The Bluest Eye, published in 1970 by Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison, is a novel that explores the struggles of the middle-class black population in America. The title, “Blue Eyes”, symbolizes the significance of blue eyes in the story, which takes place in the 1940s industrial northeast of Lorian, Ohio. The novel follows the story of Pecola Breedlove, an 11-year-old African girl who desires blue eyes to feel loved and accepted.
The flowers symbolize innocence for Pecola and the MacTeer girls, while the planting of marigold seeds symbolizes the cultural beauty and cachet attributed to whiteness in America. The characters respond to blue eyes differently, with Claudia, for example, responding to them differently.
Morrison reverses the traditional symbolism of each season to show the unnatural events that occur within the novel. Spring is rebirth, while the novel also includes harsh irony. The sunflowers represent a rooted and happy community, where things and people can safely grow.
The novel explores the problem of middle-class oppression and the beauty and suffering that mark all human life. Pecola’s belief in her blue eyes is not enough, and she requires constant reassurance. The imaginary friend brings up painful experiences, making it clear that her belief in her blue eyes is not enough.
In conclusion, The Bluest Eye is a powerful novel that explores themes of friendship, cultural beauty, and the struggle for acceptance among the middle-class black population.
📹 The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison | Symbols
Course Hero Literature Instructor Russell Jaffe explains the symbols in Toni Morrison’s novel The Bluest Eye. Download the free …
📹 The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison | Summary & Analysis
Course Hero Literature Instructor Russell Jaffe provides an in-depth analysis of the plot, characters, symbols, and themes of Toni …
February 5, 2022: I saw the Huntington Theatre adaptation of The Bluest Eye today and didn’t understand what I saw until I viewed this analysis. Thank you so much for making this article – it looks like it was so much work and I hope you keep on doing more summaries of great books. Please don’t listen to the naysayers – I think your delivery is just fine.
Was Toni Morrison and women like her crazy too?(I’m sorry I shouldn’t complain about that, I couldn’t even say this under the comment sections from any articles which contained real Toni in it, such a blasphemy, coz sometimes in my daily life, not just tangible one, virtual world too, I would counter that men flaunting with beautiful girlfriends before my ugly face, and since my whole life I’ve been dismissed by them, my clothing, my face, my body, that such a waste I live in a same world as they do, certainly those men and their beautiful women are more sane than the rest!