The Portrayal of Cleanliness in the Novel, the Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

The Theme of Cleanliness in The Bluest Eye

Toni Morrison uses literary techniques to portray cleanliness as a defining characteristic of "Polly" as she appears at the lake house. Polly is the nickname for Mrs. Breedlove, the mother of Pecola in this novel set before the civil rights movement. Its delineates the harsh effects of White standards of beauty and racism on Black people at the time. The skin colors of White and Black transgress into symbols of cleanliness and dirtiness and are used to strengthen the portrayals of the injustices of racism present in the novel. This contrast of cleanliness and dirtiness is most evident in Polly, or Mrs. Breedlove, and shows the full extent of the malevolent effects of racism.

Through indirect characterization, Toni Morrison describes Polly's appearance as "nicer than [the girls] had ever seen her" (107) and wearing a "white uniform" (107). The contrast with Mrs. Breedlove's earlier descriptions portrays how she assumes different personas when communicating with the White family as opposed to her own Black family. This contrast furthers the Bluest Eye's theme of standards of beauty and racial segregation. The detail of "white" in describing Polly's uniform also conveys the notion that white, and white people by extension, are associated with cleanliness. Whereas Black people are seen as stains upon society. Furthermore, the details of "white porcelain" and "white woodwork" convey this symbolism. Polly keeps everything clean and orderly because she enjoys playing house for the white family, as it gives her a sense of purpose and a sense of control - "here she found beauty, order, cleanliness, and praise" (127) feelings that are not present when she is in her own home with her abusive husband. Her obsession with cleanliness is exemplified when she yells at Pecola for spilling "blackish blueberries everywhere" (108). Again, the colors are symbolic of society's standards and attitudes towards the different races. The spilled blueberries are labeled with the adjective "blackish" to convey the idea that Black people were associated with messiness and dirtiness. After Pecola spills the blueberry pie, Mrs. Breedlove "gallop[s]" towards Pecola and "knock[s] her to the floor." The detail of these actions portrays Polly's obsession with cleanliness, and how if it is ruined she feels a loss of control which primes her to react in an aggressive manner. In addition, the diction of "gallop[s]" portrays Polly in an animalistic way, which coincides with how she deals with the messy floor. This diction expands upon the book's theme that at that time society viewed Black people as messy and no better than animals, a theme that takes form in Geraldine's descriptions of what she calls "dirty niggers." Since Polly longs to rise above society's preconceived notions regarding race, she focuses on cleanliness as a way to gain acceptance and seem more "White."

There is also a change in tone with how Polly speaks to Pecola versus the little White girl. Polly accepts society's racism and attitudes equating Blacks with dirt, and therefore abuses Pecola, "yank[ing] her up by the ar, and slap[ping] her again" (109) for causing such a mess with the pie. In contrast, she soothes the little White girl, with a voice "like honey" and even calls her pet names. The simile and details regarding her actions towards the White girl versus her reaction to her own child shows Polly accepts society's racism, and thus her obsession with cleanliness is her only way to escape her predestined inferior societal position and find acceptance. She also cleans the little girl's dress, whereas with words "like rotten pieces of apple" she dismisses Pecola. The "rotten apple" simile connotes imagery of dirt and grime, and by inflicting these words towards her Black daughter, Polly aligns with society's racial discrimination. Furthermore, she views the White girl as needing to be clean, and so she does so, demonstrating that in her mind she associates cleanliness with society's 'beloved' and 'preferred' White people. Thus the notions of cleanliness and dirtiness become associated with skin color, and advance the theme of racism in the novel.

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