Sula: Crash Course Literature 309

This week, John is talking about Toni Morrison's novel of friendship, betrayal, and loss, Sula. Sula tells the story of two African American girls, the town where they grew up, the tragic even that was central to their youth, and the very different people they became.
Want to learn more about Toni Morrison? Check out this episode of Crash Course Black American History: • Toni Morrison: Crash C...
***
Consider supporting local book stores by purchasing your books through our Bookshop affiliate link bookshop.org/s... or at your local book seller.
Crash Course is on Patreon! You can support us directly by signing up at / crashcourse
Thanks to the following Patrons for their generous monthly contributions that help keep Crash Course free for everyone forever:
Nicolas Toscano, Michael Hunt, Robert Leland, Thomas Frank, Mattia Mariani, Harry Brisson, Mark, Robert Kunz, Melissa Briski, Jeffrey Thompson, Jason A Saslow, Rizwan Kassim, Steve Marshall, Rachel Bright, Kyle Anderson, Ian Dundore, Amanda Houle, Tim Curwick, Anna Windle, Caleb Weeks, Andrei Krishkevich, Brian Thomas Gossett, Chris Peters, Sheikh Kori Rahman, Kathy & Tim Philip, Mayumi Maeda, Eric Kitchen, SR Foxley, Justin Zingsheim, Moritz Schmidt, Bader AlGhamdi, Eiryn Hegland, Jessica Wode, Daniel Baulig & Jirat
--
Want to find Crash Course elsewhere on the internet?
Facebook - / youtubecrashcourse
Twitter - / thecrashcourse
Tumblr - / thecrashcourse
Support Crash Course on Patreon: / crashcourse
CC Kids: / crashcoursekids

[@Ceallai]

I read Sula for an English Foreign Language class I had to take in high school in France (the logic was that I'd learn French there while the others learned English). I've since discovered that while I love Toni Morrison's books, I can only spend about 30mins reading them at a time, because they're so emotionally and descriptively intense that otherwise I can't emerge back into the real world for hours, even days.

[@kyrathedestroyer_]

EmmaK facts sis. they’re great but they get you in the emotions

[@walk.]

If you are watching this video, you are a beautiful person and have an amazing day 😊😊😊

[@lawrencecalablaster568]

:) Thank you! You too! It always makes me very happy to see friendly people in the comments.

[@GinnyNReviews]

+

[@amegenshiken]

+

[@WhaleManMan]

Thank you for that beautiful copy and paste.

[@anthonyzapata1600]

+

[@orangecamo1]

As someone who uses crash course a lot in their classes and watches almost all of them, I think this is perhaps one of the best ones that they have produced.

[@tunrayojackson]

John please continue to talk about african american literature and even other minorities as this is the only place I know at least that talks about these wonderful books by amazing authors on such a big scale that is accessible for different people of all races. I know black blog posts and reviewers that talk about african american and african literature but because of how small they are many people dont know them.

[@heatherswanson1664]

More black literature please, I'd love to hear your analysis of The Bluest Eye, The Colour Purple, or I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings.

[@incorporealnuance]

I can never understand why people hate talking about these themes so much that they label everything "SJW". Why are people so regressive and slimy? What it wrong with these people? How can they live so closemindedly? I remember being like that when I was a little kid, and I'm glad I grew out of that.

[@incorporealnuance]

***** I was raised as one of those terrifying christian wingnuts that thought you were going to hell for everything, even though my parents didn't want that. A combination of my rebellious teenage years, and my excessive empathy (it's even hard for me to hurt or kill things like bugs, spiders, and other pests) made me develop rules for myself that's probably saved me more than any religion. As for how long it took? God, years, and even then I was already hypersensitive to the pain and emotions of other people as a kid. Short answer, I don't really know, and I'm sorry I can't give a better answer :'0

[@incorporealnuance]

***** I bet they would have complained anyway... but you're right, I think. I actually like hearing about these kinds of stories and I'm already getting sick of them. There are so many books with so many themes! I realize this is important but if you make something a chore, even a good thing, no one's going to want to sit through it.

