Sola

“Sola” is the masterpiece of African-American novelist Toni Morrison, who won the 1993 Nobel Prize in Literature for her body of work. This novel, which explores the isolation of Black people in America, depicts the conditions of Black people with realism, depth, and empathy, especially for women of her own gender. In this work, Morrison discusses a female friendship between two characters: “Nel,” the traditional educator, and “Sola,” the ambitious woman who insisted on building herself, in addition to other details related to the activism of the feminist movements prevalent at the time. The author says, “My books pose questions for me: What if? And what would you feel? Or what would it look like if we removed racism from it? And what would it look like if you achieved utopia? Everything you’ve ever wanted to achieve? These are questions that seem effective in their presentation… and they seek someone to present them clearly. The process of constructing the novel depends on how they are brought together.” Toni Morrison is known for highlighting in her writing the importance of embracing freedom of expression, free from tyranny. Her works recur with themes of religious, political, and racial conflict, exposing practices prevalent in the 1920s. Among her other novels are The Bluest Eye, Song of Solomon, The Tar Baby, and, most recently, Mercy. Most of her works have been translated into Arabic.