Study Questions on The Bluest Eye

Reading and Discussion Questions on Toni Morrison=s

The Bluest Eye ( 1970)

Why is the children's story at the beginning repeated three times? What is the effect of speeding it up? What is the purpose and significance of the story? How does it tie in with the rest of the novel?

There are a number of different voices/narrators in the novel. The very first part, in italics, is Claudia's Introduction to the whole book. What themes are set up in this section? How does it prepare you for the rest of the novel?

If you look at the structure of the novel, you will see that each of the four sections (named for the four seasons) begins with a section in Claudia's voice, which is recognizable because of the ragged right margin. Each of Claudia's intros sets up the major themes for that section, so you need to read them looking for clues about what is to follow.

I. Autumn

A. Claudia
B. House
C. Family

II. Winter A. Claudia
B. The Cat (Geraldine) III. Spring A. Claudia
B. Mother (Pauline Breedlove)
C. Father (Cholly Breedlove)
D. The Dog (Soaphead Church) IV. Summer A. Claudia
B. The Friend (Pecola) What does the movement from autumn to winter to spring to summer suggest symbolically?

This book can be seen as an initiation story - comparing the initiations into womanhood of two very different little girls: Claudia and Pecola. What are the similarities and differences between these two children?

How are the four circles of control illustrated in this book?
(WS-- dominant groups control subordinates through:

Physical violence/ intimidation (lynching, rape, gay bashing)
Economic discrimination (lower pay, job segregation, lack of access to education)
Psychological steroetyping (limiting roles and expectations)
self-policing (sub accept and/or act out steroetypes to protect themslves from the doms)

It is possible to see the structure of the book as a series of rapes, of increasing degrees of devastation, perpetrated on Pecola as well as her family members. How do these violations relate to mechanisms of social control? How does the rape by her father fit into this structure?

Blue eyes are a symbol of a particular group. What is this group like and how does one join it? How do Claudia and Pecola's attitudes towards blue eyes differ? As a young girl, Toni Morrison herself entered a number of beauty contests. What is the attitude towards beauty in this book and how does it relate to materials we read on the social construction of sexuality?

Other major themes include: romantic love, materialism, religion, the role of parents and what a good parent is, the media, sexuality and how it infuses our lives with joy or hatred, the perils of self-righteousness.