Racial Self Loathing
Morrison in the book "The bluest eye" also brings out the theme of racial self loathing through Pecola because the novel indicates that once the father raped her twice she hates herself and believes that the main motive behind her father's inhuman act was her ugliness. Even in the world of today many women have a problem of beauty for they feel that being thin, tall and beautiful is that magic to the solution of some of the problems they have in life for they will be loved. Pecola hates herself because many of the adults think of her as an ugly bastard. For example in according to Morrison (65) pecola receives some hateful remarks "Black e mo.
Black e mo. Yadaddsleepnekked. Black e mo...." from some of the classmates. Some of the adult abuses received included "You nasty little bitch, Get out of my house" (Morrison 92) whereby she was abused by the people who had given her shelter. Pecola does not only encounter racism that makes her feel ugly just from the white folks but from her own black race who tell her that she is much too dark and that kind of darkness symbolizes inferiority.
Again according to her community her skin makes her even uglier.The idea of racial self-loathing is also depicted by Pecola when she decides to be associated with dirt or un-cleanliness due to the mistreatment experienced from the community and family. This is because Pecola befriends some prostitutes yet we know that most of prostitutes are always associated with impurity or immorality. This is because the prostitutes sleep around with many people, always refute religion, and are always associated with excessive drinking and smoking. The racial self loathing of Pecola is also propelled by the mother (Pauline) who despises her daughter due to the ugliness she sees in her.Morrison uses Pauline in conjunction with Pecola so that she may bring out how the popular culture has encouraged the idea of self -loathing in the black community.
This is because as she is working in the white wealthy family, she idolized the family members and their lifestyles. For example she adored the white little blonde haired, and blue eyed daughter up to the point of being referred by her as Mrs. Breedlove Polly when her daughter Pecola referred to her as Mrs. Breedlove.
Pecolas self hatred is also associated with the skin color due to inferiority. For example in the playground little boys come to tease her but Maureen who has a light skin accompanied by blue eyes emerges and the boys shy away because they feel she is equal to them unlike Pecola. This incident is well echoed in the article "In living color: Race and American Culture" by Michael Omni where he states "It is stereotype which we separate them (blacks) from the rest of the world and create a specific opinion about them, even though we do not realize it" (1).According to Morrison, the white skin is associated with power beauty and purity (Exampleessays.com 1).
This is depicted by the adoration of the Shirley temple doll which was given to Claudia and also Maureen being cuter than all the black girls. She also hates herself due to her social class. This is due to the fact that she belongs to the lowest class of drunkards and rapists who always make her wish that she could disappear and become somebody else.
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