Playing in the Marginal Space: Unlearning and Queering the Master’s Narrative in Toni Morrison’s Sula
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This essay explores how Morrison interrogates the mainstreamAmerican culture and shapes counter-cultural spaces in her second novelSula. More specifically, this essay closely analyzes how Shadrack andSula, who are considered social outcasts, build up a counter-culturalspace and achieves freedom and the sense of agency right in the middleof oppressive ground. The first part examines how Shadrack in Sula, ashell-shocked veteran, subtly makes resistant gestures taking advantageof his insanity as a way to excuse his abnormal behaviors. In the novel,Shadrack regresses to the non-verbal space or the imaginary dimensionin Lacanian term in the process of reclaiming his sense of identity. However, Shadrack’s regression to the non-verbal space helps him tounlearn not only his cultural knowledge but also the negativity of hisblack identity. And more significantly, Shadrack’s ability to unlearn thesocial norms empowers him to constitute a National Suicide Day thateventually serves as a counter cultural space for black people. The secondpart of this essay discusses Sula’s queer identity. Morrison describesSula as a character that eludes all the categorical identities. This essayexamines how Morrison envisions a true sense of freedom through Sula’squeer identity nullifying the moral, racial, and sexual borderlines.
Abstract
This essay explores how Morrison interrogates the mainstreamAmerican culture and shapes counter-cultural spaces in her second novelSula. More specifically, this essay closely analyzes how Shadrack andSula, who are considered social outcasts, build up a counter-culturalspace and achieves freedom and the sense of agency right in the middleof oppressive ground. The first part examines how Shadrack in Sula, ashell-shocked veteran, subtly makes resistant gestures taking advantageof his insanity as a way to excuse his abnormal behaviors. In the novel,Shadrack regresses to the non-verbal space or the imaginary dimensionin Lacanian term in the process of reclaiming his sense of identity. However, Shadrack’s regression to the non-verbal space helps him tounlearn not only his cultural knowledge but also the negativity of hisblack identity. And more significantly, Shadrack’s ability to unlearn thesocial norms empowers him to constitute a National Suicide Day thateventually serves as a counter cultural space for black people. The secondpart of this essay discusses Sula’s queer identity. Morrison describesSula as a character that eludes all the categorical identities. This essayexamines how Morrison envisions a true sense of freedom through Sula’squeer identity nullifying the moral, racial, and sexual borderlines.
참고문헌 (21)
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