In Search of Identity in The Bluest Eye – Toni Morrison

Influence of Afro-American folklore on Toni:

There is a great influence of Afro-American folklore in Toni. African-American folklore is the basis of Morrison’s fiction, as of most African-American literature. Themes such as the search for identity, freedom, the nature of evil, and the powerful verses of the powerless became themes of African-American literature. This folklore summarizes the history of black-white interaction in the United States and also epitomizes the sentiments expressed in protest literature. In his novels, he goes much deeper into the very roots of racism, sexism, and classism and exposes the ideological basis of these pernicious social ills.

Introduction to ‘The Bluest Eye’:

The Bluest Eye is Toni Morrison’s debut novel, a book heralded for its richness of language and audacity of vision. Set in the author’s childhood hometown of Lorain Ohio, it tells the story of Pecola Breedlove, an eleven-year-old black girl. Pecola commended her eyes turning blue so that she would be as beautiful and loved as all the blonde, blue-eyed children in America. The main theme in this is the ‘search for individual identity and the influence of family and society on that search’. This theme runs throughout the novel and is evident in many of the characters. Thus, Pecola Breedlove, Cholly Breedlove, and Pauline Breedlove and all are embodiments of this quest for identity, as well as symbols of the quest of many of the black newcomers from the North of that time. To understand the theme of the novel mentioned above, the condition of blacks in America must be taken into account.

Pecola’s search for her own identity:

The Breedlove family is a group of people under the same roof, a family in name only. Cholly, the head of the family, is always drunk and an abusive man. His abusiveness is evident towards his wife and daughter. He physically abuses his wife Pauline and sexually abuses his daughter Pecola. Pauline works as a “mamita” in a white family and prefers to favor them over her biological family. Pecola is a black girl with low self-esteem. The world had forced her to believe that she is ugly and that she must have blue eyes if she wants to look beautiful. That’s why she prays every night before going to sleep to wake up with blue eyes. She was raised as a poor child unwanted in society. But Pecola always wanted the acceptance and love of society. The image of ‘Shirely Temple Beauty’ surrounds her. The idea that she must have blue eyes if she wants to look beautiful has been imprinted on Pecola her entire life.

Pecola always thinks, “If I looked different, beautiful, maybe Cholly would be different, and Mrs. Breedlove too. Maybe they’d say, ‘Why are you looking at pretty-eyed Pecola? We shouldn’t do bad things in front of those pretty blue eyes.” Therefore, she was crazy about blue eyes. Many factors helped to imprint this ideal of beauty on her. She was always treated badly by many people around her. Mr. Yacowbski avoids seeing her and treats her as if she were invisible. “He doesn’t see her, because for him there is nothing to see”. Her peers also have an effect on her. They seem to think that because she is not beautiful, there is nothing worthy in her, she is a useless one. In this way, she becomes the focus of their teasing. They yelled at her saying “Black e mo, black e mo”. Not only children, but also adults had to make fun of her. Geraldine, a white woman always she refused to tolerate “niggers.” Once, seeing Pecola at her house, Geraldine started yelling at her, “You disgusting little black bitch. Get out of my house.” Therefore, Pecola could never escape from this kind of teasing. At home she also had to face the same thing. One day Pecola was visiting her mother at the house where she is working. She accidentally dropped a blueberry pie and was burned on the hot pie. But Pecola’s mother completely ignored her feelings of pain and instead continued to comfort her white “daughter.” To a girl, her mother’s love is the sweetest love. important that she feels. she can receive. But this hunger for love was never satisfied by her mother. Finally, her father’s rape is the last piece of evidence Pecola needs to fully believe that she is an ugly, nasty girl.

In general, a father figure is one that little girls look to for guidance and approval, but Cholly, Pecola’s father, is the exact opposite. Cholly seriously hurts Pecola instead of loving her and takes away the only thing that was completely hers. After the rape, Pecola was very sad to see and went crazy. Pecola’s quest for identity was defined by her undying desire to be loved. Her purpose in life was to be beautiful and to be loved, but her family and her community made it impossible for her. Therefore, she Pecola failed to establish her own identity in society.

Cholly Breedlove’s Identity Quest:

Cholly Breedlove, Pecola’s father also lacked his individual identity and self-esteem. He was born to a single mother. His father ran away the day of his birth. This horrible beginning of his life is reflected in his everyday actions and his views. His mother also left him alone in the world. Another major cause of Cholly’s downfall was the way the community treated him. They never respected him and talked about him behind his back. In this way, the community mocked his name. However, Cholly’s latest fall occurs simultaneously with Pecola’s rape. Thus, with that act, Cholly lost all conceivable humanity and his search for himself ended in destruction.

Pauline Breedlove’s search for identity:

Pauline Breedlove, Pecola’s mother is another example of the ‘search for identity’ incarnation. She feels truly happy when she works for the white family. It is there and only there that she feels as if she is part of something valuable. In pursuit of her identity and her happiness, she learned the difference between herself and the rest of society. At the same time, the cinema helped her realize the clear difference between her and other women. So she Pauline learned about physical beauty and she also learned what she stood for. In those days, physical beauty was Shirely Temple’s ideal of beauty, the equation of blonde hair and blue eyes to beauty. The beauty of Shirely Temple meant happiness, equality, dignity, and general comfort. When Pauline learned these qualities, she got a job as a black “mom” in a white family. She then felt as if she was part of all these qualities, when she was in the company of her white family. On the contrary, the more she lived with her own black family, the more she realized how ugly, poor, and unworthy they were. After that, her Pauline mentally left her family instead of her “perfect life”. However, she does not realize that by committing herself to the life of a servant, she will remain just a black servant in a white world.

Conclusion:

Have all the characters found their identity? Pecola Breedlove longed for blue eyes; and he also longed for the acceptance and love of society seen through his eyes. But she is not accepted by society; rather society influences her identity. They mold her into who she becomes of her by not giving her the guidance and approval that she needs from her. Similarly, Cholly found himself cut off from the community. He becomes demoralized and commits an act of inhumanity, realizing the community’s perception of him. Thus, Pecola and Cholly ended up with different results. Pecola was separated but happy and Cholly was separated but dissatisfied.

Pauline, on the other hand, was looking for an identity she could be content with; so she was somehow satisfied with her identity. Her twisted view of reality made her believe that she was accepted as an equal in society. Therefore, the Breedlove family is representative of the growing black community in the North. They have to deal with the same identity issues, situations and dilemmas as the rest of the growing black community in the North.