Bluest Eye Doesn't Always Lead to Blue Skies!

The Bluest Eye, by Toni Morrison, is a poignant look at the life of a black girl growing up in a society that does not value her existence. This tale follows the life of Pecola, a young black girl who is in the eyes of those around her ugly. She absorbs this opinion making it part of her own personality and also adopting the idea that blue eyed, blonde people are a true vision of beauty. The story is not only seen through the eyes of Pecola, but also through the eyes of her best friend Claudia. Claudia resists the opinion that blonde hair and blue eyes are necessary components of beauty. She sees a light in Pecola that no other person is able to find.

Pecola is not only burdened with the thought that she is ugly, but also with a family that borders on psychotic. Her mother and father have an unstable marriage fraught with abuse and turmoil. Sammy, Pecola’s older brother, is not a force in her life and also suffers from his parents’ relationship. Throughout the book there are people telling Pecola that black is not beautiful and that Shirley Temple is who she should model herself after. Even the dolls that the girls are given to play with are not black like them, but fair skinned with big blue eyes. Pecola’s mother shows her this by preferring the fair daughter of her employers over her own daughter. Eventually, Pecola believes and drives herself to madness. Claudia sees the beauty within her but is unable to help Pecola to see it in herself.

It is clear that Pecola is driven to hate herself by the actions of others upon her. She also adapts a vision of beauty that is unattainable and simply untrue. The actions of society on Pecola drive her to a point that even if she was the cutest child to ever walk on the earth she would not see it in herself. She only sees herself as not good enough because she does not fit the mold of beauty that society has laid out for her.

Toni Morrison wrote this novel to help black women deal with the pressures society forces upon them. However, I think it is a powerful read for any person willing to be open to the experience. At times it is difficult to keep reading because the imagery is vivid as Pecola deals with oppression, abuse, and sexual harassment. However, it opened up my eyes to some of the issues black women may have to deal with. I have always felt pressure from society to be thin but because I am the norm, white, I have never had the urge to completely change who I am. Toni Morrison addresses this issue and helps to empower black women to see the beauty in their own skin and reject the opinion that only fair skinned, blue eyed is beautiful. I would highly recommend this novel to all people, especially all women.