Morrison’s works reflect her learning, personal experiences, power of imagination, word power, great concern for her people, and staunch support for women, strong protest of racism and sexism and thirst for emancipation of women. The Bluest Eye is a story about a girl, Pecola Breedlove, who was abused by her father and ignored by her mother. She is made to think that her ugly looking is the root cause for everything, hence she is made to believe that the pursuit of blue eyes is the panacea for all her problems. In search of blue eyes, she becomes mad at the end.
The novel focuses on two important aspects which spoil children’s future: the poor relationship of parents and their quarrels that make the children feel inferior. Both the families of Claudia and Pecola maintain poor relationships; they do not know the art of parenting. The misunderstanding between Cholly and Pauline causes fearful fights at home, and the children experience loneliness. Pecola becomes scary, innocent and obsessive about the feeling that she is an ugly looking girl.
Frieda and Claudia are psychologically affected by the poor treatment of their parents. Claudia’s mother, instead of advising her by using soothing words, scolds and threatens her when she catches cold. Their father shows his commanding power when Mr. Henry is caught fondling Frieda’s breast, making the matter public rather than considering his daughter’s feelings.
When Pecola is put out of doors, she gets an opportunity to acquaint with them. Their relationship develops on mercy ground; they understand Pecola’s pathetic condition and try their level best to protect her from societal issues. They act as activists to safeguard Pecola and her child so as to bring shame on the fathers like Cholly.
Works Cited
- Morrison, Toni. The Bluest Eye. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc., 1970. Print.
- ---. Song of Solomon. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1977. Print.
- Wallace, Michele. “Variations on Negation and the Heresy of Black Feminist Creativity.” Reading Black, Reading Feminist: A Critical Anthology. Ed. Henry Louis Gates Jr. New York: Meridian, 1990. Print.
- Heinert, Jennifer Lee Jordan. Narrative Conventions and Race in the Novels of Toni Morrison. Routledge. New York, 2009. Print.