relationship with her only friend, Nel Wright, but Sula breaks up her friendship because of her own mistake. She sleeps with her friend’s husband. She does the action because she wants to feel what Nel feels. She wants Nel to understand that love is measured and risky (p.143-144). Love can destroy someone and Sula shows it to Nel by sleeping with Jude. Sula does not believe in commitment and commitment exists because of love. Nel loves Jude, but Jude leaves her. It clearly explains that love is risky.
guidance from her mother or her grandmother to lead her to choose the right partner in life.
c. Sula’s Feeling of Insecurity
Mother is a primary and a major nurturing figure for a child, particularly a small child. She is an expert in child-rearing technique (Lidz, 1968: 58). Mother’s behavior affects the child’s personality very much, for exa mple, when a mother gives advice about the problem rather than solve the problem, the child will feel that his mother is a good friend to share their problems. It is the role of an advisor. Hannah Peace is a single parent. As a mother who has only one child, she should care about her daughter’s problem but she does not. She never asks Sula about the problem she has in her school or among her peers. She never praises Sula when Sula does something good or scorns Sula when she does bad thing. She never gives Sula any direction about which things are good and bad.
As for Nel, she preferred Sula’s wooly house, where a pot of something was always cooking on the stove; where the mother Hannah, never scolded or gave directions; where all sorts of people dropped in. (p. 29)
her mother. When her mother is burned, Sula does not help her. She enjoys watching her mother burned.
Sula was probably struck dumb, as anybody would be who saw her own mamma burn up. Eva said yes, but inside she disagreed and remained convinced that Sula had watched Hannah burn not because she was paralyzed, but because she was interested. (p.78)
A child who was rejected develops feelings of insecurity and inferiority because it seemed to him that if he were unworthy of parental love, he was evidently worthless. A low conception of the self resulted from a low view of the child by his parents (Hurlock, 1969: 359). Also, according Hurlock, when she describes about some typical parental attitudes, she explains that rejection of the child by his parents can be shown by parents’ attitude. They will never pay attention to the child and never care about their child’s needs. This leads to resentment, feelings of helplessness, frustrations, nervous mannerism, and hostility to others, especially those who are smaller and weaker (1974: 497).
Her insecure feeling continues until she is an adult. It can be shown when she puts Eva Peace, her grandmother into Sunnydale, a place for old folks. Besides it shows Sula’s insecure feeling, it also shows of Sula’s irresponsibility. She is afraid that someday Eva will burn her like what she does to her own son. Sula thinks that she should protect herself by putting Eva there.
“Scared ?of Eva ?”
“You don’t know her. Did you know that she burnt Plum?” “Oh, I heard that years ago. But nobody put no stock in it.”
d. Sula’s Disrespect to Others
Sula has no respect to the elder. In other words, she is an impolite person. It is not common for a woman to tell her grandmother that she needs to shut her mouth up and maybe one night she might set her on fire. She talks to Eva roughly, when Eva says that Sula should have been burned. It shows that Sula does not like Eva Peace. She also ignores Eva by refusing the idea of getting married.
“Don’t talk to me about no burning. You watched your own mamma. You crazy roach! You the one should have been burnt.
“But I ain’t. Any more fires in this house. I’m lighting them!” (p.93)
e. Sula’s Irresponsibility
Parents are the most influential figure in the first few years for the children that why the parent-child relationship is important for children. Parents can transmit the values and attitudes by telling the children to value other people, things and situations. They can direct their children to act and behave to the approved pattern they like or the social group that they are identified (Hurlock, 1974 : 234-352). Hannah never teaches Sula good values in life when Sula is a child. Good values are the basic principles of personality in childhood. A good mother should be aware about this. If the child does not have good concept or a good model, he will do everything he wants.
death (p.60). Another evidence which shows her irresponsibility is when she puts Eva in the house for old folks, Sunnydale.
The writer considers that Sula’s irresponsibility is the influence of her mother. She never guides Sula to learn about the good values in community. Sula does not receive love inside her house, and then she looks for it in someone else outside her house. She finds it inside Nel Wright who comes from a different family. Nel’s family is a good frame of a B lack family. Both Sula and Nel are actually solitary children. They do not find happiness in their own houses. They are raised in different ways. Nel’s’ mother is a conventional mother who follows society’s rules and she really admires the beauty of woman. Nel should obey her mother’s orders, whether she likes it or not. They share their childhood together.
