Characters

The most important character in the short story “Sweetness” by Toni Morrison is the narrator, called 'Sweetness' by her daughter. She narrates how she dealt with giving birth to a dark-skinned girl (Lula Ann/Bride), when she and her husband (Louis) were fair-skinned and mixed-race.

Both her husband and daughter are relevant characters in the story. However, they are absent from the present action and are only presented through the mother’s thoughts and memories.

The narrator's characterization is more complex and focuses on her conflicts with her daughter and on her attitude to race and color. Her characterization is conveyed through her actions, attitude, and relationship with other characters.

Read the characterization of the narrator and our discussion about the relationship between mother and daughter in what follows!