Embedded Files
Sula tracks the lives of two Black heroines from their close-knit childhood in a small Ohio neighborhood called The Bottom, through their sharply divergent paths of womanhood. Nel Wright has chosen to marry, raise a family and become a pillar of the Black community. Sula Peace has rejected the life Nel has embraced, escaping from The Bottom, submerging herself in city life, and coming into her own as a woman more intellectually and sexually free than anyone around her. Eventually, Sula and Nel must face the consequences of their choices, and their complicated bond. Along with a mysterious third man named Shadrack, they create an unforgettable portrait of a strange American community, and the relationships, tragedies and triumphs that define it.
Big Ideas
The condition of women and the humiliating effects of slavery in a gender-biased society
The scars of slavery on the psyche
Confronting one’s anger releases pain
The horrors of war
Friendship assists us with defining who we are as individuals
Individual growth affects our friendships
There are stigmas that exist around mental health and mental illness
Succumbing to societal expectations of gender roles ultimately prevents people from being independent
Humans are complex beings, neither completely good nor completely evil
Friendship: One of the major thematic topics addressed in the novel Sula is that of friendship and what a true friendship is. Using your knowledge of the novel Sula as well your own anecdotal experience(s), write a 5-paragraph argumentative essay in which you evaluate the following statement: True friendship can withstand any test. Use appropriate, specific evidence to illustrate and develop your position.
Social Issues: Individually or as a class, brainstorm a list of social issues that come up in the novel Sula and formulate a thesis statement about that social issue in a 5-paragraph argumentatie essay which includes a counterclaim/counterargument.
Nature vs. Nurture: The nature versus nurture debate is one of the oldest philosophical issues within psychology. Nature refers to all of the genes and hereditary factors that influence who we are—from our physical appearance to our personality characteristics. Nurture refers to all the environmental variables that impact who we are, including our early childhood experiences, how we were raised, our social relationships, and our surrounding culture. Characters in the novel Sula were profoundly impacted by racism and trauma. Using your knowledge of the novel Sula as well as your own anecdotal experience(s), formulate a thesis statement about this nature vs. nurture debate in a 5-paragraph essay which includes a counterclaim/counterargument and addresses the following question: What affects human development more: nature or nurture?
Gentrification: Gentrification is defined as “the process whereby the character of a poor urban area is changed by wealthier people moving in, improving housing, and attracting new businesses, typically displacing current inhabitants in the process.” While gentrification is not the central focus of the novel Sula, the first and last chapters detail the gentrification and displacement of the Black people of “The Bottom” in the fictional town of Medallion, Ohio. Readers witness how this displacement impacts characters throughout the entire novel.
Lesson Guidance Documents : These documents provide guidance for lesson planning.
Lesson Guidance Documents : These documents provide guidance for lesson planning.
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