The Bluest eye essay 03/05/05

Whiteness; the standard of beauty

The novel The Bluest Eye, by Toni Morrison. Morrison provides us with an extended portrayal of how whiteness is the standard of beauty, which distorts the lives of black women and children, Through messages everywhere that whiteness is superior. An example of this is the white doll given to Claudia, the idealistic portrayal of Shirley Temple. How the lighter skinned Maureen is prettier and cuter than all the other black girls are. No one looks at her funny. She is respected because she is closer to white.

Mrs.Breedlove even shows us that they idolize whiteness when she is working with the white girl and cares for her much more than her own child, and right in front of her child. This white girl calls Mrs. Breedlove by her first name; no one else calls...