As she explores social issues from the point of view of the adolescent, it is important that the aspects of the concepts are portrayed in a reasonable way, so these characters can understand while hinting at greater themes that may be too complicated for children to grasp. She does this with Pecola's character as she uses symbolism to describe the significance of the blue eye. Morrison writes "Each night, without fail, she prayed for blue eyes. Fervently, for a year she had prayed," as Morrison describes earlier Pecola is viewed by society as ugly, she is ostracized by teachers, peers and the community at large with the exception of the three local "whores" who are also ostracized themselves. She accepts this and agrees that she herself is ugly and as this line portrays, believes that a change of eye color will make all the difference. It is not by chance that Morrison chooses to make her desire blue eyes specifically; rather than her noise, her lips, or her hair, Morrison decides that it needs to be the eyes, and instead of light brown eyes or even green eyes Morrison decides blue. This is because blue eyes symbolize something more than just an eye color, that Pecola may think it does. Blue eyes are extremely rare in black people in fact they are a genetic mutation; Pecola only wants Blue eyes because they are a well-known trait associated with white people of whom Pecola has most likely been led to believe …show more content…
The symbolism her is within the doll or more so what the dolls represent. They represent societies beauty standards, a white woman with blonde hair and blue eyes. Claudia's examination of it is more so an examination of the beauty standards that all woman may be tasked with having to examine. By examining it, is also to destroy it as the doll/beauty standard was never meant to be examined but irrefutably loved. Once properly examined it is now destroyed, it is no longer a doll, no longer the standard of beauty. What Morrison is symbolizing here is that once Claudia/members of the outgroup of society for which Claudia's character symbolizes, dissect the doll/beauty standards for which they look nothing alike, they are left with nothing, but something manufactured in surplus such as, "mere metal".
Morrison uses Scesis Onomaton and symbolism throughout her writing to emphasize and represent critical elements of her story to readers. As you analyze her rhetorical choices you discover deep truths and meanings. The Scesis Onomaton emphasizes the Breedlove's status within society, and the superficiality garnered by Geraldine due to her adjacent superficial status. Morrison's symbolism reveals Pecola's self-hatred as well as the importance of the function of the eyes, and reveals societies breakable beauty