The Bluest Eye By: Toni Morrison
What is Racism? Racism according to Webster Dictionary it is when you have a hatred or intolerance of another race or other races. In the book The Bluest Eye who was written by Toni Morrison, racism plays a huge role in this story. The characters to put down one another are constantly using racism.
The story is about a young African American girl named Percola. She is eleven years old and grows up into a home of violence and bad habits. Her father has a drinking problem. At one point in the story percola is actually raped by her drunken father. And her brother is constantly running away. Percola is not happy with her self-image. She constantly deals with the life challenges given to her by society. As the reader of the book it helps guide you into understanding how challenging her life can be at times and how it is slowly changing.
Percola is constantly battered with many types of racism. That affects her mentally, and emotionally. Percola biggest enemy is internalized racism where she actually is starting to believe the things that are said about her. She does not feel beautiful and lacks self-confidence. She is slowly starting to lose her mind, because this book is based on the white standards of beauty. One example of this would be when she is in school and her classmate says “ I’m cute and you ugly!” ( Morrison 73). School is where percola is constantly being bullied around. Her only real friends are the other two main characters in the story, Frieda and Claudia MacTeer. However, they are relatively powerless in helping her and her situation. All they can do is pray for her and hope that everything will turn out ok. At one point on the playground they stick up for Pecola and save her from the taunting boys. “You cut that out, you hear? Leave her ‘lone...”(Morrison 66). That is the extent to which they can save Pecola. But even these friendly actions cannot save her from the troubles she has already faced at a young age.... [continues]
What is Racism? Racism according to Webster Dictionary it is when you have a hatred or intolerance of another race or other races. In the book The Bluest Eye who was written by Toni Morrison, racism plays a huge role in this story. The characters to put down one another are constantly using racism.
The story is about a young African American girl named Percola. She is eleven years old and grows up into a home of violence and bad habits. Her father has a drinking problem. At one point in the story percola is actually raped by her drunken father. And her brother is constantly running away. Percola is not happy with her self-image. She constantly deals with the life challenges given to her by society. As the reader of the book it helps guide you into understanding how challenging her life can be at times and how it is slowly changing.
Percola is constantly battered with many types of racism. That affects her mentally, and emotionally. Percola biggest enemy is internalized racism where she actually is starting to believe the things that are said about her. She does not feel beautiful and lacks self-confidence. She is slowly starting to lose her mind, because this book is based on the white standards of beauty. One example of this would be when she is in school and her classmate says “ I’m cute and you ugly!” ( Morrison 73). School is where percola is constantly being bullied around. Her only real friends are the other two main characters in the story, Frieda and Claudia MacTeer. However, they are relatively powerless in helping her and her situation. All they can do is pray for her and hope that everything will turn out ok. At one point on the playground they stick up for Pecola and save her from the taunting boys. “You cut that out, you hear? Leave her ‘lone...”(Morrison 66). That is the extent to which they can save Pecola. But even these friendly actions cannot save her from the troubles she has already faced at a young age.... [continues]
Cite This Essay
- APA
-
(2011, 04). Toni Morrison Bluest Eye. StudyMode.com. Retrieved 04, 2011, from http://www.studymode.com/essays/Toni-Morrison-Bluest-Eye-653367.html
- MLA
-
"Toni Morrison Bluest Eye" StudyMode.com. 04 2011. 04 2011 <http://www.studymode.com/essays/Toni-Morrison-Bluest-Eye-653367.html>.
- CHICAGO
-
"Toni Morrison Bluest Eye." StudyMode.com. 04, 2011. Accessed 04, 2011. http://www.studymode.com/essays/Toni-Morrison-Bluest-Eye-653367.html.