The Real Meaning of Beauty in the Novel, the Bluest Eyes by Toni Morrison

True Beauty

What are the characteristics of a truly beautiful person? The average individual, commonly lost and confused; ask themselves whether they are beautiful or ugly. Beauty can not be defined by one person or any group because beauty is subjective. As humans grow and reach adulthood, it is easier to have a better understanding of self value and beauty. However, when there is an imbalance in equality, it is easy for confused people to stay confused and never develop emotionally. In the novel The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison, Morrison develops the theme for the novel while also expressing a very crucial theme in American history. Though fictional, the novel written by Morrison presents serious issues concerning African American self-loathing due to white supremacy.

Morrison masterfully illustrates the struggle of a young black individual in a society that not only idolizes white people but distinguishes them as the superior race, in a very understandable fashion. This is most likely due to the fact that the main character, Pecola Breedlove is a child. As children, there is no understanding for what is right, wrong, beautiful or ugly. This clean slate however can be damaged by the dark hue of a negative belief. Morrison continues to advance the theme that society directed the bias of judgement within race. Americans idolized Shirley Temple and white dolls that resembled her, instances where whites were favored in media like this naturally led to a nationwide belief that true beauty could only come from a white individual. Synthetically, it is now clear that the name itself The Bluest Eye goes to show that the bluer the eyes and the blonder the hair, the more beautiful someone is believed to be. Within the novel Morrison exaggerates the shaming blacks receive or the pigmentation in their skin, ""I am cute! And you ugly! Black and ugly black e mos. I am cute!""

Said the lighter skinned Maureen (73). This quote truly encapsulates the stigma that blacks began to believe that their skin color is what defined their beauty or attraction.

Maureen truly felt that the color of her skin was superior to that of other African Americans because the skin that she was born with is much lighter than that of a darker African American. However, Maureen did not pick up these extremely judgemental ideologies on her own. White women and men have passed down generations of racism that has even found itself within the black community.This quotes truly captures the racism that whites allowed to travel through generation after generation, "White kids; his mother did not like him to play with niggers" (87). WHite people did plenty of damage however the oppressed only oppressed themselves more. For example Mrs.Breedlove completely obliterates any love that she has for her daughter Pecola because Pecola is not as fair skinned as her other daughter Geraldine.

In conclusion the thought of having blue eyes to help cope with some of the societal pressures goes to show the true imbalance within the mentality of an African American. The cruelty of the world taken away because of a physical trait? As expressed in earlier paragraphs, the media and the people within society have created a subjective image for what beauty truly is and it is clear that is something that young and grown African Americans stll need to learn for themselves.

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