Their meeting was fortunate, for it let them use each other to grow on. Daughters of distant mothers and incomprehensible fathers (Sula’s because he was dead; Nel’s because he wasn’t), they found in each other’s eyes the intimacy they were looking for. (p.52)
When they graduate from senior high school, they are separated. Nel is married and Sula continues her study in the city. Sula does not meet Nel for ten years and there are no letters during it. When Sula returns, Nel is the happiest person who knows it because her marriage is getting bored with Jude. Finally, Sula breaks her friendship with Nel because she sleeps with Jude, Nel’s husband.
2. The Influences of Eva Peace a. Sula’s Spontaneity
spontaneous person. She always does something without thinking the long effect. It can be seen from the incident when some Irish Boys are bullying Nel, Sula tries to protect her by mutilating her own finger to make them scared of her.
Holding the knife in her right hand, she pulled the slate toward her and pressed her left forefinger down hard to its edge. Her aim was determined but inaccurate. She slashed off only the tip of her finger. Sula raised her eyes to them. Her voice was so quiet. “If i can do to my self, what you suppose I’ll do to you?” ( p.54-55)
b. Sula’s Independence
c. Sula’s Toughness
According Hurlock, the role of grandparents is the most important determinant on family relationship, especially, when the grandparents live in one house with their grandchildren. They are as the models for their grandchildren, mainly grandmother. She will affect her grandchildren’s personality, if she stays in a long time with them and has great role in the fa mily. It is known that a child usually forms the value of life based on her family background first (1974: 505). Sula moves to her grandmother’s house when she is three years old and her mother dies ten years later. She keeps living with her grandmother. Eva Peace influences Sula greatly in her personality because she is a dominant person.
thinks that Sula’s existence has caused the death of other people. They tell the rumor that Mr. Finley’s death is caused by her and those bad things happen because of her.
Other things happened, Mr. Finley sat on his porch sucking chicken bones, as he had done for thirteen years, looked at up, saw Sula, chocked on a bone and died on the spot. That incident and Teapot’s mamma cleared up everybody the meaning of the birthmark over her eye: it was not a stemmed rose, or a snake, it was Hannah’s ashes marking her from the very beginning. (p.114)
The community sees Sula as evil for it is shown how an oddity of nature that emerges with a natural disaster emerged when Sula returns to B ottom.
In spite of their fear, they reacted to the oppressive oddity, or what they called evil days. With an acceptance that bordered on welcome. Such evil must be avoided, they felt and precautions must naturally be taken protect themselves from it. But they let it run its course, fulfill itself, and never invented ways either to alter it. To annihilate it or to prevent its happening again. So also were they with people. (p.90)
They do not want to kill her or to destroy her. They simply protect themselves from her. They regard her as an evil person for neglecting the cultural mores of being a different woman
Community also judges her as a pariah because of her attitudes and Sula knows it but she does not care about it. She thinks that she knows the best for herself and ignores others’ opinion.
She was pariah, then, and knew it. Knew that they despised her and believed that they framed their hatred as disgust for easy way she lay with men. Which was true. She went to bed with men as frequently as she could. (p.122)
In 1939, Sula begins a love affair with Ajax. Ajax likes Sula because Sula is different from others, because her willingness in a sexual relationship is based upon the free will rather than marital obligation. Then, Sula discovers the meaning of possession in her relationship with Ajax. Then, she is thinking of taking care of Ajax. Sula feels that her love -relation with Ajax is a real pleasure she has been searching for. They have genuine conversations just like what Sula has been looking for.
But it was not the presents that made her wrap him up in her thighs. They were charming of course (especially the jar of butterflies he let loose in the bed room), but her real pleasure was the fact she talked to her. They had genuine conversations. He did not speak down to her or at her, nor content her with the puerile questions about her life or monologues of his own activities. Thinking that she was possibly brilliant, like his mother, he seemed to expect brilliance for her and she delivered. (p.127-128)
Her relationship with Ajax is totally different. She feels comfortable with him. Ajax knows that Sula wants to possess the long relationship with him, he does not like this. He likes having relationship without any commitment, but when Sula wants more, he abandons her. Sula experiences the pain of the absence of a man for the first time in her life.
Sula began to discover what possession was. Not love perhaps, but possession or at least the desire for it. She was astounded by so new and alien a feeling. (p.131)
Sula’s suffering is greater since Jude abandons her. Moreover, the community judges her as a witch and her friend become one of them. Sula is totally alone but she knows that life must go on.
