1939 Summary

As soon as people hear about what Sula had done to Eva, Nel and Jude, the nasty comments and rumors begin flying. They begin talking about how Sula had watched her mother burn and started talk that she sleeps with white men. They view her as evil and take precaution to protect themselves, watching her closely. Because of this, things change at the Bottom:

Teapot, a neglected five-year-old boy knocks on Sula's door and asks her for bottles. As he leaves, he falls down the steps and Sula goes out to help him. Teapot's mamma only sees Sula leaning over her boy and starts the story that she had pushed him. She ends up taking Teapot to the hospital to find he has broken bones. Because she does not like the idea that a woman may have hurt her child, she becomes a very devoted...