1) 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, http://www.jstor.org/stable/43496824

Mahaffey examines Morrison’s text through close readings in which she handpicks moments where characters are negatively affected by race, gender and class. The in-depth analysis of the self-loathing and trauma of characters such as Pecola are extremely relevant to my argument, and can serve as a contrast to privileged characters such as Maureen Peal.

2) Mbalia, Doreatha Drummond. “The Bluest Eye: The Need for Racial Approbation.” Contemporary Literary Criticism, edited by Janet Witalec, vol. 173, Gale, 2003. Literature Criticism Online, http://link.galegroup.com.proxy.wexler.hunter.cuny.edu/apps/doc/WBEULT467593299/GLS?u=cuny_hunter&sid=GLS&xid=98cfcc16.

This article, similar to the previous one, relies mostly on close readings in dissecting the ways in which class plays a role in The Bluest Eye. More so, this article is less general in that it discusses more interesting narrative concepts such as the chapter titles. This article also contains a very useful section on Geraldine, who is one of the few “black elites” in the novel.

3) 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, http://www.jstor.org/stable/42980110

Laraine mostly focuses on the idea of the “white gaze” in the novel, and the ways in which it victimizes blacks, which successfully addresses the question I posed in relation to white supremacy. What’s also really interesting about this article is that it is a critical close-reading done by a white teacher and her class of largely African American students.

4) Gillan, Jennifer. “Focusing on the Wrong Front: Historical Displacement, the Maginot Line, and ‘The Bluest Eye.’” African American Review, vol. 36, no. 2, 2002, pp. 283–298. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/1512261

Although I have already found a decent amount of articles that focus on characters such as Maureen Peal and Geraldine, this article ventures off into new territory with the Maginot Line. This article is less-close reading heavy and includes more theoretical and historical analysis, which is the kind of source I genuinely need for my research paper at this point. Examples include: The submerged history of lynching, prostitution, and black exclusion from the national family.

5) Werrlein, Debra T. “Not so Fast, Dick and Jane: Reimagining Childhood and Nation in the Bluest Eye.” MELUS, vol. 30, no. 4, 2005, pp. 53–72. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/30029634

Werrlein goes into depth on the relationship between childhood and nationalism in American society, as well as the way it ties into the “Dick and Jane” epidemic.  This article relates to my question of black elites being both victimizers as well as victims of white supremacy, as it gives glimpses into the Dick and Jane idealism that characters of The Bluest Eye both scoff and praise.

        1) 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, http://www.jstor.org/stable/43496824

I searched “The Bluest Eye” class on JSTOR as a first broad and simple search, and was glad to find this informative source. My research question mostly focuses on race/class in The Bluest Eye, so this sort of article is helpful in that it contains quotes to support the backbone of my research project.

       2) Mbalia, Doreatha Drummond. “The Bluest Eye: The Need for Racial Approbation.” Contemporary Literary Criticism, edited by Janet Witalec, vol. 173, Gale, 2003. Literature Criticism Online, http://link.galegroup.com.proxy.wexler.hunter.cuny.edu/apps/doc/WBEULT467593299/GLS?u=cuny_hunter&sid=GLS&xid=98cfcc16.

I decided to try out a different database and angle and searched “The Bluest Eye” black elites on Gale Literary Sources. I surprisingly received a decent amount of results (I was afraid that black elites was too specific). This article stood out as not only is it somewhat recent (as in published in the 21st century), but it contains substantial criticism and analysis regarding Maureen Peal and Geraldine.  

3) 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, http://www.jstor.org/stable/42980110

After having trouble finding many sources relevant to my research question on Google Scholar and Hunter OneSearch, I decided to hit JSTOR again and searched “The Bluest Eye” white supremacy. This result stuck out as it is more specific than the rest of my sources and a bit “weird”.

4) Gillan, Jennifer. “Focusing on the Wrong Front: Historical Displacement, the Maginot Line, and ‘The Bluest Eye.’” African American Review, vol. 36, no. 2, 2002, pp. 283–298. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/1512261

From yet another JSTOR search, this time I used the search term “The Bluest Eye” model minority. Many of my search results were a bit off, but I ended up liking this one as it compares characters of different classes such as the Maginot Line and Maureen Peal.