The way of Sula faces the community and all her problems shows her toughness. She is not depressed in her loneliness. She struggles to keep alive. Sula learns from her grandmother that life is difficult and she should face the community.
d. Sula’s Egoism
Sula lives alone since her coming in Bottom. Her mother dies and she puts her grandmother in Sunnydale. She has a sexual affair with her best friend’s husband, as the result her best friend, Nel Wright, hates her so much and becomes a part of community which hate Sula so much. Sula does not care about this condition. She always thinks that she can live alone without anybody, but actually she is lonely. This behavior is the result of her great independency. She believes that life is her own. She does not need anybody to accompany her miserable life. Sula is reminded that she needs someone to protect her. Still, she does not want someone to take care of her especially when she gets sick.
“Why? I can do it all, why can’t I have it all.”
“You can’t do it all alone…..you can’t act like a man. You can’t be walking around all independent-like, doing whatever you like, taking what you want, leaving what you don’t” (p. 142)
examples is taking Jude from Nel. She cannot differentiate between the good thing and bad thing. “Being good to somebody is just like being mean to somebody. Risky. “(p.145). She tries to rationalize all her actions. She knows that husbands in Bottom leave their family and she does not like the husband’s act. Still, she has an affair with her best friend’s husband and makes Nel suffer more. Nel is a good friend of Sula but she does not feel guilty at all. She is the only one who visits Sula when she is sick. She is the one who attends Sula’s funeral later.
She is a rebellion just like her grandmother. When she is child, she often sees her grandmother having debate with her friends. Sula learns that as a woman, she should depend on her own opinion, whether it is right or wrong. After her absence for ten years, Sula visits her grandmother. Eva asks her to get marry soon, but Sula refuses it. She has different view of marriage. She does not want to marry and she only wants to take care her self. Sula defends her own thoughts and argues about it.
“When you gone married? You need to have some babies. It’ll settle you.” “ I don’t want to make somebody else. I want to make my self.”
“Selfish. Ain’t no woman got no business floatin’ round without no man.” (p.92)
CHAPTER V
CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
This chapter will present the conclusion or findings of the analysis. Besides, this part will present the suggestion for future researchers and suggestions for teaching English using Literature through this novel.
A. CONCLUSIONS
After analyzing the novel, the writer comes to the conclusion that answers the problems formulation. Hannah Peace is characterized as an attractive and flirtatious woman. She seduces the men around her for her own pleasure. Since the death of her husband, she becomes a woman who believes in non-commitment relationship with men. Her relationships with men are frequent and short. She avoids making long relationships with men. She is an irresponsible mother because she never pays attention to her daughter. She never teaches her daughter about the good values in life.
Sula is influenced a lot by her mother, Hannah Peace and her grandmother, Eva Peace. Sula has a perception in her mind that a woman should be attractive. Being attractive, she seduces many men around her. She is a woman who believes in non commitment relationship. She never commits long relationships with any men. She just looks for pleasure from them. Watching her mother’s behaviors teaches Sula that lovemaking is pleasing. Her mother’s rejection brings many negative influences. She becomes an insecure and rude woman. Sula is also an irresponsible woman because her mother never puts the good values in life as the basic of one’s personality. Sula gets many influences from her grandmother. She becomes a spontaneous, independent, tough, rebellious, and stubborn woman.
B. SUGGESTIONS
There are two suggestions in this section. First ly, the suggestion is for future researchers. Secondly, the suggestion is for teaching reading for advanced level by using literary works, in this case Sula.
1. Suggestions for the Next Researchers
Toni Morrison’s Sula has a lot of valuable aspects for daily life. By reading this novel, we have got some information about human characters, human values, human feelings, human thoughts, human experiences, and human problem in the society.
personality. The next researcher can use the psychological approach to support the study. The other suggestion is analysis of Post Traumatic Disorder Symptom (PTSD) which is experienced by Plum and Shadrack. The stresses of combat could produce powerful and adverse effects on soldiers, the aftermath of war. The analysis of this problem could be analyzed by using psychological approach. Another suggestion is the women study. The next researcher can analyze a significant perception toward how Toni Morrison puts her concept and vision of marriage in Sula. It could be revealed by biographical approach. Another interesting study of this novel which could be revealed by using socio-cultural approach is analysis of the society. The next researchers could criticize the racism which happens in the Bottom society. Hopefully, the writer’s suggestions could be the consideration for the next researchers because Sula is a good reading.
2. Suggestion for Teaching Implementation
Secondly, it also widens and deepens our experience, sets our morals and regards the matters of truth, goodness and beauty.
