Perspectives

Literary period

Toni Morrison’s short story “Sweetness” is a contemporary, postmodernist short story. Postmodernism describes the literary period starting with the 1960s and continuing today.

“Sweetness” is a first-person narration by an unreliable narrator, traits that are typical of Postmodernist works. Additionally, the story does not follow a traditional plot and has a fragmented timeline, which are also features associated with Postmodernism.

You should also know that “Sweetness” was published as a stand-alone story, but it is also the opening chapter of a full novel by Toni Morrison which is focused on Sweetness’ daughter. The novel's title is God Help the Child.

Works with the same theme

In your discussion of the text, you can also consider comparing “Sweetness” with other short stories you know that share similar themes.

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