Preview

The Bluest Eye Symbolism

Powerful Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1463 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
The Bluest Eye Symbolism
Throughout many civilizations, symbols have always been a part of the human experience. Symbols create a deeper meaning of ordinary objects that portray a figurative understanding of the objects. For example, flowers were and still are a gift with a literal and figurative interpretation. Specifically, Marigolds represent passion, grief, cruelty, and jealousy. (Marigold) Because of a symbol’s significance in a culture, they have shown up in many pieces of literature. In fact, they can tell a history of a people within a novel. According to Terry Eagleton, Marxist criticism is concerned with the symbolic meanings of a story as a product of a certain history. (Eagleton, 2) In Toni Morrison’s novel The Bluest Eye, the soil and the marigolds are …show more content…
One in particular was the storekeeper Mr. Yacobowski. Although he is only mentioned once in the book, his impact on the book was lasting. His thoughts and treatment of Pecola is reminiscent of the bourgeoisie “He does not see her, because there is nothing to see. How can a fifty-two-year-old white immigrant storekeeper…see a little black girl?” (Morrison, 48) His material and social wealth compared to Pecola make him better than her in societal standards. He owns a store while she owns nothing. Because he is so much higher in rank than her, he can ignore her completely. This kind of treatment of Pecola is representative of the soil that will not nurture the marigold. The soil ignores the marigold until it goes away or becomes of value. Only then will the soil acknowledge it, but only for the soil to gain nutrients from the marigolds. In other words, the social relations between people of opposite classes are based on their material life and the need for certain necessities. (Eagleton, 2) This is evident as the only time the shopkeeper acknowledges Pecola’s presence is to receive the money she is paying him for the candy. But, even then, their interaction is limited. He does not willingly accept the money from her hand; he barely touches her palm with his finger nails. In fact, his only acknowledgement of Pecola is his demeaning voice asking her what she wants and the graze of his nails on her palm. Both know that there is a significant distinction between the two classes. It is shown through the interactions between two people of opposing classes, specifically Pecola and Mr.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    “It is through symbols that man consciously or unconsciously lives, works and has his being.” (Thomas Carlyle). Symbolism is used all around the world. This is a way to communicate beyond the limits and explain some things in a whole new different way. The author Doris Lessing uses this type of figurative language in her story “Through the Tunnel”. This is particularly evident in the settings such as the beach, the bay and the tunnel, which represent different stages in life.…

    • 591 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Imagery, metaphor, and symbolism are commonly used in both fiction and nonfiction literature to enhance authors’ descriptions. In her short story “The Lottery”, Shirley Jackson uses the images of the lottery, the black box, and the stones, as metaphors to display how society induces violence into every new generation, the connection to tradition, and death/sacrifice. In his short story “A Good Man is Hard to Find”, Flannery O’Connor uses images of the Toombsboro town, the hearse, and the cloudless, sunless sky as metaphors for death, violence, and emptiness. These metaphors emphasize the concept of the severe violence and death in society. Both carver and Jackson use symbolism in their short stories to add intensity to their stories. Everyone…

    • 1180 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In “The Colour Purple,” Alice Walker uses symbolism, and imagery to affect the reader’s interpretation of the novel through very complex themes of religious influence, oppression and emotion developed from these literary devices. This has a profound influence on the reader’s interpretation of the novel as it suggests certain opinions and points of view to them as well as giving them deeper insight to the emotions of the protagonist…

    • 1100 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Best Essays

    Neurotic Human behavior: a psychoanalytic approach to the Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison Abstract: This study is a psychoanalytic approach to the Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison. The previous research of psychoanalysis to this novel was always by using Freudian psychology. Freud’s theory of psychoanalysis focuses on determinism that human Nature is not flexible. But he doesn’t emphasize much on one’s self-realization and self growth. Freud was pessimistic and believes that neurosis is present in every Human being. But Karen Horney’s theory of neurosis focuses on free will that human Nature is flexible. Everyone has capacity for self growth and all can consciously shape their lives and can achieve self realization. She was optimistic and believes that humanity is relational and instinctual drives do not criticize persons to neurosis. The author chooses Horney’s theory of neurotic human Nature to employ in this thesis. According to Horney, Human Nature and each person is unique and is not destined to basic conflicts. When…

