Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye: A Review Essay

Submitted By tadijailic
Words: 615
Pages: 3
Open Document
ilic1

Tadija Ilic
Ms Adams
English 10A/ Period 2
05 November 2014

The Bluest Eye Have you ever been discriminated against because of the color of your skin? In Toni
Morrison's “The Bluest Eye” the author focuses on racism. The book follows Pecola, a young black girl living in Lorain Ohio in the mid 20th century. Pecola is severely abused by others for her lack of physical beauty and thusly leads to her having no self esteem or confidence. The book takes us with her as she tries to reach her ultimate dream of having blue eyes so she can be beautiful. Using juxtaposition, irony, and verse, Morrison shows that racism is destructive. Using verse Morrison describes that discrimination based on race is detrimental to society. When Pecola is confronted by severa blackl boys outside of school they circle around her and begin yelling: ”Black e mo.Black e mo. Yadaddsleepsnekked. Black e mo ya dadd sleeps nekked. Black e mo…”(Morisson 65). Pecola, the main character, is very weak both mentally and physically and therefore is bullied constantly. The words that the boys speak are a combination of judging her by race and the other is just a wild assumption of her father’s sleeping habits. The boys are racist towards her because of their own insecurities with the color of their skin. They have been ridiculed their whole lives by others for their skin that when there is someone weaker than them they take out their anger and hatred on that person.
Racism has made these boys against their own culture and skin color. Racism has led to a loathing of self and culture within these boys.

ilic2

Using juxtaposition Morrison illustrates that looking at only race can cause significant damage. When Pecola comes to her mom Mrs Breedlove’s work where she is a maid Pecola drops a pie. Mrs Breedlove is so engulfed in her life as a white woman that she spits back to
Pecola. On page 110 Morrison writes:”like rotten pieces of apple.” Mrs Breedlove has been rude to Pecola and treating her as a white woman would. This strange form of racism makes
Pecola feel more confused because it is coming from her own mother. Throughout the book
Pecola develops a stronger desire for blue eyes so she can be treated the way the white kids with blue eyes are. In the book the author Toni Morrison uses Irony to illustrate
Show More

Related Documents: Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye: A Review Essay

Author Biography Essay

Author Biography Rough Draft By Jessica Mocci From “The Bluest Eye” to “Sula” to “Song of Solomon” and “Tar Baby” Toni Morrison portrays her ways of being one of the world’s most renown American Author and female activist. Toni Morrison's novels reveal the feminist issues concerning black women, issues often forgotten in many feminist discussions in American literature today. In her novels, Morrison interrogates and deconstructs the long-held stereotypical images of black women and the world’s…

Words 1011 - Pages 5

Self-Acceptance And Abuse In Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye

The Cause and Effects of Self- Esteem, Self- Acceptance and Abuse in The Bluest Eye Reflections of Toni Morrison’s novel, The Bluest Eye, from the outset forces one to be swallowed up in diverse pools of abuse, neglect and violence from beginning to end. The novel is a sad revelation of sexual abuse, lack of love and acceptance. More importantly, the poor depiction of role models, support of family, community and values, all of which play a major role in the cause and effect of self-esteem and self-acceptance…

Words 2007 - Pages 9