The Theme of Death in Sula

I. Introduction

A. Thesis statement: Toni Morrison’s Sula expresses death as part of life.
b. General observations about life versus death, vitality and degrees of being alive
C. Are there many deaths in the novel?
D. What kinds of death are included –physical, spiritual, psychological?
E. A sentence indicating the organization to follow

II. Body

A. Killing

1. Shadrack’s sanity destroyed by war experience fighting for racist government
2. Plum

a. War-drugs-debilitation
b. Eva kills him w/fire

3. Hannah w/words kills Sula’s trust in people

B. Suicide
1. Eva loses leg; gets insurance money
2. Plum uses drugs
3. Tar Baby – alcohol
4. Sula loses friends through promiscuity
5. Sula kills Eva by having her locked up

C. Accident
1. Chicken Little drowns
2. Hannah in yard fire
3. People of Bottom in tunnel demonstration

III. Conclusion

A. Restate thesis
B. Summarize how you have proven the thesis
C. Use Toni Morrison quote: "I can only teach by taking away."