Toni Morrison, in her novel, The Bluest Eye, depicts and undermines the standard for men and women and how they should interact. Through the Dick and Jane beginning of her novel, Morrison sets a preliminary standard for how men and women should act and behave, and then proceeds to demonstrate each character in terms of that standard while also including subtle, and not-so-subtle, undermining of said standard. The novel’s first section involves the repetition of a Dick and Jane passage in various formats of punctuation and spacing. The Dick and Jane novels served to teach young children how to read by employing short sentences and simple words. Subliminally, the Dick and Jane novels created a standard for the ‘normal,’ the expected, namely
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She begins her description of Geraldine by describing all women like her, which is in itself very significant, demonstrating society’s belief and even desire that all women conform to a set standard and fit that standard without question. By describing Geraldine as if part of a batch, she begins to demonstrate the standard society holds for women. Geraldine is “sweet and plain,” she “soften[s her] skin with Jergens Lotion,” and does “not drink, smoke, or swear” (82). She took “home economics to prepare his [her future husband’s] food,” developed “thrift, patience, high morals, and good manners,” she does the laundry dutifully, ensuring that her husband’s “work clothes will be mended, washed, and ironed” (83). She “bear[s] children easily and painlessly” and continues acting properly even during sex, when she worries about which curlers are coming undone (84). She punctiliously and almost mechanically takes care of her child, ensuring he “was always brushed, bathed, oiled, and shod” (86). Morrison depicts Pauline as the perfect wife. She is well-behaved, she ensures the house is perfect, the clothes are clean, the children are taken care of. She does the housework while her husband earns the income; she keeps everything neat and tidy, including herself, and refuses to delight in sex, performing the act only due to the necessity of her marital relationship. She is the perfect …show more content…
Frieda and Claudia undermine the gender norms by often acting uncharacteristic for their age and gender while Pecola conforms to said norms. Frieda and Claudia “beat [Rosemary] up” after she mocked them (9), and Frieda defended Pecola against the gang of boys bullying her. Girls her age stereotypically act weak and shy, particularly against a gang of boys who are physically stronger than her. Frieda and Claudia, however, both present their violent, strong sides, something reproached in their age and gender. They undermine the gender norms by acting opposite to how society expects them to act. Pecola, however, acts weak, “crying” (65) and “cover[ing] her eyes with her hands” when surrounded by the boys (66). She conforms to the gender norms by essentially surrendering to the boys who are supposed to be stronger and tougher. Morrison also depicts Pecola as more of a woman than Frieda and Claudia by emphasizing her “ministratin’” episode when living with the MacTeers (27). Her first menstruation effectively transfers Pecola from childhood to womanhood, making her a stronger symbol of womanhood and explaining Morrison’s reasoning for having her character personify gender roles. Finally, the culmination of the novel, Pecola’s rape, occurs when she was washing the dishes. The ultimate powerlessness combined with her current duties housekeeping
She begins her description of Geraldine by describing all women like her, which is in itself very significant, demonstrating society’s belief and even desire that all women conform to a set standard and fit that standard without question. By describing Geraldine as if part of a batch, she begins to demonstrate the standard society holds for women. Geraldine is “sweet and plain,” she “soften[s her] skin with Jergens Lotion,” and does “not drink, smoke, or swear” (82). She took “home economics to prepare his [her future husband’s] food,” developed “thrift, patience, high morals, and good manners,” she does the laundry dutifully, ensuring that her husband’s “work clothes will be mended, washed, and ironed” (83). She “bear[s] children easily and painlessly” and continues acting properly even during sex, when she worries about which curlers are coming undone (84). She punctiliously and almost mechanically takes care of her child, ensuring he “was always brushed, bathed, oiled, and shod” (86). Morrison depicts Pauline as the perfect wife. She is well-behaved, she ensures the house is perfect, the clothes are clean, the children are taken care of. She does the housework while her husband earns the income; she keeps everything neat and tidy, including herself, and refuses to delight in sex, performing the act only due to the necessity of her marital relationship. She is the perfect …show more content…
Frieda and Claudia undermine the gender norms by often acting uncharacteristic for their age and gender while Pecola conforms to said norms. Frieda and Claudia “beat [Rosemary] up” after she mocked them (9), and Frieda defended Pecola against the gang of boys bullying her. Girls her age stereotypically act weak and shy, particularly against a gang of boys who are physically stronger than her. Frieda and Claudia, however, both present their violent, strong sides, something reproached in their age and gender. They undermine the gender norms by acting opposite to how society expects them to act. Pecola, however, acts weak, “crying” (65) and “cover[ing] her eyes with her hands” when surrounded by the boys (66). She conforms to the gender norms by essentially surrendering to the boys who are supposed to be stronger and tougher. Morrison also depicts Pecola as more of a woman than Frieda and Claudia by emphasizing her “ministratin’” episode when living with the MacTeers (27). Her first menstruation effectively transfers Pecola from childhood to womanhood, making her a stronger symbol of womanhood and explaining Morrison’s reasoning for having her character personify gender roles. Finally, the culmination of the novel, Pecola’s rape, occurs when she was washing the dishes. The ultimate powerlessness combined with her current duties housekeeping