CP ENGLISH 11
U3H21
Name: ______________________________
Unit 3: Sister Outsider
Sula Paper Introduction
Date: _____________________
Section: 11.1 11.2 11.3
1. Prompt: As a final assessment for our work on Toni Morrison’s Sula, you will need to write a 2-3 page
paper analyzing the theme of gender in the novel.1 We encourage you to choose either the role of men
or of women in the book as the direct focus of your essay although you will inevitably want to refer to
both genders at least somewhat in your writing. In other words, you should essentially work from one
of the two following prompts:
a. What does the novel suggest about the role of women in society?
b. What does the novel suggest about the role of men in society?
2. Limits: As you begin to develop a thesis for this paper, you will want to consider carefully the bounds
(aka limits or conditions or qualifications) that you put on this thesis. In particular, you will want to
reflect on the following:
a. Race: If you are focusing on the role of females, will your argument about the novel be about
black women only or about all women in general? Similarly, if you are focusing on males in the
novel, is the book making a statement about only men of color or about all men in general?
b. Timing: Morrison published the novel in 1973, but the chapters focus on the years from 19191927, 1937-1941, and 1965. Some of the stories in the novel, such as Eva’s rough first winter in
Medallion, take place even earlier. Do you think the novel is making a statement only about life
in the early 20th century (aka early 1900s) or do you think its messages on gender are still
relevant? In other words, is the novel only commenting on gender issues during this earlier
time or is it commenting about gender issues that are more universal and relevant to the
present?
c. Other possible limits: Relationships (platonic, romantic, sexual, familial, etc.)
3. Sample Theses: Here are some silly, made-up theses to get you thinking about all this:
a. The book suggests that all black men in the early twentieth century secretly wanted to
become airline pilots.
i. Notes: This thesis focuses on men in the novel. It limits the argument to not only by race
(“black men”) but also in terms of timing (“in the early twentieth century”).
b. The novel implies that women everywhere are obsessed with fire.
i. Notes: This thesis instead focuses on women on the novel. It doesn’t limit the argument by
race (it doesn’t say just white or black women) not does it limit by timing—it doesn’t talk
about a specific time period, instead seeming to suggest that this is a universal truth about
all women throughout history.
Note: If you are interested in another theme in the book (love, friendship, race, death, etc), you must speak with your English
teacher to get permission to pursue this.
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4. Structure
a. Introduction
i. hook
ii. overview of the book
iii. thesis
b. At least three body paragraphs
i. clear topic sentences
ii. context on each piece of evidence
iii. textual evidence
iv. explanation / Tying evidence back to the thesis statement
c. Conclusion (restate thesis, so what)
i. restatement of thesis
ii. so what
5. Timeline (Week of 12/16)
a. Day 1 – Graphic organizer due (thesis, topic sentences, evidence)
b. Day 2 – First three paragraphs due (introduction, at least 2 body paragraphs)
c. Day 3 – Rough draft completed, printed, and in bin
d. Day 4 – Final draft completed, printed, and in bin
e. Note: For all these due dates, the expectation is that these tasks are completed by
830am on that day and work is submitted in the HW First bin. If you wish to receive
an extension on any part of this assessment, you must reach out to your English
teacher or Mr. Fish directly by 5pm before the day that it is due.
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Key Characters (Feel free to name them, draw them, etc)
Key Events
Key Words, Descriptors, Etc for These Characters
My Topic: (circle)
Women in Sula
Men in Sula
3
Key Motifs / Patterns Related to This Theme
My Topic (circle):
Women in Sula
Men in Sula
My Thesis:
Topic Sentence for Body Paragraph #1
(Supporting Claim #1):
Evidence:
Connection to Thesis:
Topic Sentence for Body Paragraph #2
(Supporting Claim #2):
Evidence:
Connection to Thesis:
Topic Sentence for Body Paragraph #3
(Supporting Claim #3):
Evidence:
Connection to Thesis:
Topic Sentence for Body Paragraph #4
(Optional)
(Supporting Claim #4):
Evidence:
Connection to Thesis:
4
My Name: