[Book Plot Summary]

1937

Sula returns to Medallion from college in Nashville
She and Eva get into an explosive argument where she threatens to burn Eva alive
Eva’s escorted out on a stretcher (unclear why), but Sula slick tells Nel she sent Eva to a retirement home
Nel is overjoyed at Sula’s reappearance, meanwhile Sula hates being back lol. They have a brief interaction with Jude during which there’s a moment of performative emotional labor facilitated by Nel that Sula interrupts
Nel catches Sula and Jude cheating on her awkwardly like dogs, like on all fours kissing without looking at each other
Nel then starts to see a gray ball of fur in her bathroom that she never dares to look at
Nel’s thighs dry up and she can’t even have her friend to talk to. Even in hate, she still thinks of Sula

Sula develops a terrible fucking reputation, everyone thinks she’s awful for sleeping with people’s husbands and putting Eva into Sunnydale Retirement Home (it’s said Sula lied to Nel about the real reason for sending Eva away saying she was afraid Eva would burn her alive like she did Plum)
Stupid ass rumors abound; Dessie getting styes on her eyes, Mr. Finley choking on chicken bones, Teapot falling on Sula’s porch—somehow all because of Sula
Sula failed to realize the possessiveness of marriage and the wrong she committed against Nel; they always shared these sexual experiences, so Sula saw nothing wrong with it
Sula then met a man named Ajax who called her “pig meat” when she was 12 and he was 21—which was never really analyzed. Now she’s 29 and he’s 38
Ajax is a complete fuckboi who watches with insouciance as bitches literally cut each other for him
Sula and Ajeezy develop a sexual relationship, but soon Sula kinda catches feelings, eventually setting tables and putting green ribbons in her hair and all that
A Jacks, afraid of the impending commitment and accountability, leaves her unceremoniously
Oh yeah, Tar Baby went to jail for drunkenly walking down a major road and forcing the mayor’s niece to get into an accident

Sula is sick and Nel comes to visit her
After some awkward pleasantries, Nel asks Sula why she slept with Jude
Sula is unable to give a real response just saying that there was a space in her that she needed filled and Nel is upset that Sula neither loved him or thought of her
Sula retorts that being good to someone is risky and that she can act like a man and do as she pleases
Sula’s p heartless even asking Nel why she can’t just get over it and Nel comments that Sula’s alone rn cuz of how she treats hoes
Sula asks how Nel knows that she’s the one in the right and, after not responding, Nel leaves and Sula dies

Sula’s death lowkey rocked the town’s shit
The city turned silver and like everyone got sick and had no food and it was a mess
Teapot’s mama beat him for shading her sugah-buttah-bread, wives uncoddled their husbands, daughters were mean to old people, Canadian blacks became annoying, etc.
People didn’t really leave their homes cuz of the ice outside and ppl were just really going through it
Shadrack came back and experienced less psychosis. He also realized that his one visitor after all these years was Sula after finding her discarded belt, but he also knows she isn’t coming back
Then during Suicide Day, like everyone and they mama joined Shadrack which was weird and then they all ended up like breaking into the same tunnels that, at one point, had futilely promised them better lives.
But then the tunnel gave in and like hella hoes died

Nel goes to visit Eva (who’s STILL alive?!) and it’s a weird meeting, during which Eva asks how they killed Chicken Little and accused Nel of just watching the whole thing. After Nel was like, “oh, but Sula was the one that actually killed him”, Eva then says Nel and Sula are one and the same
Nel leaves, perturbed, and recalls Sula’s death and how no one cared and white folks were at her funeral
Also, Nel reflected on how she lowkey got pleasure in watching Chicken Little die and I just had to clutch my pearls tbh
It’s revealed that Mr. and Mrs. Hodges were graverobbers hence Shadrack knowing Sula was gone
Nel realizes both the ball of fur and the longing she felt were for Sula, not Jude and lets out a deep cry

The Dewey’s names are never capitalized: it’s like they’re more a thing than a person
Lots of double standards with Sula’s pariah status
Interesting how Sula’s perceived evil brought people together weirdly
Shadrack’s final Suicide Day was like weirdly hilarious, like why can’t I stop laughing
Why did Nel enjoy watching Chicken Little die?
The difference between Hannah and Sula’s sexual reputations