5) Werrlein, Debra T. “Not so Fast, Dick and Jane: Reimagining Childhood and Nation in the Bluest Eye.” MELUS, vol. 30, no. 4, 2005, pp. 53–72. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/30029634

This source is one that we discussed in class, but I decided to include it as Dick and Jane connect surprisingly well to ideas of divided blackness, class, and the ways in which blacks are victimized by white supremacy.

6) X, Malcolm, and Haley Alex. The Autobiography of Malcolm X. Grove Press, 1965.

Morrison and Malcolm X were born only 6 years apart, and although I haven’t been able to find anything that Morrison had to say about Malcolm publicly…I realized that there are many similarities in their views on subdivisions of blackness. For example, his Autobiography states, ““Whatever I have done since then, I have driven myself to become a success at it. I’ve often thought that if Mr. Ostrowski had encouraged me to become a lawyer, I would today probably be among some city’s professional black bourgeoisie, sipping cocktails and palming myself off as a community spokesman for and leader of the suffering black masses, while my primary concern would be to grab a few more crumbs from the groaning board of the two-faced whites with whom they’re begging to “integrate.””

How do characters such as Maureen Peal and Geraldine stand as examples of “model minorities” in The Bluest Eye, and what does Morrison aim to accomplish through their portrayal? Despite their “ideal” status, are they truly happier or better off than lower-class characters such as Claudia and Frieda?

Claudia Rankine’s Citizen: An American Lyric thrusts readers into a second-person perspective in which one feels the discomfort that comes from being a victim of microaggression. In Part II of Citizen, she begins by discussing the stereotypical and dangerous idea that “blacks are angry” and introduces Serena Williams as a notable example. By explicating various situations in which Williams was victim to microaggressions as well as using photos to reveal contrasts between the black and white, Rankine shows readers that even the most successful of African-Americans must work tirelessly for their citizenship.

Rankine states, “For Serena, the daily diminishment is a low flame, a constant drip. Every look, every comment, every bad call blossoms out of history, through her, onto you” (32). Rankine paints a picture that one can easily connect to W.E.B. Du Bois’ idea of double-consciousness, a struggle that William’s likely faces as a prominent athlete in a media saturated with racist ideals of beauty and image. On page 33, Rankine includes a photo from Nick Cave’s “Soundsuits” which appears to be a black figure shrouded by multi-colored flowers. The photo, although discreet in its meaning, seems to have been included to convey mixed feelings of double-consciousness felt by Williams. It depicts a crouching black figure, faceless and forced into a set of predetermined characteristics. And as previously stated, “every bad call blossoms out of history…”, signaling the flowers blossoming out of the figures body. However, these flowers aren’t dull or dim, they’re vibrant and beautiful, and seem to symbolize the fact that although Williams is constantly bombarded by indignities, she is “not running out of breath” (33).

The photo of William’s fellow tennis player Caroline Wozniacki on page 36, shows readers the ways in which microaggressions may be shrouded by white playfulness. In Cynthia M. Frisby’s journal article, “A Content Analysis of Serena Williams and Angelique Kerber’s Racial and Sexist Microaggressions” she quotes Williams, “I don’t think she meant anything racist by it,” but added, “If people feel [that it seems racist], she should take reason and do something different next time” (266). Wozniacki, who stuffed her top and skirt to poke fun at her friend, is seen as a smiling joker by all and even Serena. However, despite what Wozniacki’s intentions may have been, the act itself is what showcases her white privilege. Rankine states, “Wozniacki…finally gives the people what they have wanted all along…while leaving Serena’s “angry nigger exterior” behind” (36). It may seem like fun and games, but Wozniacki’s joke doesn’t merely poke fun at William’s body, but the black body. The photo and instance show the ways in which microaggressions tend to be publicized and convey dangerous messages. All the while, Wozniacki is able to remain a “smiling blond goodness” as she gives in to the overwhelming stigmas that surround William’s body.

Rankine shows readers that even the extremely successful Serena Williams is victim to being laughingly labeled a “gangster” and being thrown violently against a white background. Through her lyrical writing and use of photography, she is able to paint readers a vivid image of what it means to be labeled, and what it means to be a victim of microaggression.

Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye focuses on how young black girls were affected by white-dominated culture in the 1940s, and how it eventually altered their mentalities in unchangeable ways. Most significantly, is that of Pecola Breedlove. Cultural icons such as Shirley Temple and the many blue-eyed, blonde dolls and actresses of the 1940s do not only define her perception of beauty but guide the way in which she views herself and the world around her. Even at the close of the novel, after years of emotional and physical abuse have truly taken their toll, that blue-eyed fantasy still remains with her. As a reader, this raises one significant question, would Pecola’s life had been happier if everything around her hadn’t been constantly making her feel ugly? If there had been a black Shirley Temple to look up to?

Constantly bombarded by images of white American beauty, it isn’t hard to imagine the way in which this deepened Pecola’s insecurities. However, even in today’s contemporary society many young girls are still affected by pop culture’s ideals in similar yet very different ways. One need only walk through a grocery store aisle or log onto Instagram and they’re sure to find some sort of photoshopped, idealized bombshell to compare themselves to. However, our society has certainly improved since the 1940s in the fact that young black girls have a plethora of beautiful black woman to look up to. Pecola, on the other hand, from a young age is told that she is unattractive since she looks nothing like cute white girls like “Jane”. Pecola can’t help but believe what she is told, as not only are there no beautiful young black girls in the media, but even her own mother deems her ugly.

In reference to Pecola’s treasured Mary Jane candies Morrison states, “Smiling white face. Blond hair in gentle disarray, blue eyes looking out of a world of clean comfort…To Pecola they are simply pretty” (50). Pecola’s love for this candy is multilayered, it is not only about her yearning for blue eyes or this romanticization of white life, but an obsession with whiteness that she can’t seem to shake. Throughout the novel we’re introduced to various characters who grapple with similar struggles, Claudia comes to love Shirley Temple despite her initial hatred, and Pecola’s mother dedicates her life to working in a white home as if she is playing a part in a fantasy dollhouse. However, Pecola is affected by white culture in ways that are deeper and more harmful than the rest of the novel’s characters. She seems to be a character who is born with an inherent sense of insecurity, not only due to the way she is mentally beaten down by her parents but from what seems to be a simple characteristic of hers. It isn’t uncommon for one to be insecure or unsure about themselves. However, her innate sense of insecurity combined with a lack of any representation of black beauty to hold onto makes for a deadly combination. Throughout the novel we see Pecola’s blue-eyed obsession affect her psychologically in ways that obstruct her from living a truly happy life.

Pecola’s constant yearning to look different has its clear negative repercussions, however, it also strangely serves as a way to uplift her mood in certain situations. Each chapter that concerns Pecola or one of the Breedloves begins with a rambled phrase such as “SEEFATHERHEISBIGANDSTRONG” in reference to the seemingly perfect Dick and Jane lifestyle. These inclusions in the novel can be interpreted in various ways, however in multiple parts of the novels they appear as some sort of coping mechanism of Pecola’s, Similar to the way in which her mom garners her happiness from the white household she serves, no matter how dismal Pecola’s situation may be, she always has her white idealizations to fill her mind with. In her journal article “Not so Fast, Dick and Jane: Reimagining Childhood and Nation in the Bluest Eye” Werrlein states, “The Dick and Jane books in particular exist almost entirely outside of history…They therefore treat American childhood as an abstraction that excludes all but white middle-class children” (58).  Werrlein touches on the ways in which the Dick and Jane books, which were highly popular in the 1940s, created a romanticized sense of white life in American culture while simultaneously dismissing the experiences of non-white families. Young black girls such as Pecola who flipped through these books in school unknowingly find their minds shaped by these images, by the shiny and colorful children that appear as the ideal group of society. If there had been a black variation of Dick and Jane, there is the lingering chance that Pecola’s view of herself and her family may have been different.

One can blame Pecola’s upbringing, her lack of friends, her inherent insecurity, or multiple other factors for the tragic way in which her childhood ends at the conclusion of the novel. However, it is truly possible that growing up as a young insecure girl without seeing happy black households on TV or black female icons, on top of being told every day at school that “black is ugly”, can take a true emotional toll on a young girl. If Pecola had grown up in our current decade, with someone who looks like her to look up in the media, it likely would’ve transformed her view on beauty and her obsession with “blue eyes”.