Race and gender both play a big part in Sula. The characters live in a mostly black town, and the women seem to control it. When Nel is visiting Sula on her deathbed, after their giant fight about Jude, Nel tells Sula that she just can’t do some of the things that other people do. This is shown by this quote:
"Why? I can do it all, why cant i have it all?"
"You cant do it all. You a woman and a colored woman at that. You cant act like a man. You cant be walking around all independant-like, doing whatever you like, taking what you want, leaving what you dont."
"You repeting yourself."
"how repeating myself?"
"You say Im a woman and colored. Aint that the same as being a man?"
"I dont think so and you wouldnt either if you had children."
What Sula means by this is that she doesnt have any cares about stereotypes, social norms or anything like that. She is going to do what she wants to do no matter her gender or the color of her skin.
I also think it is interesting how Sula is portrayed a lot like the men in the story. She has sex with whoever she wants, and she leaves and abandons town much like the men do.
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