Frustration and Denial in Morrison's Sula A book that is celebrated primarily for its story about friendship turns out to have a larger theme and role in literature. “In Search of Self: Frustration and Denial in Sula by Toni Morrison,” author Maria Nigro believes that Sula has much more important themes in modern literature. "Sula celebrates many lives: it is the story of the friendship of two African American women; but above all it is the story of a community" (1). And it is not just any community, it is the community of the Fund. African Americans who are a working class community. Their main problem is to survive. They must work whatever jobs they can get so that they and their families can live a life with food and a roof under their heads. These jobs and sacrifices shape each of their lives. Nigro argues that this is Sula's most important theme because working-class people have been excluded from modern literature. “literature was created for the cultural elite, and the rest of us have come to view literature as a reflection of an elitist lifestyle that the common person cannot hope to relate to” (1). Sula proves to fill this missing void in the world of literature. A community that seems to have all the cards stacked against it. To be black in this era, 1915 to 1965, is to fight for survival. It means skimping to get by, doing menial jobs, doing everything you can to get by. Nigro goes on to describe Sula's women. Eva's struggles after Boy-Boy leaves, unable to find a well-paying job because she was a black woman. Finding yourself sacrificing your leg for the love of your children. How Eva Shaped Her Life... middle of paper... introduction I believed that Nigro thought the novel was important because it gave every working class person representation in today's literature. But ultimately it is clear that he intended to give the working-class African-American person, if not the entire race, representation in today's literature. Even though each group, African American and working class, are missing from today's literature; I think Nigro could have made his purpose or thoughts a little clearer. This article gave me a broader perspective on the whole topic of Sula. And since I chose to write about the women of Sula and their struggles to survive, I found the article very helpful in narrowing my topic. And while his thesis may not fit the entire article, Nigro certainly understood Sula, women, and the novel's many themes..