The Bluest Eye Essay, Research Paper
Racism in The Bluest Eye
“There is really nothing more to say–except why.
But since why is difficult to handle, one must take
refuge in how.”
When bad things happen to us, the first thing we
ask ourselves is “why”? Most of the time however, the
answer to “why” is not readily available to us, and
sometimes there is not an answer at all. Racism has
been a concept which has existed from the beginning of
human civilization. For some reason, the “whites”
believed they were superior to everyone who was not
white for a very long time. There has always been a
misconception that racism exists strictly against blacks
from whites. However, Morrison shows the reader every
aspect of racism: whites against blacks, light-skinned
blacks against dark-skinned blacks and blacks who are
well off against poor blacks. The latter two are the
most emphasized and the most prevalent in the novel. In
July’s People, we see the other side of racism,the
opression of whites.
There are many answers to the question “why?” in
this novel. There is not just one answer to which it
all can be narrowed down or traced back. Morrison
attempts to show the reader various catalysts which
explain (or can explain) HOW racism affected the
characters’ lives. Often, there is really not an answer
to “why?”, although at times, the reader may come across
to one of the many answers to this question.
In the beginning of the book, the reader sees how
the blonde-blue-eyed white girl (woman) has always been
the conceptualized ideal. Morrison does not (and
cannot) tell us why this is and has been from the
beginning of time. However, she shows the reader how it
is and to the extent it affects (and has affected)
anyone who does not “fit” the ideal. From the
beginning, the reader sees how Claudia despises this
“ideal” of beauty, knowing neither she, nor any of her
sisters or neighbors could ever live up to. In another
episode in the novel, when Pecola is on her way to buy
her Mary Janes, the reader is able to realize the extent
of the impact this idealization had (and still has) on
African-American as well as many other cultures.
Morrison makes a point to emphasize the fact that this
affected everyone in the novel, whether the character
admired or despised this ideal. Mrs. Breedlove “passed
on” to Pecola the insecurity she had “acquired”
throughout her life. Her insecurity and self-hate had
been in her since her childhood but it was made worse by
her emulating the movie actresses.
The reader first sees Pecola encountered with
racism from a white man with Mr. Yacobowski. She goes to
the store to buy Mary Janes and “He does not see her,
because for him there is nothing to see.” The narrator
emphasizes the fact that “their ugliness was unique.”
She does not state this because it is her opinion, or
anyone else’s for that matter, but because “No one could
have convinced them that they were not relentlessly and
aggressively ugly.” The narrator states that they
(except for Cholly) “wore their ugliness—although it
did not belong to them.” This ugliness had everything
to do with the fact that they were black, especially for
Mrs. Breedlove and Pecola. Mrs. Breedlove wanted to
look like a movie star and Pecola wanted blue eyes, both
cases were unrealistic and since they could not be the
“ideal” beauty, they assumed they were ugly.
Rejection is a by-product of racism. Rejection is
developed in the metaphors that Morrison uses throughout
the novel. The theme of nature recurs in the novel and
it parallels Pecola’s rejection. In the beginning of
the book, Claudia tells the reader that “there were no
marigolds in the fall of 1941.” She does not know why
the marigolds did not bloom, but she can explain what
and how it happened. At this point, the reader gets an
idea that there is going to be a parallel between this
fact and someone’s story throughout the book.
Maureen Peal is an example of a light-skinned,
“pretty,” middle-class girl. Although she is not the
“ideal” beauty in society, in the story, to all the
people in town, she is close to this ideal. In the
description in the novel, she is idealized and in a way
“worshipped” by everyone who knows her. She becomes
everyone’s favorite in the school. Her clothes are
described perfectly and they are flawless, as Maureen
herself (according to the narrator). Claudia says that
Maureen is not their enemy, their enemy is what makes
Maureen cute and the rest of them ugly, that “thing”
that makes her cute.
Although racism is not the main catalyst to
everything bad that happens throughout the novel (it is
more deep-rooted issues in society), plays a key role in
the development of the characters as individuals, as
well as society as a whole. Morrison excels in
describing racism as one of the many issues which can
ruin a person’s self-identity and confidence. Although
she, like anyone else, cannot explain and does not have
an answer as to “why” racism exists, she describes in
detail how it (along with other related factors) can
bring about an individual’s self-distruction.
Bibliography
Morrison, Toni. The Bluest Eye.
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