    • 1826 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Good Essays

    A Comparison between The Night Wanderer and Edward Scissorhands: Symbolism Symbolism is used to provide a deeper meaning to things; it leaves the audience thinking about a more profound message than what is seen on screen, or written on paper. Anything from objects to weather to characters can be used to represent something else, something that the author thinks is important to share. Imperfection is a common theme in Edward Scissorhands and The Night Wanderer, both works similarly try to convey the message that everyone has their own flaws. Tim Burton’s Edward Scissorhands and Drew Hayden-Taylor’s The Night Wanderer both use symbolism to display flaws in characters, and the audience grasps onto the idea that perfection isn’t everything.…

    • 855 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    To begin, "The Bluest Eye" is Toni Morrison's first novel. This novel tells a story of an African American girl's desire for the bluest eyes, which is the symbol for her of what it means to feel beautiful and accepted in society (American). In the novel, women suffer from the racial oppression, but they also suffer from violation and harsh actions brought to them by men (LitCharts). Male oppression is told all throughout the story, but the theme of women and feminity with the actions of male oppression over the women reaches its horrible climax when one…

    • 675 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Feidelson, Charles. Symbolism and American Literature. 1953. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1969. Print.…

    • 2476 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Sea as A Lover: A Woman’s Quest for Autonomy in The Awakening When authors use symbolism effectively, readers can begin to understand a work of literature on both the surface level and in an illustrative context, attributing significance to ideas, actions, or even characters themselves beyond what is initially described. In her novella The Awakening, Kate Chopin employs symbolism through a variety of images to reveal particular details about the protagonist, Edna Pontellier. One such symbol is the sea, an essential figurative element. Ivy Schweitzer’s scholarly essay, entitled Maternal Discourse and the Romance of Self-Possession in Kate Chopin’s The Awakening, asserts that the sea is a motherly figure lacking in Edna’s life. Though in her critical analysis of The Awakening Schweitzer asserts that the sea is a “maternal space” (Schweitzer 184), I will argue that the sea represents a metaphorical romantic partner for Edna, and that it really is the symbol of an idealized lover that was an impossible reality in Edna…

    • 975 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Symbolism is one of the most important literary terms used often by many writers to convey their central idea. According to the Longman Contemporary Dictionary, symbolism can be defined as a device that evokes more than a literal meaning from a person, object, image or word. The author Isabel Allende in his short story, "And of Clay are we created," Toni Cade Bambara in "The lesson" and finally Ernest Hemingway the author of the short story "Hills like White Elephants" adopts the use of symbolism to suggest their main point.…

    • 1060 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Final Reflective Essay

    • 2236 Words
    • 9 Pages

    Final Reflective Essay The word literature has a great meaning in everyday life and comes in so many different ways. The body of written works of a language, period, or culture with the imaginative or creative writing especially of recognized artistic value (Houghton Mifflin Company, 2011) is the dictionary meaning. Lyrics, poems, short stories are all kinds of literature and many authors will write something they are passionate about or have an interest in. Many instances there are times a writer will write about a particular subject or within a certain genre and they write in a manner that sometimes had a hidden meaning. To know the hidden meaning the author will use symbolism, and as a writer and reader it helps to understand the elements that go into writing a poem, short story, and lyric. The writer goes through a process of creating a theme which helps to set the tone and will help them to develop the plot. Many times an author when writing a poem or lyric will not always have a character, but will have some sort of setting that resulted from the theme. All of the elements of literature need to have been put into place, and in many times the writer will also put a hidden meaning into the story, poem, or lyrics which the reader needs to read between the lines. Symbolism can be revealed in the theme, the tone or the plot of the story, poem and lyric. To find the underlying meaning or the symbolism the author is trying to portray the reader needs to be familiar with the elements of literature. The story “Used to Live Here Once” by Jean Rhys, the poem “The Road not Taken”, by Robert Frost, and the poem “My Papa’s Waltz”, by Theodore Roethke, follow the elements of literature, and have the symbolism that if the reader was not familiar with could miss the meaning of the story or poem.…

