Toni Morrison - Sula

"These women grew up during a time when African Americans were still being discriminated against"


"The fact that Morrison ONLY writes about blacks and oppression limits her writing even more. Do not mistake me in thinking Sula isn't also about women, motherhood, and families, but, then again, so are most of her novels ... Is the only way to write a story about black people to write about when they were oppressed, segregated and enslaved? I thought it was more complex than that."

YEAH, WHY DON'T PEOPLE EVER WRITE ABOUT THAT PERIOD OF HISTORY WHEN AFRICAN-AMERICANS WEREN'T OPPRESSED


"The literature was contradictory in that Ms. Morrison writes beautfully but at the same time includes language and depictions that are very unbecoming and unnecessary."


"The book contained mature content and was extremely difficult to follow ... It wouldn’t have hurt to leave out the inappropriate words, particularly in the beginning of the novel ... Also, the author could have excluded the scenes containing mature content without affecting the meaning of the novel. Toni Morrison wrote about Sula having an affair with a man she hardly knew. Several of the graphic details could have been omitted including, '... (she) let her breasts graze his chest,' (page 130) and, 'he swallowed her mouth just as her thighs...' (page 131) ... It was unnecessary for Toni Morrison to include several scenes containing slightly overrated content ... I certainly did not need to read about their explicit escapades and was shocked by the amount of detail the author included. This novel was bizarre and atypical"


"I think what really bothers me is that, mostly written as 3rd person, there are two small sections that occur well over 100 pages (more than halfway) through the novel that shift to 1st person. I feel like that kind of breaks a contract you have with your reader."


"the characters weren't very rootable"


"This author needs some serious therapy."


"Too pretentious a language to describe simple people. I can only wonder what about this is AP-Conference worthy..."


"Toni Morrison seems to me like a potential writer without a real story to tell ... It is probably blasphemy for a white man (such as myself) to criticize a renowned black female writer. But I'm going to. Because her writing, beautiful though it is, isn't literature."


"Literature?
I'd be insulted by the content if I were of that culture.... There was nothing redeeming about the characters or the plot ... I'd not consider it material for an American Lit course, maybe a course on women writers, but definately NOT literature!"


"Such prose is not southern gothic - it's simply nonsense. Do not mention Faulkner in relation to this author - that is insulting a literary treasure. In fact, novels of this mediocrity should never be discussed as literature at all."


"I have never read anything by Morrison before, but as an English major I was open to anything. This was a confusing, incoherent, and pointless work. What was I supposed to gain from this piece? Many students in my class were just as baffled (and frightened; we were being graded on this. . .) as I was. I would have preferred the classics like Wharton, Austen, and the Bronte sisters--I leave their works with complete satisfaction that I gained something from them. After all, isn't that what literature is all about?"


"Very stupid book
I think books with stories like this should not be celebrated. Sula as the main character lacks moral standards and principles. I just could not believe that it has won the Pulitzer Prize. Please please please do not read it!!!"


"Primarily, I think it is a ronchy story which I don't care for - even if it does portray a certain culture and way of life. It (the ronchy way of living) shouldn't exist any more and the characters habits and ways of living should be tamed ... the way these African-Americans people live is atrocious and appalling. I can't believe that people live like this. If this is close to realistic then we've got a problem with society. We should all be worried with people living like animals."