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The Bluest Eye

Toni Morrison

Pecola Breedlove is surrounded by a society that idealizes a standard of beauty with fair hair and blue eyes. This ideal is constantly reinforced through ads, promotions, and films. Pecola faces discrimination from her Black peers due to her dark complexion, and even her mother contributes to her sense of ugliness, harboring resentment for not measuring up to the town's beauty standards. Pecola's father is also plagued by a deep self-loathing that is prevalent in their community. In a misguided attempt to express love, he sexually assaults Pecola, who tragically loses her baby shortly after birth. Eventually, Pecola, in a state of delirium, believes she has attained blue eyes after a local pastor manipulates her into poisoning a dog, leading to its death, which she interprets as an answer to her prayers.

3 min

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Insight

What's it about?

Toni Morrison's first book, The Bluest Eye, published in 1970, narrates the tale of Pecola Breedlove and her family, examining the familial and social factors that might prompt a young Black girl to desire blue eyes.

Book summary

Toni Morrison (1931–2019) was a renowned twenty-first-century American novelist celebrated for her powerful exploration of the African-American experience. Morrison's work – which includes The Bluest Eye and Song of Solomon – earned her numerous accolades, including the 1993 Nobel Prize in Literature. Her work has left an indelible mark on American literature.

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Broken Mirrors, Blue Eyes, Burning Homes

Broken Beauty: The Cost of Belonging

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