America, the land of the free and the brave, a country where if you work hard enough you can have whatever you wish! All Pecola Breedlove wanted was to have blue eyes. Today, that dream would be easily fulfilled, but in 1941, it was unattainable. She bought into the belief that to have blond hair and blue eyes was the only way to obtain beauty. It is a belief that has dominated American culture since the nineteenth century. We must look a certain way, have a specific occupation, or live in a particular neighborhood if we are to fit into society.
In The Bluest Eye, Toni Morrison has captured these and other stigma’s we place on ourselves. We as a society like to believe that everyone is equal, that no matter what you look like you are important to the society. Unfortunately, this is not an accurate belief. We only have to turn on the television or open a magazine to see who are the adored people in our country. However, it is not fair to say that all people buy into these ideals. In The Bluest Eye, Toni Morrison captures both sides of society.
Pecola and her family represent the part of American society that strives to belong and fit into the stereotypical world. Pecola believes that if she could have blue eyes then she would be accepted. “If she looked different, beautiful, maybe they’d say, ‘Why, look at pretty-eyed Pecola. We mustn’t do bad things in front of those pretty eyes'” (46). She saw the blue eyes as an answer to everything that was wrong in her life. Pauline found her “white” identity through the Fisher family. It was through them that she found value and importance.
The creditors and service people who humiliated her when she went to them on her own behalf respected her, were even intimidated by her, when she spoke for the Fishers. . . Power, praise and luxury were hers in this household” (128). Claudia was the antithesis to Pecola and her mother. She was proud of who she was. She embraced her heritage and refused the stereotypes thrust at her. When she was given a white, blond haired blue eyed baby doll, she did not love it, instead, she destroyed them.
She questioned why the world said it and not she was worthy of love. Claudia was not wrapped up in objects, rather, she wanted to build on experience. This desire saved her from falling into the idea that she was not as good as the little blond doll. These social ideals are as alive today as they were in the 1940’s. We as a society have not rid ourselves to these ideals. If we had, there would be no need for colored contacts or hair dye, and blondes would not have more fun.
