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Abuse In The Bluest Eye

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Abuse and Its Effect on Self Image in the Bluest Eye The main character of The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison is eleven year old, Pecola. In the book, Pecola is ridiculed and abused by many people in her life. She is striped of her self-image throughout the book by the abuse heaped on her by everyone around her. She faces racism on a daily basis from not only white people but also her own African American community. She feels that her skin is ugly and too dark. Based on the color of her skin she feels less than in the eyes of others. Pecola believes she can gain the love and acceptance she wants by having blue eyes like Shirley Temple.

Pecola sense of self-worth and her self-image are extremely damaged from the abuse she receives on a constant basis. This is demonstrated in the passage where she goes to Geraldine’s house. Geraldine and her son Junior are middle-class African Americans and they both play a part in damaging Pecola. Junior badgers Pecola by abusing the cat, throwing …show more content…

She is raped and impregnated by her father, Cholly and this wrong is never truly righted. Her mother decided at the time of her birth that Pecola was ugly. Pecola’s mother either ignores and neglects her or abuses her. Pecola, Frieda, and Claudia visit her mother, whom she calls Mrs. Breedlove, at work where she is the nanny and housekeeper to a young white girl. While visiting her, she knocks over a blueberry pie and burns her legs. Instead of comforting her child or trying to make sure she isn’t hurt Mrs. Breedlove begins attacking Pecola. She is more concerned with her crying charge as she calls her baby and comforts her. She tells Pecola to take the laundry and get out. Pecola is further showed that because of the color of her skin even her mother does not deem her more important than a blonde haired, blue eyed white child. The uncaring and harsh attitude of her mother and father only lower her self-esteem and her poor

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