Bluest Eye" "The Bluest Eye" (1970) is Toni Morrison's first novel. Morrison is one of the well-known Afro-American female writers. Along with the prestigious Pulitzer prize, she also received Nobel Prize for literature in 1993. "Morrison's work at random house helped to define two decades of African American literary history"(Wall 139). Her novels have received wide recognition not only from the common readers but from the critics and reviewers as well. In addition, "The Bluest Eye" announced Morrison's arrival in literary arena, though it did not receive a positive response at the hands of few critics. For some,
…show more content…
The novel's women not only suffer of racial oppression, but also the tyranny and violation brought upon them by the men in their lives. Pecola, Frieda, and Claudia, the novel's youngest female characters, possess a limited and idealistic view of what it means to be a woman to have sex and to be loved by a man. "What was the secret?, What did we lack ? " (Morrison 89). Geraldine, for example, represses her black characteristics which are not "fitted" to white femininity as she strives " to get rid of the funkiness" (Morrison 64). The theme femininity, and male oppression over women in "The Bluest Eye", reaches its brutal climax during Cholly's rape of his own daughter, Pecola. This scene, which details the ultimate form of violence and oppression against women, is narrated completely through Cholly's perspective. The lake of Pecola's perspective during the rape scene demonstrates the silencing effect of male oppression over …show more content…
Unlike typical portrayals of racism, involving white hatred against blacks. "The Bluest Eye" explores the issue of racism occurring between people of color. Whiteness is associated with virtue, cleanliness, and value, while being black is associated with immorality, dirtiness, and worthlessness. Mrs.Macteer, for example, is unusually harsh with Claudia when she gets sick, because sickness signifies uncleanliness, which is related to being black. Characters lacking any marker of whiteness suffer the
The novel's women not only suffer of racial oppression, but also the tyranny and violation brought upon them by the men in their lives. Pecola, Frieda, and Claudia, the novel's youngest female characters, possess a limited and idealistic view of what it means to be a woman to have sex and to be loved by a man. "What was the secret?, What did we lack ? " (Morrison 89). Geraldine, for example, represses her black characteristics which are not "fitted" to white femininity as she strives " to get rid of the funkiness" (Morrison 64). The theme femininity, and male oppression over women in "The Bluest Eye", reaches its brutal climax during Cholly's rape of his own daughter, Pecola. This scene, which details the ultimate form of violence and oppression against women, is narrated completely through Cholly's perspective. The lake of Pecola's perspective during the rape scene demonstrates the silencing effect of male oppression over …show more content…
Unlike typical portrayals of racism, involving white hatred against blacks. "The Bluest Eye" explores the issue of racism occurring between people of color. Whiteness is associated with virtue, cleanliness, and value, while being black is associated with immorality, dirtiness, and worthlessness. Mrs.Macteer, for example, is unusually harsh with Claudia when she gets sick, because sickness signifies uncleanliness, which is related to being black. Characters lacking any marker of whiteness suffer the