1 / 8

The Bluest eye

The Bluest eye. An overview. The key elements. Prologue The narrator Introduction of the main character Claudia and Maureen Cholly and Pauline The ending. The prologue. First prologue indicates the influence that white media has on black perceptions of worth and beauty

jileen
Download Presentation

The Bluest eye

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. The Bluest eye • An overview

  2. The key elements • Prologue • The narrator • Introduction of the main character • Claudia and Maureen • Cholly and Pauline • The ending

  3. The prologue • First prologue indicates the influence that white media has on black perceptions of worth and beauty • The repetition and lack of punctuation indicates the lack of meaning this image has for Pecola • Highlights the contrast between Pecola’s dysfunctional family and the Dick and Jane one • Second prologue provides an outline of what is to come • Symbolism of marigolds

  4. Claudia MacTeer • Narrates the novel - allows for childlike view on things, but also adult perspective in hindsight • Provides a contrast to Pecola: home, family, attitude • Rejection of the white doll indicates her rejection of white standards of beauty • Her refusal to worship Maureen highlights her lack of self loathing • Her sympathy for Pecola is at odds with the society they live in

  5. The Main character • Initial fascination with white beauty shown through her obsession with Shirley Temple • Mr Yacobowski’s treatment sparks her realisation she is ugly • Pecola wishes she could be white - Mary Janes • Her desire for blue eyes is symbolic of her wish for white beauty • Does not defend herself against insults as she believes she is ugly

  6. Claudia and Maureen • Maureen illustrates the link between class, colour and social standing • She is worshipped by adults and children alike for her light skin and eyes • She values white beauty - learned from her mother - and negates black values • Claudia refuses to accept her superiority, unlike most of the other characters • Maureen insults them for their colour

  7. Cholly and Pauline • The narrative perspective shifts to allow us to understand how the characters learn their values • Cholly brutalised from young age; traumatic sexual initiation leads to his brutalisation of others • Pauline once considered herself beautiful, but her lost tooth and lameness made her bitter • She loves and cares for the white family she work for while rejecting her own family

  8. The Ending • Loathing of Pecola results in her rape and pregnancy • She turns to Soaphead church for the blue eyes she feels will make her happy • Gains the acceptance she craves in madness • Is literally destroyed by racial self loathing • Somehow Morrison ends on optimistic note - suggests things can be different

More Related