[@incorporealnuance]

***** No, I mean I wasn't arguing. They've been pretty anvilicious, I'm agreeing that focusing on entirely one theme for the entire season irritated people justly, regardless of what it was.

[@LittleLion93]

Calling someone SJW is pretty much the same (dumb) tactic that lefties uses with the world "racist" but SWJ is used by the right wing, pretty much it means nothing (or just what the speaker wants it to mean). I'm pretty sure that if I say that black people have the same rights of everybody else I will be labeled as SWJ/socialist/comunist/marxist etc. Of course is completely ridiculous!

[@incorporealnuance]

LittleLion93 There was this one person on the internet I talked to (it was years ago so I don't have a source) that I literally asked what his opinions were, and it was all pro-feminist stuff, but when I said "Oh, so you're feminist" he like fukkin hissed like a wild animal, so mad at me it was like I set his dog on fire. People get so worked up about just the names of these things, it's so hard just to talk about it without wildly misunderstanding people.

[@QUARTERMASTEREMI6]

_"Why, then, ’tis none to you, for there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so."_ -Hamlet, Act II. Scene II

[@musicalintentions]

I had never heard of this book, but now I'm interested in reading it. Thank you for sharing your critical observations with the world.

[@lawrencecalablaster568]

Toni Morrison is amazing :)

[@andreweverton162]

+

[@lawrencecalablaster568]

Andrew Everton +

[@iheartcoffee195]

+

[@minervaalexia6074]

+

[@echad6259]

Lawrence Calablaster yes. she is.

[@Persnikity-yv3nh]

What a coincidence! I JUST finished reading this for pleasure last week! I knew that there was a lot of depth that I wasn't picking up on - thanks!!

[@ShinOmega1196]

I had to read Sula for a LIT class in college, and it's definitely a good read. It's one of those books that makes you want to keep reading just to see what happens next.

[@futureDK1]

Crash course sociology would be amazing right now!!!

[@Bram06]

No, person detected

[@djbslectures]

I've been itching for "Crash Course Religion" (less a-propos to this video, but still, I know nothing about religions and wish I did)

[@JosephLSelby]

I'd watch CC Sociology.

[@jfredett]

There's a great couple of courses from the YaleCourses youtube on academic approaches to the Bible. Really worth the watch. It goes over various approaches to biblical criticism, from a generally academic "Let's study this religion in a fairly unbiased way" point of view. They come highly recommended from me at least.

[@jfredett]

There's a great couple of courses from the YaleCourses youtube on academic approaches to the Bible. Really worth the watch. It goes over various approaches to biblical criticism, from a generally academic "Let's study this religion in a fairly unbiased way" point of view. They come highly recommended from me at least.

[@Supermunch2000]

So now begins the long cold winter of not seeing John Green's face on Crash Course.

[@michaelmeadows3326]

He just said they're doing Crash Course Geography! Or is that not going to be John? IT BETTER BE JOHN.

[@bennieniles4]

“Troubled and triumphant, weak and strong.” The analysis of how Morrison troubles binaries in this text is great!

[@Brainframe1]

This made me so happy

[@Soundole]

This was a magnificent video. A thoroughly compelling reading, masterfully communicated.

[@Awesomepossum233]

Thanks for covering this amazing book John Green. I don't understand why people have a hard time regarding books about the experiences of marginalized people to be "progressive". It is literally a look into the lives of characters who represent real people in our society, but don't get enough attention by mainstream literature. For those calling for a focus more "classical" approach to the conservative literature--I say that I'm sure that those books are the typical reading list in American schools. And who is to determine what is and what isn't "classic literature"? Toni Morrison is a phenomenal writer and it just shows how we need to open up the definition of critical ly acclaimed literature. It should come in all forms amd representation. Diversity of characters, opinions, and story lines are valid.

