What is the significance of names and nicknames in the novel, particularly those of Eva, Jude, Shadrack, and the names that Morrison gives to the town of Medallion and its African American section?

Why do you think Morrison organized this novel chronologically? How do key events, such as World War I and the Great Migration, impact plot and character development?

What is the role of humor in the novel, particularly as expressed through Nel and Jude’s dialogues with Sula?