Racism in the Bluest Eye
The Bluest Eye Questions
1. The Bluest Eye provides numerous examples that show the idea that white is beautiful and black is ugly. These white beauty standards deform the loves of black women. There are many examples that white is superior like the white baby doll that was given to Claudia, the idea of Shirley Temple, how the light-skinned Maureen is cuter than the other black girls, and Mrs. Breedlove's preference for the white girl over her own daughter, Pecola. The adult women learned to hate their black bodies, but they take their hatred out on their children. The parents of the children in the Bluest Eye have a strong influence over their children that black is ugly. Pecola is aware that she is ugly and she believes if she has blue eyes that will fix everything.
2. Pecola has been hurt the most by racism in the society. Starting with her family, they act out their own self-hatred by expressing hatred to her. By doing this, her ugliness has made them feel beautiful, and good about themselves. Racism is also present from school, and from society, where these white children are considered superior. At school, Pecola gets taunted by the children at school numerous times. Her classmates her black, but they make fun of her anyway. Maureen calls the girls black and she says black is ugly, even though Maureen is also African American but a lighter tone. Maureen is wealthy and light skin tone and ultimately she feels that she is not black or at least not the same type of black as the girls. The society believes blacks are unsuccessful, poor, and criminal. Pecola is so accustomed to the racism that she ends up hurting herself by desiring blue eyes. She desires blue eyes because blue eyes are the eyes of white people.
3. The adults have a lot of power over the children. The people that have hurt Pecola, have been hurt themselves by others. Morrison points out that people are not born to hurt others, instead they are taught to do so when they are hurt. An example
1. The Bluest Eye provides numerous examples that show the idea that white is beautiful and black is ugly. These white beauty standards deform the loves of black women. There are many examples that white is superior like the white baby doll that was given to Claudia, the idea of Shirley Temple, how the light-skinned Maureen is cuter than the other black girls, and Mrs. Breedlove's preference for the white girl over her own daughter, Pecola. The adult women learned to hate their black bodies, but they take their hatred out on their children. The parents of the children in the Bluest Eye have a strong influence over their children that black is ugly. Pecola is aware that she is ugly and she believes if she has blue eyes that will fix everything.
2. Pecola has been hurt the most by racism in the society. Starting with her family, they act out their own self-hatred by expressing hatred to her. By doing this, her ugliness has made them feel beautiful, and good about themselves. Racism is also present from school, and from society, where these white children are considered superior. At school, Pecola gets taunted by the children at school numerous times. Her classmates her black, but they make fun of her anyway. Maureen calls the girls black and she says black is ugly, even though Maureen is also African American but a lighter tone. Maureen is wealthy and light skin tone and ultimately she feels that she is not black or at least not the same type of black as the girls. The society believes blacks are unsuccessful, poor, and criminal. Pecola is so accustomed to the racism that she ends up hurting herself by desiring blue eyes. She desires blue eyes because blue eyes are the eyes of white people.
3. The adults have a lot of power over the children. The people that have hurt Pecola, have been hurt themselves by others. Morrison points out that people are not born to hurt others, instead they are taught to do so when they are hurt. An example