The title of the final chapter, 1965, is significant for a few reasons. It represents a leap of twenty-six years from the preceding chapter, a noteworthy amount considering that previously the largest time gap between chapters was just ten years. This immediately indicates to the reader that this chapter is going to be distinct from the others, and indeed the novel concludes itself here. Because of this large time gap, the question arises as to why Morrison specifically chose to resume the story in 19

65 – why not 1964 or 1966, for example? While this question is suggested by the text, it clearly does not answer it (Hermeneutic Code, Course Pack 102). Considering that the work concerns itself with black America, it would follow to look to history to understand what was happening in black America in 1965. One of the most significant events of that year took place in Alabama and has come to be known as Bloody Sunday (Ashkinaze). State troopers attacked a peaceful march of black protesters, causing not only unjust bloodshed, but also enabled national exposure to the plight of black Americans everywhere. Another important event of 1965 was the Vietnam War. Blacks in the military were subject to “unequal punishment, offensive and inflammatory language, prejudice in assignment of details, […] harassment by security police under orders to break up five or more blacks in a group and double standards in enforcement of regulation” (Jackson). A popular saying among the troops of the time, “no Vietnamese ever called me nigger,” echoes the dissent black America felt against the white status quo of the day (Jackson). A third significant event in 1965 was the death of Norman Morrison. Protesting the war in Vietnam, he stood outside the window of Secretary of Defence Robert McNamara’s office and lit himself on fire (McNamara 222). Clearly then, 1965 becomes, what critic Roland Barthes refers to as, a “connotative code” (or semes) (Coursepack 102). The history of political unrest and social turmoil evident throughout 1965 allows the reader to make a connection between challenges to the status quo of the day and the concluding chapter of Sula. This connection is heightened by the fact that, in the novel, both Hannah and Plum were burned alive, like Norman Morrison (Morrison 75, 47). And while Norman Morrison is not a relative of Toni Morrison, the reader can’t help but notice their same name – again allying the novel and Norman’s untimely end. Toni Morrison first published Sula in 1973, and would have been aware of all the events just mentioned. So while Toni and Norman’s shared family name is a coincidence, the title of the chapter which binds the two together is not. 1965 is specifically highlighted because it is set apart in time from the rest of the chapters, the distance between them too great not to be significant. The text then, is “a multi-dimensional space in which a variety of writings [...] blend and clash” – in a simple four character chapter-title Morrison has provided a deep and sweeping reference to the civil rights movement of the 1960’s (Course Pack 109).

Sula represents a feminist ideology whereby she does not allow others’ interpellation of her to affect how she chooses to live her life. Nel on the other hand is greatly affected by society’s interpellation, and this keeps her down, forces her to conform. Despite this, Nel is drawn to Sula’s power and freedom from an early age, though she does not understand why. After a lifetime of hardship, Nel finds herself in the quickly changing world of 1965. Where Sula might be said to have experienced a kind of personal civil rights movement – rejecting the artificial limitations of her class and sex – the rest of the world is only just catching up. It is only in this new world of change that Nel is able to come to terms with what Sula has done to her. She realizes that she can only understand her friend if she eliminates her old, societal interpellation of her and choose instead to view Sula using Sula’s own interpella

Some topics in this essay:
Virginia Woolf, Chicken Little, Course Pack, Nel Wright, Lord Sula, Despite Nel, Beautiful Losers, War Blacks, Sula Nel, Toni Norman’s, course pack, final chapter, changing world, black america, chicken little, status quo, morrison 163, norman morrison, casts aside, changing world 1965, death chicken, civil rights movement, course pack 101, status quo day, death chicken little,