Toni Morrison: A Literary Giant Who Paved the Way for Others
Toni Morrison's legacy as a groundbreaking author, the first Black woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, continues to inspire generations of writers. Her work, which beautifully blends themes of race, identity, and humanity, has paved the way for new voices who challenge the status quo and offer fresh perspectives on the Black experience. In this blog, we'll explore how Morrison's influence lives on through the works of contemporary authors like Irenosen Okojie and Alexis Pauline Gumbs, who carry forward her tradition of deeply emotional, complex storytelling.
Born on February 18, 1931, Morrison's journey is as remarkable as her writing. She attended Howard University because she wanted to be part of a historically Black institution, later teaching there while also working as an editor at Random House. It wasn't until the age of 39 that she published her first novel, The Bluest Eye, a story that would set the stage for a career marked by profound narratives on race, identity, and humanity.
The first Morrison book I read was God Help the Child, published in 2015, though it originally had the working title The Wrath of the Children. This novel explores the relationship between Bride and her mother, Sweetness, and how colorism deeply impacted both of their lives. It's a reflection on the internalized effects of racism and misogyny, blending magical realism with piercing social critique. Morrison's use of striking imagery, such as Bride's body becoming infantilized as she loses her breasts and her ear piercings heal up, underscores the novel's themes of identity and self-acceptance. The story is a masterful exploration of the lengths we go to seek validation and affection from those we love, even when that love is conditional or destructive.
Morrison's impact on literature, particularly for Black women, is undeniable. Black women have always been integral to storytelling, despite often being erased from mainstream narratives. Morrison's work reminds us of this truth, offering tenderness mixed with righteous anger, complex relationships, and an artistry in writing that continues to influence the literary world. Today, I'd like to share two books that, in my view, carry on Morrison's legacy of nuanced storytelling and emotions.
Nudibranch by Irenosen Okojie
The first book is Nudibranch by Irenosen Okojie, a Nigerian-born writer living in England. This collection of short stories, which won the prestigious AKO Caine Prize for African Writing, takes readers on an emotional rollercoaster, blending humor and quirkiness with moments of intensity, violence, and beauty. Okojie's stories often defy linear time, with past and present coexisting, and her characters' bodies sometimes morphing into candy or animals. It's a surreal and deeply sensory experience, written with masterful attention to detail that immerses the reader in a dream-like world.
One of my favorite stories from the collection is Point and Trill, which follows two young academics on what begins as a casual paintball trip but quickly turns into something far darker. Okojie's ability to navigate between playfulness and darkness is reminiscent of Morrison's own skill at weaving together complex emotional textures in her work.
Undrowned: Black Feminist Lessons from Marine Mammals by Alexis Pauline Gumbs
The second book, Undrowned: Black Feminist Lessons from Marine Mammals by Alexis Pauline Gumbs, offers a completely different yet equally thought-provoking read. Gumbs holds a PhD in English, African and African American Studies, and Women's and Gender Studies from Duke University. She is also the granddaughter of Lydia Gumbs, who designed the flag of Anguilla during the country's 1967 revolution against the British.
Undrowned began as a series of social media posts during the early days of the COVID-19 lockdown. In it, Gumbs reflects on how Western science and law often impose racist, sexist, and colonial frameworks onto marine life-structures that mirror the oppression faced by marginalized human communities. From this unique lens, Gumbs develops meditations on practices like breathing, remembering, and collaborating, all rooted in the behaviors of marine mammals. Each section blends scientific observation with philosophical reflection, addressing urgent topics such as climate justice and anti-colonial movements.
The book is written in a tender, almost meditative tone that makes it a calming yet thought-provoking read. Gumbs raises profound questions like, "What is the relationship between the circular collective feeding practices of manta rays and the Black diasporic history of cooperatives?" These are the kinds of questions that stay with you long after the final page is turned, much like Morrison's own work.
Continuing Morrison's Legacy
Both Nudibranch and Undrowned carry forward the legacy of Toni Morrison by offering nuanced, richly layered stories that challenge us to think deeply about identity, community, and the systems that shape our lives. Morrison's work continues to inspire writers across the globe, particularly Black women who, like her, bring a tenderness and a justified anger to their stories. By centering their experiences, these writers are not just participating in literature-they are reshaping it.
And in doing so, they remind us of the power of stories to reflect our deepest truths and to imagine new possibilities for the future.