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A Thematic Study of Toni Morrison’s the Bluest Eye

Author: HuYanYan
Tutor: FengMei
School: Hebei Normal
Course: English Language and Literature
Keywords: The Bluest Eye Cultural Hegemony Self-identity Family Relations African American Community Black Cultural Heritage
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Type: Master's thesis
Year: 2011
Downloads: 163
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Abstract

Toni Morrison, one of the most shining stars in the black American literary circle, is the only black female Nobel Prize winner for literature. Her works are deeply rooted in the black history, black folklore and the existence of the blacks, making them the masterpieces of the time. Through her writing, she shows great concern about the lives, experiences and the spiritual as well as psychological world of the blacks. Meanwhile, her works are permeated with rich black cultural traditions, such as the black blues music, the sense of family and the black community, the ancestors, and the black traditions as well as myths and rituals. Toni Morrison’s literary excellence lies in her creative combination of the themes of the works and the artistry. The Bluest Eye is a classic works of such.The novel was published in 1970 and it was a breakthrough of the African American literature. In this novel, Morrison unprecedentedly depicts the tragic life of an eleven-year-old black girl, Pecola Breedlove, who believes that she is ugly and wants nothing more than to be loved by her family and her community in 1941. Later she is raped by her alcoholic father, and gets impregnated. As a result of this, Pecola goes mad and withdraws into a fantasy world where she becomes the most beloved girl because she has the bluest eyes. Haunted by the memory of Pecola’s tragedy, the first-person narrator, Claudia MacTeer, who is two years younger than Pecola, attempts to make sense of the incident in retrospect. Under the gaze of the blue eye of dominant ideology, Claudia grows up to tell the story, while Pecola“grows down”and sinks into madness. Though most critics concerns about the tragic destinies of the black girl, yet the novel implicate prospect and hope. Based on Morrison’s deep concern for the fate and future of her race and compatriots, this thesis intends to explore Morrison’s ultimate aim in creating the novel—to seek the way to authentic and whole existence for the black race in general.This thesis consists of four chapters. The first chapter focuses on the pursuit of self-identity under the white cultural hegemony. To retain their black identity, the African Americans should resist the myth of white beauty, embrace their blackness, respect their ancestors, and they should stress their passion and spontaneous feelings instead of repressing themselves. The second chapter devotes to the insistence of harmonious family relations. Under the invasion of dominant white culture, some black families fail to protect their members, which may result in the tragic destinies of many African Americans. So maintenance of affectionate relations among the family members is of great significance to them blacks. In Chapter Three, the thesis draws the readers’attention to the African American community. Through a comparison between the destiny of Pecola and that of Claudia, it becomes apparent that only rooted in their own communities, can the African Americans keep their true self, and the wholeness of their black race. Chapter Four concentrates on the precious traditional cultural heritage of the African Americans. The black traditions of story-telling, the black rituals and the blues music are the three main aspects in this chapter. The African Americans derive power and strength from their cultural heritages to fend against the white cultural hegemony.Conclusion gives a summary of what the paper sets out to accomplish, digs out Morrison’s intention of finding the outlet for the black race in white-predominated society. At the same time, it makes some suggestions for further research: the fusion of black culture with the prime of white culture. Toni Morrison’s works not only have great practical significance for the Black to seek after recognition and to survive under the white culture hegemony, but with the development of the American society, they also influence the other racial or ethnic groups newly immigrated to the United States, such as Asian Americans and Latino Americans. These works have immeasurable values and significance on them in their attempting to survive in the mainstream society, and obtaining its recognition.

A Thematic Study of Toni Morrison’s the Bluest Eye

Abstract

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