Overall, what did you think of The Bluest Eye? (no spoilers, please!)
As a university sophomore, I was introduced to this first novel by Toni Morrison and I recall the Dick and Jane contrast and the discussions about disparity of experience. Rereading it now, I felt like I was time traveling from my university days until the present and not seeing a lot of progress. Her book was an important introduction for me into some of the realities of family, neighborhood and community life for many, and vastly different from others. Some of the themes like adolescence, racism, violence, independence, and happiness, starkly diverged what I was experiencing. I became more observant, more curious, more actively engaged, and a much deeper thinker throughout my life, probably as a result of that experience.
1 Like
I must say that despite the fact that this was an important novel for the time, I didn’t care for it. I couldn’t recommend it to anyone. When I mentioned that I was reading it to a few friends, some also had never read it, and the one that had had a negative reaction. There were others friends I didn’t mention it to because I didn’t want to explain what it was about. This is a book that I probably would do better discussing it live.
1 Like
The Bluest Eye is one of the best books I’ve ever read and have recommended it to my bookclub. I’ve haven’t read other Toni Morrison books prior to this, as they were difficult for me to get into. I’m looking forward to reading more of them in the future.
The underlying issues of racism, socio-economic disparities, the American goal that would like all women to look like Barbie dolls, abuse…they all are as prevalent now as when the book was first written.
2 Likes
I must say that I was very happy that I had the opportunity to read this novel. On a scale of one to five, I definitely give it a five. I have read “Song of Solomon” and “Beloved,” but I think this is my favorite. If you are Black, what does it mean to be beautiful? It means you have light skin, blue eyes and blonde hair. It means you look like the characters you see on the screen. I remember reading “Soul on Ice” by Eldridge Cleaver years ago, and the thing I remember most was the fact that prison inmates had photos of sexy women pasted on the walls of their cells. The sexy women were all white. Cleaver questioned this idea. This notion that white is beautiful and black is ugly is concept that has been ingrained in the Black community since the time of slavery.
2 Likes
Well, I certainly understand why this book keeps showing up on lists to ban it. (And, no, I don’t agree with banning books.) Very mature topics, some hard to read about, none that I’ve experienced, but I’m sure way more girls and women have than I’d like to admit. The writing was powerful. Morrison molds her story through the clay of her words. So many people, men and women, are not happy with their physicality. This is not just a problem for Blacks. I wonder, since it’s more than 50 years since this book was published if the idea of “Blue Eyes” has diminished.
1 Like
This was one of the most powerful books I’ve ever read. If I had to rate it, I’d give it the highest rating possible. First, the writing itself was amazing—I found myself stopping to re-read and underline passage after passage. And Pecola’s story was heartbreaking but believable. The pressure to be beautiful, especially when beautiful means white features and coloring, combined with her poverty and ill-treatment was nothing short of tragic—but not artificially overdramatic. It felt horrifying, but all-too real. I have already recommended it to others, and I’m surprised I hadn’t already read it. I’ve read Beloved and several other Morrison novels, but somehow missed this. Thank you for suggesting it.
1 Like
I have to say that I found this book to be extremely sad. After finishing it, I felt depressed. I kept hoping for something good to happen to at least one of the characters, but it seemed that there was only darkness in these people’s lives I especially didn’t like that the sadness was carried mostly by the women. The women were the ones that suffered the most and their men did little to nothing to ease the women’s pain
1 Like
I guess I’m unclear what you mean. I think it’s an important novel for all time. From where I view the world, things have not changed all that much.
Can you elaborate a little?
1 Like
Thanks Amy for inviting me to say more. 
I may have analyzed this novel on a more superficial basis. I feel the whole point of the novel was the horrible effect beauty standards had on little Black girls growing up in this time period. As a Black girl I remember wishing I had “good” aka straight hair. I remember wishing that my eyes were a lighter brown. Both of these would make me pretty. I didn’t think I was ugly, just not pretty. Fast forward to the late 60’s/early 70’s. Black was beautiful, and I absolutely knew I was too. I wore a very big fro which made my nursing cap impossible to see! But as I moved into majority White/management settings I was back to relaxing my hair to “fit” in.