Novels can be one good means to motivate students to read. If they are motivated, then we as teachers can help the students to improve the intention on reading habit. However, not all novels can make the students interested in reading. The writer suggests that Sula could be used as the topic text for reading task for the university students. The reason of this suggestion is not only because the writer use this novel as the subject of the research, but because the novel itself is full of life values. The novel can arouse the students’ interest in learning the novel.
Reading activities are planned to develop many types of skills (1987: 19). The students can learn more on grammar, vocabularies, and also different style of English. Sula uses Black English which the writer believes will be able to draw students’ attention because Black English is not commonly used. The language can enrich the students’ knowledge on English styles.
Gruoping is not only intended to make the students easierto share their opinions among other students but also to incxrease student’s participation in the class room. since the novel uses Black English which is rather difficult, the writer chooses pages 30 to 32 because the language in those pages are undestandable. This material will be given in the end of semester because of its level of difficulty.
There are three phases of reading activity. The first one is pre-reading activity. The purpose of this activity is to arouse the students’ interest to the passage given. The second phase is while-reading activity. The purpose of this phase is to know whether they understand the passage or not. Further, Williams states that this while -reading activity should begin with a general understanding of the text, then move to paragraphs, sentences, and words (1986: 45).The last phase is post-reading activity. The aim of this last phase is to know how much the students know and understand the material they read. To avoid boredom, the teachers can make groups of students to discuss the materials they just read. The writer will give suggestions on how to do this teaching reading activity, step by step.
1. Teacher asks pre reading questions.(10’) 2. Teacher gives the text materials to students.
3. Teacher asks the students to read the passage. (20’)
5. Teacher gives time to answer the while -reading questions in written form.
6. Teacher gives time to answer the post -reading questions in written form. (20’)
7. Teacher gives time for the students to discuss the answer.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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A PPENDIX 1
THE SUM M ARY OF SULA
The Bottom is a mostly black community in Ohio, situated in the hills
above the mostly white, wealthier community of Medallion. The Bottom first
became a community when a master gave it to his former slave. This "gift" was in
fact a trick: the master gave the former slave a poor stretch of hilly land,
convincing the slave the land was worthwhile by claiming that because it was
hilly, it was closer to heaven. The trick, though, led to the growth of a vibrant
community. Now the community faces a new threat; wealthy whites have taken a
liking to the land, and would like to destroy much of the town in order to build a
golf course.
Shadrack, a resident of the Bottom, fought in WWI. He returns a shattered
man, unable to accept the complexities of the world; he lives on the outskirts of
town, attempting to create order in his life. One of his methods involves
compartmentalizing his fear of death in a ritual he invents and names National
Suicide Day. The town is at first wary of him and his ritual, then, over time,
unthinkingly accepts him.
Meanwhile, the families of the children Nel and Sula are contrasted. Nel is
the product of a family that believes deeply in social conventions; hers is a stable
home, though some might characterize it as rigid. Nel is uncertain of the
conventional life her mother, Helene, wants for her; these doubts are hammered
home when she meets Rochelle, her grandmother and a former prostitute, the only
with her grandmother, Eva, and her mother, Hannah, both of whom are seen by
the town as eccentric and loose. Their house also serves as a home for three
informally adopted boys and a steady stream of borders.
Despite their differences, Sula and Nel become fiercely attached to each
other during adolescence. However, a traumatic accident changes everything. One
day, Sula playfully swings a neighborhood boy, Chicken Little, around by his
hands. When she loses her grip, the boy falls into a nearby river and drowns. They
never tell anyone about the accident even though they did not intend to harm the
boy. The two girls begin to grow apart. One day, in an accident, Sula's mother's
dress catches fire and she dies of the burns.
After high school, Nel chooses to marry and settles into the conventional role of
wife and mother. Sula follows a wildly divergent path and lives a life of fierce
independence and total disregard for social conventions. Shortly after Nel's
wedding, Sula leaves the Bottom for a period of 10 years. She has many affairs,
some with white men. However, she finds people following the same boring
routines elsewhere, so she returns to the Bottom and to Nel.
Upon her return, the town regards Sula as the very personification of evil
for her blatant disregard of social conventions. Their hatred in part rests upon
Sula's interracial relationships, but is crystallized when Sula has an affair with
Nel's husband, Jude, who subsequently abandons Nel. Ironically, the community's
labeling of Sula as evil actually improves their own lives. Her presence in the
community gives them the impetus to live harmoniously with one another. Nel
half-hearted reconciliation. With Sula's death, the harmony that had reigned in the
town quickly dissolves.
