From the archive: ‘Infertility stung me’: Black motherhood and me

Published in 1973, 'Sula' by Toni Morrison is a novel that delves into the intricate and often fraught relationship between two childhood friends, Sula Peace and Nel Wright, growing up in the African American community of the Bottom in Ohio. The narrative explores themes of friendship, identity, freedom, and the consequences of societal expectations. Sula, who challenges traditional norms and lives a life of independence, and Nel, who opts for a conventional life as a wife and mother, find their bond tested by a tragic incident and later by Sula's affair with Nel's husband. The novel questions the terms 'good' and 'evil', highlighting the ambiguity and complexity of human relationships and the impact of societal judgments. Through the characters' experiences, Morrison examines issues of motherhood, black masculinity, and the constraints faced by black people in a small-town environment.