[@echad6259]

I just read this book. beautiful. poetic.

[@nmhg]

I did not know of this story before, but the title peaked my interest... You see, I am Honduran, born and raised, and my hometown is called San Pedro Sula and it is located in Sula Valley...

[@Chattermute]

I can't believe this is the last episode for literature (for now)... :((

[@biyatireda2104]

Wow 😲 I have read Sula but what you just said blowed my mind and changed the why I would be looking to the book completely just brilliant

[@lawrencecalablaster568]

Complexity is always a difficult subject for me to grasp.

[@DuranmanX]

Simplicity is even harder

[@lawrencecalablaster568]

***** True.

[@sion8]

If both are hard, what do we grasp at on a normal basis?

[@DuranmanX]

sion8 misconceptions it's like looking at a blurry object

[@sion8]

***** Ok, I guess.

[@michal2788]

Another brilliant video, thanks Hank and the team!

[@athenanguyen7990]

I read the Bluest Eye and it's amazing

[@DSfan81]

I just thought while listening to what John said about 'undervalued identities', while nightshade is primarily known as poisonous, the poisonous ingredient in those berries - atropine - in small quantities is used as an antidote to some neurotoxins due to its quality of being a muscle relaxant. I wonder if that 'undervalued identity' of the nightshade was also implied?

[@lyadmilo]

But in the end, she did choose one over the other. It is called Sula, not Nel and Sula. I always found that choice intriguing.

[@Leolukpeu]

I haven't read the book, but i'd guess that that's because sula is the "nightshade", the uncommon, and the one most people identify as the life they wanted to have

[@Isaiah_McIntosh]

If one of the central aims of the book is to remove the barriers between individuality and the norm, bringing to light the issue of binary thinking why would the nightshade be the title. Clearly the author was not interested in portraying an example of the wonderful life of sula or the sad life of sula or even simply the life of sula. Perhaps such questions could be raised if one were to change the book's title to nel. It is a rather interesting thought that i am sure could inspire many a lengthy debate however i do not think you're arbitary answer will fit as clearly the life of the blackberry had its own share of poison.

[@neardarkroad1347]

i just want to know why Nel doesn't seem to angry at sula for having affairs with her husband ( based on the video. i did not reat it yet)

[@EInc1000]

Near Darkroad It was a smaller detail but Nel was definitely angry.

[@neardarkroad1347]

thats good

[@randomname5546]

crash course mathematics is kind of a dream of mine... It would truly be a life saver for me (and many other I assume).

[@MagnoVJ10]

Mathilde Hasselstrøm It wouldn't work, it would extremely cumbersome and confusing. It doesn't fit for a 10 minutes youtube video, people wouldn't understand shi*. CC Physics is being already hard to swallow in for most of viewers. If your objective is learn mathematics, you should be making exercises and train your brain to think abstractly and not watch youtube videos speaking superficially about it. Math is not like history or geography in which you just decorate a lot of information. Just through a lot of training and exercises you're gonna learn it...

[@soliloquylove2115]

Thank you! This is one of my favorite books. I appreciate your thought-provoking reviews.

[@shawnalewis8454]

Can you add to this series ? I just started reading Sula after reading Toni’s “the Bluest Eye” and I never would’ve known about half the other books in this series or even read them if I hadn’t come across your channel

[@alijoc]

IF there will a fourth season of CC Lit. May i suggest some novels that i think would be interesting and also helpful to highschoolers out there. -Fahrenheit 451 -A brave new world - One flew over the cuckoo's nest - 1984 - catch - 22

[@user-et6yq4pc7e]

Sula was one of the required readings of writing 39 series @ UC Irvine a long time ago circa year 2000.

[@KannikCat]

Thanks John, that was really great, I need to put that book on my reading list. Exploring how we can all to easily create false dichotomies and bin things into X or Y is important. It's within the continuum between X and Y that life happens and flourishes. :) Hope you do a 4th season of CC:Literature!

