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Beauty As A Standard Of Beauty Analysis

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Given the societal view of whiteness as a standard of beauty, both Maureen Peal and Pecola Breedlove struggle with distorted self-perceptions and self-hatred. Ultimately able to project both her hatred and her insecurities elsewhere, Maureen is able to bloom despite adversity. Pecola, however, internalizes the hatred at the hands of others and is left only to wither. Despite her efforts to beautify her appearance through the use of expensive attire, Maureen Peal is unable to change the color of her skin. Consequently, she is unable to live up to society’s standard of beauty, defined by whiteness. A young girl with a light dark complexion, Maureen Peal adopts a distorted self-perception from an early age, as she has been conditioned by society to view her blackness as inferiority. Wearing expensive clothing, Maureen tries to compensate for what society perceives as a lack of beauty, “Fluffy sweaters the color of lemon drops tucked into skirts with pleats so orderly they astounded us. Brightly colored knee socks with white borders, a brown velvet coat trimmed in white rabbit fur, and a matching muff” (62). Wearing brightly colored clothing, Maureen reminds her classmates of springtime. Adorned in vibrant knee socks and fluffy sweaters, Maureen is admired by her peers. Her clothing is orderly, establishing a sense of control that her classmates can only dream of. However, not even Maureen’s expensive clothing can change the fact that her skin is black. From the very first

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