Similarly, Sula overcomes the challenges in the racist and sexist community. For example, four boys stop Sula and Nel on the way home, and bully these two girls. Sula stays calm and holds a knife to cut her figure, saying “If I can do that to myself, what you suppose I’ll do to you?” (Morrison, 2002, p. 80) Her brave behavior frightens the boys away. Unlike many women stays whole life at the Bottom being subordinated to husband, and fulfilling obligation of caring the children and the elderly, Sula leaves the Bottom to pursue education and economic independence with her experimental life in many big cities. She accepts interracial relationship with white man, but she refuses to settle down for marriage and caring children in her return. She
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He appears in the beginning of the story as the minor character. I was confused about his behaviors because he seems experiencing post-trauma after the war. His unexpected visitor, the only friend to visit his home, Sula, brings a sense of welcome. Until he knows the death of his friend, he decides to continue his annual ritual to compartmentalize his fear of death. In fact, it turns out to be the march of social justice. Shadrack, representing the black veterans who do not receive equal benefit as the white veterans, is also the key character that leads to social change in black community. Shadrack and Plum are the veterans return from World War I. Like many veterans, they suffer from physical and emotional trauma, but they do not receive services as white veterans. People treat African-Americans veterans with only little respect for their contribution. According to our text book, the social welfare for veterans has been expanded as the close of the war. For instance, in 1917 federal government offers a new package of benefits and services for veterans, so that they can receive “readjustment and rehabilitation services, along with monetary benefits”, but at the end of the war, “the necessarily rapid expansion of in-hospital services to meet the needs of wounded veterans helped clarify the returning veterans’ need for outpatient and nonmedical services” (Stren and Axinn, 2012, p.146-147). Shadrack and Plum are those returning veterans who need the outpatient and nonmedical services. However, they are excluded out to receive the equal veteran benefits because of racism against African-Americans. As a result, Shadrack is pick out from hospital, and Plum has no help to get rid of heroin
He appears in the beginning of the story as the minor character. I was confused about his behaviors because he seems experiencing post-trauma after the war. His unexpected visitor, the only friend to visit his home, Sula, brings a sense of welcome. Until he knows the death of his friend, he decides to continue his annual ritual to compartmentalize his fear of death. In fact, it turns out to be the march of social justice. Shadrack, representing the black veterans who do not receive equal benefit as the white veterans, is also the key character that leads to social change in black community. Shadrack and Plum are the veterans return from World War I. Like many veterans, they suffer from physical and emotional trauma, but they do not receive services as white veterans. People treat African-Americans veterans with only little respect for their contribution. According to our text book, the social welfare for veterans has been expanded as the close of the war. For instance, in 1917 federal government offers a new package of benefits and services for veterans, so that they can receive “readjustment and rehabilitation services, along with monetary benefits”, but at the end of the war, “the necessarily rapid expansion of in-hospital services to meet the needs of wounded veterans helped clarify the returning veterans’ need for outpatient and nonmedical services” (Stren and Axinn, 2012, p.146-147). Shadrack and Plum are those returning veterans who need the outpatient and nonmedical services. However, they are excluded out to receive the equal veteran benefits because of racism against African-Americans. As a result, Shadrack is pick out from hospital, and Plum has no help to get rid of heroin