[@phil5987]

Next season: The Count of Monte Cristo, Utopia, and Paradise Lost. Please!!!!!

[@Aleph-Noll]

nah they wont use those. theyll keep doing SJW works

[@Kaalyn_HOW]

Yeah..... Sylvia Plath, Frankenstein, Jane Eyre, Hamlet, The Odyssey, Romeo and Juliet, Emily Dickinson... So much racism. Much black people.

[@sirknight4981]

Marco Onyxheart Correct me if I'm wrong but Alexandre Dumas was 1/4 black basically making him a "person of color" & Monte Cristo was based on his half black former slave father turned general Thomas- Alexandre Dumas.

[@Rocketboy1313]

As a person who works in Urban and Regional Planning and studied International Affairs, Geography is an underrated social science.

[@Knifewash]

I wish this was still going, he never got to Flannery O'Connor

[@harleyquinn5774]

RIP Toni Morrison

[@username4261]

This came at the perfect time, thank you 😭😭❤️

[@therealcygnus1917]

Last time i was this early, Harambe was still alive

[@wesmb5]

RIP, angel, gone too soon

[@lyadmilo]

We read The Bluest Eye :) the older I get the more I appreciate my high school English teacher

[@NeosAvias]

Aaay, dat Overwatch. I'm a simple man; the simple things please me.

[@samantha-tw3jl]

Hello Crash Course You help me with school. These videos are easy to understand. Thank you for making this channel.

[@icecold1805]

Also the contrast of light and dark... sounds like it would be so fun to make an RPG game where this concepts are portrayed in the opposite way than modern society does. You find shelter and knowledge and friendship in darkness and evil lurking in the light.

[@Benheartsart]

The analysis in this is just fantastic!

[@PiquantPan]

I've been waiting for thus video so anxiously! I really have to doff my cap to the Crash Course team: this has been perhaps your best video yet, and I think novels of this length really suit your format. The way you repeatedly built upon and reinforced the main thematic metaphor of nightshade and blackberry was incredibly satisfying and elegantly done, and John, even more so than usual, presents the material with nuance and passion. Thanks so much for making this video about one of my favourite novels from one of my favourite authors and showing how much you care about the source material. Dftba

[@2write2sing2dance]

This is so good.

[@Mattteus]

remember while scrolling through the comments DON'T FEED THE TROLLS!

[@gigaman6]

Crash Course Literature continues to be one of my most favorite things on this channel and KZbin in general. I love and respect the amount of attention and enthusiasm John gives to authors of color, specifically Toni Morrison. Thank you John. Do you take requests?

[@gigaman6]

I too would like it if the works of more Asian authors were covered in this course. To be fair though, the majority of the works covered so far in this series have been from white authors or authors of European descent. Not that there is anything wrong with that, (some of my favorite books are by white authors) but its disingenuous to suggest that John has covered (practically) only black people as a literary subject. You should check out some of the other videos, they're all great!

[@gigaman6]

Oh, I understand very well what you mean, but let's break it down... In season 1, of the 4 works featured, not one was by or about black people. In season 2, of the 10 or so works featured, only 2 were by black authors and the other 1 that featured black characters was by a white author. This season only had 7 or so featured works and only 5 of them talked about race, 1 of which was written by a white author and the other which didn't even feature black people (if memory serves). So while I agree that there haven't been as many diverse authors as I would like to see, it hardly makes a disparity. If ANYTHING it's a disparity toward white "literary subjects".

[@tyranicalpenguin7886]

+gigaman6 Your stats are almost spot on. Though I wouldn't say they favour either side over the whole series. This season did focus heavily on the black side, which was a bit odd, but not entirely unexpected, so I can see both sides of the argument. However. While race plays heavily into these novels I feel like they have underlying themes and motifs that are just as important if not more important to discuss.

[@chaitanya.repakula]

hey crash course please make courses on ART, ARCHITECTURE and their HISTORY

[@OAmoretNoctis1Izzy]

Sula is an incredible novel. Glad to see it in crash course :-)

[@garazaber]

Really hope we can see a new season of Crash Course Literature soon =) Amazing stuff, people! Thank you so much!