    • 2236 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The Bluest Eye is a novel written by the famous author Toni Morrison. Toni Morrison whoms real name is Chole Anthony Wofford was born in 1931 in Loraihn, Ohio. She was the second of four childern in a black working class family. Morrison grew up in a integrated neighborhood and did not fully realize racial divisions until she was a teenager. She admits that as a child she was the only black and the only one who could read. She always had an interest in literature and even took Latin in high school. She graduated from Lorain High School with honors in 1949. Morrison furthered her education and her strong desire for literature at Howard University. She majored in English and graduated from Howard in 1953. Not yet satisfied with her education Morrison decided to also attend Cornell University. She taught English at both Howard and Texas Southern University. After returning to Howard to teach English Morrison met her future husband Harold Morrison. They got married in 1958 and had their first son in 1961. Morrison first novel was The Bluest Eye which was published in 1970. It was about a young African female who believes her life would be perfect if she had blue eyes. Her next novel was Sula which was published in 1973 and explores the good and evil through the friendship of two women who grew up together. Sula was nominated for the American Book Award. Her next work Song of Solomon became the first work by an African American author to be a featured selection in the book of the month club since Native Son by Richard Wright. Other works include Tar Baby, Beloved, Jazz, Paradise, Love and many others. Morrison has won many famous awards during her writing carrer. Her novel Beloved won New York State Governor's Arts National Book Award nomination and National Book Critics Circle Award nomination. Morrison biggest accomplishment though has to ber her Nobel Prize for Literature in 19993. She became the eighth woman and the first African-American to win the prize. She is…

    • 353 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Sonny's Blues Symbolism

    • 999 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Consciously being marginalized is an emotionally discouraging sensation that many people are faced with overcoming. Figuring out where one can achieve self-content through being socially accepted is a hardship presented in James Baldwin’s, “Sonny’s Blues” as symbolism of light and darkness reveals the saddening experience of marginalized Americans feeling that they are unfairly labeled as outsiders by the rest of society.…

    • 999 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the twelfth chapter of Thomas C. Foster’s How to Read Literature Like a Professor, Foster analyzes symbols, and the great influences they have in literature. To begin the chapter, Foster compares and explains the differences between symbols and allegories. Symbolism is a broad category, and allegories fit under it’s immense hierarchy. Furthermore, symbols “involve a range of possible means and interpretations”, while allegories have single and specific answers (105). Foster continues by stating that symbols are personal and can differ from person to person based on their backgrounds, lifestyles and beliefs. Due to the fact that symbols don’t possess one exact answer, every reader has the freedom to “emphasize various elements to differing degrees” (110). These differences allow the story to become more personal and connected to the reader’s life, possibly giving them a deeper understanding of the text because the variations require the reader “to bring something of ourselves to the encounter” (107).…

    • 330 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Toni Morrison in her very novel, The Bluest Eye (1970), focus the debilitating effects of race, class, and gender on three pre-teen African American boys…

    • 155 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Jacquelyn Gucciardi Ms. Waechter Honors English May 24, 2015 The Bluest Eye Although Claudia and Frieda are embarrassed and hurt for Pecola, their sorrow is intensified by the fact that none of the adults seem to share the same feelings of grief and their hopefulness tries to heal their disjointed society. In the passage Claudia begins to describe how she can see the baby, the living human that everyone else wanted dead. The baby that is still in the womb, she pictures the baby, in a dark place this could symbolize death of the baby later. She paints a picture for the reader saying that the baby’s hair like great O’s of wool as in sheep leading us to think that the baby might be a Jesus figure. She describes the baby’s eyes as clean, pure because it hasn’t yet seen the evil of the world. The flared nose, as if the baby is mad or out of breathe again symbolizes death. She says kissing-thick lips, shining a light on the more sexual side making it seem like thats all your lips should be used for. She concludes by saying “the living, breathing silk of black skin”, to express that this baby is living, it is a human, it is taking a breath just like everyone else. Silk is an expensive fabric, something of worth just like this baby’s life. “No synthetic yellow bangs suspended over marble-blue eyes, no pinched nose and bowline mouth.” Claudia goes on to describe the baby as a doll, saying that they are nothing alike, dolls are fake in fact worse they are “synthetic”, and they are far from perfect, they have pinched noses, pinched towards the sky like a snooty white girl. But not like this baby, Claudia felt a yearning, a burning for someone to care for this baby to love it and want it to live. “Just to counteract the universal love of white baby dolls,” she wanted this baby to come into the world to change it, to change how the world viewed black babies, to “counteract” set off the balance, of the whole universe meaning everybody and the love it had for a doll rather…

    • 1246 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Better Essays