Gender, Race And Culture

This thesis deals with the theme of "Sula" from the point of view of ethnic cultural feminism. Ethnic cultural feminism, specifically, is the convergence of feminism and ethnicity. As the women that Morrison celebrates in "Sula" are those who exhibit the traditional values of black womanhood, so the feminist position that she advocates for black women is one that aligns itself with the cultural values of the ethnic group-that validate the traditional beauty and strengths of black women. Three characters in the novel are examined in my thesis. Eva is a culture-bearer of black woman?the symbol of "ship and harbor". The title character Sula is a failed epitome of feminism, and Nel is a black woman who sticks to old ways of life without making any progress. My conclusion is: Sula and Nel are inseparable in that their convergence indicates the balance between white culture and black culture, also the combination of these two. "Superwoman", which is the specific role that African American women have to play in the future, bears this kind of character.