[@glknight1813]

Waiting for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, or Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas. Or some of Stephen King or a video on H.P. Lovecraft. Because yeah, Lovecraft may have lived and wrote in times where racism was a lot more accepted, but his distinct concept of storytelling and unique perspective on the importance of where we stood in the universe broke open the dam for a LOT of writers in the 20th century and even now, and in practically EVERY genre as well as horror.

[@mariaw9173]

I know this is likely not going to be seen, but a crash course on The Importance of Being Earnest would be amazing (for me, I don't know about others)!

[@barbararojo358]

Why is the literature series so shooooort! :(

[@blackenedragon23]

I'd never wanted to read a book so much after a review than this one.

[@carsonwood1513]

Can you please do an episode on Tolstoy (cover Anna Karenina and/or War and Peace)?

[@drakegeer-timmins6780]

You know John, you guys always time these so well. Be it something small like in release it as I'm about to eat lunch or when I'm at a personal crossroads or turning point and need a certain book to help me sort things out. Good job, and thank you.

[@N3rdfightermom]

This was a challenging book to me. I still do not understand Shadrack. What was he supposed to be? And why did everyone have to die in the tunnel, but then Shadrack didn't?

[@ashnyc5426]

Wow, this was AMAZING!! I've read Sula at least 5 times, and listened to the audio book even more. This put into words all the complexities within the novel in a very accessible way. Thanks!

[@99thTuesday]

So why is the book callled Sula and not 'Nel' or 'Sula and Nel'. Both seem to be primary characters and neither it seems is the principle catalyst. Is it just that the author wanted to disregard binaries further by only acknowledging one of the characters in the title. Or is it just that Sula is a more compelling title?

[@coletakkish4389]

2:45 I might just be Overwatch trash, but for me, that made the entire episode even better

[@angelicangel8498]

so no one gonna talk about the amazing overwatch reference? 3:02

[@dhritimadan3838]

MAKE MORE OF THESE!!!!

[@AsdfAsdf-mi6ks]

I love this message. People are more complex than simple binaries.

[@DaughtrOfZion]

Could you do an analysis about Winter's Tale by Shakespeare? I'm always hearing how bad it is, but it was created in a time where Shakespeare was experimenting with new ideas in theatre like intermissions. I actually like the play and it's characters and would welcome your input.

[@GreenTeaGal01]

I actually read this in high school. Your review just made me realize I never forgot it.

[@KissMeKate99]

Read this over the Summer for required high school summer reading!

[@veronicagdowning]

You gave a sterling explanation of Sula. I read that book, and I never thought of it in this way before. I actually wish I had watched this video BEFORE reading the book. I would have understood it much better. Thanks!

[@art-is-awen8842]

Please do a Sociology and an Art History crash course!!!! I'd love that!

[@lm8772]

Guess what, John? This WAS taught in my high school! Of course, the book was taught in a college-level class in my school, so I suppose you would have to take that into account.

[@Beorgit]

Thanks John and CrashCourse team! Looking forward to the next mini-series of Literature.

[@Loremastrful]

A good billboard for a book that is often overlooked. May I recommend that next time you do Crash Course Literature, you focus on more overlooked titles.

[@AnchovyRun]

Which novel would be the best place to start with Morrison? I've only read "Song of Solomon" and unfortunately didn't enjoy it (probably due to a terrible professor) but would like to give her another go.

[@PiquantPan]

Read this novel, Sula. The video is a good starting place, but there's still plenty in the novel to experience.

[@Catman0331]

beloved

[@channelx7761]

Beloved

[@piouppioup]

Sula is a good one I think.

[@fromscratchauntybindy9743]

Awesomeness Thankyou John and The Lovely People 😸

[@ashwhikidd]

Do "Heart of Darkness"!

