Abstract：Toni Morrison is a famous American black female writer. Sula is the second novel of Toni Morrison, it was rewarded the Nobel Prize of Literature in 1993. As an initiation story, Sula describes character’s growing experiences and the changes of their hometown “Bottom”, a black community. It is a masterpiece describing black women’s hard course of growth. 

Initiation story originated from German, describing the protagonist grows from innocent to mature. It can be simply described as three stages of innocence-experience-maturity. Basing on the theory of initiation story, this thesis intends to reflect the hard course of black women’s growth in Sula by showing Eva’s innocence, Sula’s insight and Nel’s transcendence.

This thesis consists of five chapters: Chapter one introduces Toni Morrison, the plots in Sula and the initiation theme embodied in Sula. Chapter two describes how Eva is bounded with traditional custom and introduces Sula’s independent personality formation and the influence of her rebellious behaviors and describes Nel’s self-discovery and self-realization under the influence of Sula. Chapter three concludes that though the course of growth is hard, black women finally succeed in interpreting the process of seeking the self.

Keywords:  Sula  black woman  initiation theme

Contents

Acknowledgements

Abstract

摘要

Chapter One Introduction-1

1.1 Introduction of Toni Morrison and Sula-1

1.2 A Brief Introduction to Initiation Theme-2

1.3 Introduction to Black Women’s Situation-3

Chapter Two Exploration of the Initiation Theme in Sula-4

2.1 Innocence and Bewilderment on the Road of Growth-4

2.1.1 Eva’s Creative Behavior-4

2.1.2 Eva’s Back to Conventional Behavior-4

2.2 Experience and Insight on the Road of Growth-5

2.2.1 Sula’s Personality Formation-5

2.2.2 Sula’s Rebellious Behavior-6

2.3 Maturity and Transcendence on the Road of Growth-7

2.3.1 Nel’s Rejection of Tradition in Her Childhood-7

2.3.2 Nel’s Enlightenment under the Influence of Sula-8

Chapter Three Conclusion-10

References-11