Now in my mid 70’s I’m been wearing my hair natural again for the past 15 years. I have two Black granddaughters who have grown up in a majority White environment but have never had their hair straightened or questioned about their appearance, although they occasionally get curiosity hair questions.
So in general, I feel that the beauty standard has changed significantly considering how diverse the country is. However, when I look at a little girl or woman and in my mind I say “she’s so pretty”. I then question what makes me think that. What makes a man handsome? So I suspect we all have ideas about what makes someone pretty but have come a long way from blue eyes. Today I can’t imagine a little Black girl obsessing into madness because she wants to look totally different.
1 Like
I did not enjoy reading this book and was thankful that it was a relatively short read.
The extraordinary writing was overshadowed by the disturbing and horrifying content. I felt such profound, heartbreaking sadness and rage throughout the entire experience of reading it. If only there had been some sense of potential hopefulness somewhere is the writing, perhaps it would have been a different overall experience for me.
Laurie, I felt the same way.
@Laurie_L and @Joyce_Montague - I guess I saw hopefulness in the character of Claudia. She was aware that there was something wrong with the system, and I’d like to think that as she & her sister grew up they carried that understanding with them. They instinctively knew that Pecola should be pitied, and didn’t understand why the adults around them weren’t more helpful/understanding.
@Joyce_Montague it’s interesting you mention growing up in the “Black is beautiful” era. One of the things Morrison mentioned in an interview was that so much Black writing at the time was about that movement, and she didn’t want people to lose sight of the fact that in many people’s opinion, Black wasn’t beautiful; that some still compared their darker skin to those with lighter skin and felt less-than.
It’s a bluntly written, heart wrenching novel-hard to read yet hard to put down. I’m of the age of the Dick and Jane readers, so Morrison using that as a device was particularly effective to me.
Kim I can actually relate to that. I am lighter than the average African American but never felt it was an advantage. I was obviously “Black”. Still it was hurtful when other Black people would refer to me as “high yellow” (and worse) because they assumed I thought I was better than them. 
2 Likes
This is the first book by Morrison that I have read. She writes skillfully with beautiful prose about difficult topics. I found it difficult to read this tragic, heartbreaking story of Pecola’s rejection, self-loathing, degradation, and sexual violation. It was not an enjoyable read for me, but it left a lasting impression. The individual stories of people in her life (some not directly related), were disjointed and not easy for me to reassemble, as the author asked the reader to do. I’ll remember the many tragedies, but wish there had been a glimmer of hope.
1 Like
This was an amazing book. In 200 pages, Toni Morrison explored so many conflicting issues - e.g. beauty/ugliness, hope/despair, joy/sorrow, poverty/privilege, oppression/freedom, life/death, innocence/experience. There is much to think about in The Bluest Eye. The book is multi-layered and can be reread for historical reference, for its descriptive language or for its humanity.
2 Likes
Sylvia, I agree that the self-loathing, degradation, and sexual violation were heartbreaking to read, but I did think Morrison ended with a hopeful note in Claudia’s retrospection of the events. I thought throughout the novel that Claudia’s character reacted against the things she thought were happening in her world. Her attitude and treatment toward the dolls were an indication that she could see through what was actually occurring in her world and could rebel against it. Girls trying to make themselves into what they see on television and in the movies is still an issue today.
1 Like
I had trouble following the paths; I blame myself for not immediately understanding the coherence of the story. Some books are read once (I think of Their Eyes Were Watching God) and understood, but this one has a complexity that requires a deeper reading. Great, great book.
I did enjoy this book and wanted to read it because I know it’s a real classic. But I did struggle with some of the back-and-forth time frames and passages. At the end of the book it all seem to come together. It’s a book that I feel I would love to read again, and I think I would gain so much more from it a second time around. Some of the passages I had to read over and over because they were so beautifully written.
1 Like