[@minervaalexia6074]

+

[@yocampout]

I've always enjoyed this book and it's nice to hear an analysis on it from an author.

[@JayTh3Fox]

I love the Good or evil comparison, using Mercy and Reaper of all characters XD

[@emilyniedbala]

I know it really isn't what literature classes are generally about, but I'd like to see discussions on modern books. I mean I would love fantasy novels, but I know they don't always carry the strong themes and subtle messages to address in videos like this, but even books like "We Were Liars" or "Belzhar" or "We All Looked Up" which have very contemporary twists and thoughts on the human condition today

[@indocrites]

Can you do an episode on the Mahabharata

[@Animenite97]

Aw. I don't get to get lit with john every week?

[@hikarikimikokiyoko6592]

We should have a episode about Starship Trooper. Heinlein wrote several good books, its unreal for people not to care about his work.

[@nicsnort]

I feel so lucky! I read Sula in High School Lit. And I totally agree it should be the go to book instead of Lord of the Flies.

[@stargirl314]

We actually did read Sula in my high school English class! Although, we read Lord of the Flies too

[@SuperGreatCanadian]

Ill miss the literature mini series. Hope you decide to do more at a later time.

[@SapphireCrook]

Something about this video felt different than the previous ones. I don't know what, but the general course and direct felt a little more 'floating above' the book than usual.

[@272arshan]

I am so happy someone shares my opinion of LOTF.

[@supershinigami1]

A CC on fantasy literature would be great. A Song of Ice and Fire for example.

[@TheWolfgangGrimmer]

But see, that the problem: it's the _only_ compelling example. Well, that and Lord of the Rings. Other fantasy series can be great entertainment, but they tend not to have much thematic ambition.

[@supershinigami1]

Ghost7856 I'm sure there are far more. We don't even have to focus on these complicated ones. Even childrens fantasy like HP can have much to teach. Or we can always split these 2 series into multiple parts.

[@TheWolfgangGrimmer]

supershinigami1 HP doesn't have that much, and tends not to be very subtle about what it has. Not that most of it is particularly _wrong_, mind you. But still, if that's what qualifies as serious literature to you, you really need to diversify your readings.

[@supershinigami1]

Ghost7856 It may not be that serious but it's really fun to read. What about Wheel of Time?? I heard that it's a really good series.

[@thesquishedelf1301]

Yeah, I was going to point out WoT as another bit of fantasy literature for analysis. A lot of the morals are hardly subtle either though; I reckon it gets quite anvilicious the farther you go in.

[@Yvädastra]

YES! OVERWATCH REFERENCE!!!!

[@200camels2]

You should do John Updike's Rabbit series. Maybe not in depth look at all of the novels, but maybe look at the first, Rabbit Runs, and the fourth, Rabbit at Rest.

[@WhaleManMan]

John probably dislikes Lord of the Flies so much because it had nothing to do with race ,so he couldn't talk about how "racism is bad m'kay?" for the 579th time.

[@sharkdavid]

I don't typically watch CC literature but the video thumbnails was just too cool!

[@erinohara5455]

I Am reading Sula in my high school English class!! and it is one of the weirdest and most interesting books i have read in an English class

[@TheSpicySimon]

Might be my favorite episode by far.

[@TheSpicySimon]

I have an intrigue on seeing things, not in black and white, but a greyish gloop. It's a perspective which allows you to see what may be hidden to the rest of the world.

[@SheekChick6901]

Yay! I love crash course!! Literature and psychology are my favorites!!! :)

[@connorhughes1454]

Comment section is particularly toxic

[@elimazing88]

Brilliant !!! Thank you I do value crash courses much appreciated !!

[@user-ic3vm3kt4j]

He murdered this analysis

[@DuranmanX]

11:21 I think Black Widow would have made a better juxtaposition with Mercy

[@lame777]

Can you please do her novel the bluest eyes

[@philadeos]

Loved the series, thank you very much!

[@TheZerovirus1000]

I'll miss this Crash Course :c