Research question: how does Toni Morrison represents tensions within the black community in TBE?

• Mahaffey, Paul Douglas. “The Adolescent Complexities of Race, Gender, and Class in Toni Morrison’s ‘The Bluest Eye.’” Race, Gender & Class, vol. 11, no. 4, 2004, pp. 155–165. JSTOR, jstor.org/stable/43496824. Accessed 15 Nov. 2020.

In this article ,the author argues that adolescents are encountering many difficulties on their path to adulthood. He examines how race, gender, and class status affect the young black female. This is relevant to my argument because it discusses how the issues of race that Pecola experiences takes place within the black community starting with her family. It is important because it shows that black communities play a vital role on destroying adolescents’ lives.

• Roye, Susmita. “TONI MORRISON’S DISRUPTED GIRLS AND THEIR DISTURBED GIRLHOODS: ‘The Bluest Eye’ and ‘A Mercy.’” Callaloo, vol. 35, no. 1, 2012, pp. 212–227., www.jstor.org/stable/41412505. Accessed 15 Nov. 2020.

Susmita argues that TBE concerns itself with the world of black girls like Pecola, Claudia and Freida. This relates to my argument because it discusses how violence and hatred of Breedlove family destroyed Pecola. Also, the article describes that Pecola is disowned by other members of her black community. This is important because it shows that racism exists within the black community and that it affects young girls which leads to self-hatred and deepens the feeling of ugliness.

• Hyman, Ramona L. “PECOLA BREEDLOVE: THE SACRIFICIAL ICONOCLAST IN ‘THE BLUEST EYE.’” CLA Journal, vol. 52, no. 3, 2009, pp. 256–264. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/44325476. Accessed 15 Nov. 2020.

Romana argues how African American children are taught the social and the cultural advantage of whiteness .This is relevant to my argument because it discusses the community that births, nurtures, educates, physically dismantles, rebirths Pecola. This is important because it supports my argument of how tensions represented in Morrison’s novel. And this article is an evidence that black community affects the way Pecola think of whiteness.

• Wallowitz, Laraine. “Chapter 9: Resisting the White Gaze: Critical Literacy and Toni Morrison’s ‘The Bluest Eye.’” Counterpoints, vol. 326, 2008, pp. 151–164. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/42980110. Accessed 15 Nov. 2020.

Wllowitz argues that it was Morrison’s intent to involve the community in and outside the text in their own interrogation for the “smashing” of Pecola and for contributing “to her collapse”.  It is important for my research because it examines the roots and effects of self-loathing. The author is wondering how the white- controlled media affects the identity formation of adolescent black youth. This is exactly what I am looking for.

• iwari, Neelu. “Decoding the Metaphor of Doll within the Larger Metaphor of White Beauty And Black Ugliness in Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye.” INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENGLISH: LITERATURE, LANGUAGE & SKILLS

The author argues that a class-conflict exists within the African-American community and that its people are doubly marginalized. This is very important because it discussed discrimination within black community, this discrimination was the cause of destroying Pecola’s life. Also, the author discusses how the community rejects the beauty of its own children and encourages them to adopt the idea that beauty means whiteness.

• Mohaisen, Ahmed Ghazi. “Pecola as devastated and secluded character in Toni Morrison’s novel” The Bluest Eye”.” Journal of The Iraqi University 44.1 (2019): 522-529.

Ghazi argues that white beauty standards affect the black community especially black women who seek for beauty to be accepted by their community. This article is important for me because it discusses the absence of solidarity within the black community and how the internalized racial prejudice affects black people all over the world.

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