The Nature And Women Under Patriarchy In Sula-a Study Of Sula From The Perspective Of Ecofeminism

Toni Morrison, a distinguished and influential writer in the20thcentury, is thefirst African American female writer honored with the Nobel Prize for Literature. Sula,Toni Morrison’s second novel, is highly impressive with strong characters andextraordinary writing styles. In Sula, Toni Morrison reveals us a variety of blackwomen images. Their living conditions, eccentric behaviors, inner spiritual worlds aswell as the background environment are all vividly presented. The novel explores theenvironmental crisis, sex discrimination, evil and goodness, life and death which is ofsignificance to research on it.The thesis makes a tentative reading on Toni Morrison’s Sula from theperspective of ecofeminism to explore the deep literary value of the novel. This thesiscriticizes the patriarchal system and calls for the establishment of a harmonioussociety which is enlightening and constructive in solving environmental crisis andcurrent social issues.The thesis is divided into six chapters. Chapter one briefly introduces the authorand her work Sula. In the second chapter, the paper has literature review of Sula bothat home and abroad. Chapter three presents theoretical approach—ecofemnism, inwhich the core information about the literary theory is introduced. In chapter four, theabnormality of nature and female characters in Sula are presented. Chapter five is thecore part of the thesis. Combining with the text and the literary theory, this partexplores nature and the female characters’ sufferings in the patriarchal society which isthe cause of their abnormality. Meanwhile, the thesis points out the overexploitationcould even cause devastating effects to the whole society. The last chapter focuses onthe theme and the significance of the study with a conclusion that nature and womenshould be treated with kindness and respect so that we can build a harmonious worldand guarantee the sustainable development of the world.