In 1965, with the Bottom facing the prospect of the white golf course, Nel
visits Eva in the nursing home. Eva accuses her of sharing the guilt for Chicken
Little's death. Her accusation forces Nel to confront the unfairness of her
judgment against Sula. Nel admits to herself that she had blamed his death
entirely on Sula and set herself up as the "good" half of the relationship. Nel
comes to realize that in the aftermath of Chicken Little's death she had too quickly
clung to social convention in an effort to define herself as "good." Nel goes to the
cemetery and mourns at Sula's grave, calling out Sula's name in sadness.
Sula is a novel about ambiguity. It questions and examines the terms
"good" and "evil," often demonstrating that the two often resemble one another.
The novel addresses the confusing mysteries of human emotions and
relationships, ultimately concluding that social conventions are inadequate as a
foundation for living one's life. The novel tempts the reader to apply the
diametrically opposed terms of "good and evil," "right and wrong" to the
characters and their actions, and yet simultaneously shows why it is necessary to
resist such temptation. While exploring the ways in which people try to make
meaning of lives filled with conflicts over race, gender, and simple idiosyncratic
points of views, Sula resists easy answers, demonstrating the ambiguity, beauty,
APPENDIX 2
THE BIOGRAPHY OF TONI MORRISON
Biographical Timeline :
Taken from : http://www.millikwn.edu/aci/crow/chronology/morrisonbio.html 1931 :
Ø Feb 18. Morrison is born in Lorain, Ohio. Her birth name is Chloe Anthony Wofford
1949
Ø Morrison graduates from Lorain High school with honors. She was one of the only black students in a predominantly white school. Ø Morrison begins studying at Howard University. She takes part in
the Howard University Players, who travel to the south and open her eyes to the conditions of African-Americans there.
Ø Morrison changes her first name to Toni, after frequent mispronunciation of her true name.
1953
Ø Morrison graduates from Howard university with a bachelor of Arts in English, and a minor in classics.
1955
Ø Morrison graduates from Cornell University with a Master of Art degree.
Ø Texas Southern University offers Morrison a teaching position 1957
Ø Morrison meets and marries Harold Morrison, a Jamaican architect.
1961
Ø Harold Ford, Morrison’s first son, is born 1964
Ø Harold and Toni Morrison divorce after having two sons.
Ø Random House textbooks in Syracuse, new York, appoints Toni as an associate editor
1970
Ø The Bluest Eye, Morrison’s first novel, is published. Based on a short story she wrote in the mid-1960s, it is welcomed with great critical reviews but little commercial success
1971
Ø The State University of New York at Purchase makes Morrison an associate professor of English
1973
Ø Sula, her second novel, is published. The novel centered on the friendship between two adult black women. It becomes an alternate selection for the Book-of-the-Month club and has excerpts published Redbook.
1975
Ø Sula is nominated for the National Book Award for fiction and receives the Ohiona Book Award.
1976
Ø Morrison becomes a visiting lecturer at Yale university. 1977
Ø Song of Solomon, a novel focusing on black males, is published Ø Song of Solomon win the National Book Critics Circle Award and the
American academy and Institute of Arts and Letters Award.
Ø Tar Baby, a novel dealing primarily with black/white interactions, is published.
Ø March 30-Morrison’s picture appears on the cover of Newsweek. 1983
Ø Morrison leaves her editorial job at Random House
1984
Ø The State University of New York in Albany names Morrison the Albert Schweitzer Professor of Humanities
1986
Ø January 4- Dreaming Emmett, Morrison’s first play, premieres in Albany at the Marketplace Theater. The play is written about the murder of Emmett Till, a black teenager killed by whites in Mississippi after being accused of flirting with a white woman.
1987
Ø Beloved is published. The novel is written about Margareth Garner, a slave who escaped in 1851 with her children and, when recaptured, attempted to kill her children rather than return them to a life of slavery.
Ø Morrison becomes the first black woman writer to hold a named chair at an Ivy League University, as she is named the Robert F. Goheen Professor in the Council of Humanities at P rinceton university.
Ø Beloved earns Morrison the New York State Governor’s Arts Award, the first Washington College Literary Award, a National Book Award nomination, and a National Book critics Circle Award nomination 1988
Ø Morrison wins the Pulitzer Prize in fiction for Beloved. The same year, she is given the Robert F. Kennedy Award for the novel.
1992
