Pecola Breedlove: The Perfect Child
During the 1940’s; an American time of depression, 83% of children were living in a two parent functional home. These children had a higher chance of academic achievement, better emotional health, and most importantly, fewer behavioral problems. What about the other children who lacked not just one parent,but two? Children are additionally influenced by their surrounding community. Some neighborhood opportunities outweigh the risks, while in other areas; neighbors avoid each other resulting in isolated home environments. What happens to the other children who are excluded from their community? Meeting the expectations of parental and community involvement in a child's development can become challenging to most. In a “perfect childhood” the
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As a young African American girl growing up in a community populated with less fortunate minorities, this demoralized girl is continuously labeled as ugly. From the criticism coming from her own mother to the bullies at school, She spends her time fantasizing about becoming beautiful and essentially, loved. These influences lead her to believe in the preposterous concept that if she were to achieve physical beauty, her life would improve. From the day Pecola was born, she failed to meet the expectations of the first person she came in contact with, her mother, Pauline. After the birth of Pecola, her mother exclaimed,”She looked different than what I thought [...] but Lord she was ugly”(Morrison 126). Pecola was struck with immediate rejection at the beginning of her life. During Pauline's pregnancy with Pecola she imagined what her daughter would look like (124). She would talk to Pecola while she was still in the womb (124). She would whistle to her (124) and act just how any mother would in excitement for their child to be born. Up until the actual day arrived. The fixed image Pauline had of her daughter failed to become a reality. Thus, not only defining her daughter as ugly, but displaying herself as a demeaning parent. The moment she could comprehend the lack of importance she had to others, Pecola began to live a …show more content…
The young girl was constantly curious about the idea of what love really is and questioned things as hopeless as, why people love the town’s three whores, but no one loved her. It can be agreed upon, that younger generations take after their parents in some way even if it is a negative impact left on the child. Pecola is rejected by not only her entire community, but those who are typically expected to love her. This creates a mental struggle for Pecola during her childhood and contributes to her desolated future. These circumstances are what connects Pecola to her father Cholly Breedlove.
The absence of positive parental figures and in Cholly Breedlove’s childhood leaves him a broken man. Due to Cholly’s past, the nuclear family that he has in the father role in, should theoretically work. “However [the] family is led by an individual who cannot foster love in his own home” (Andrews 142). With the last name Breedlove, it could be considered that Cholly’s family would essentially breed-love, but this man’s lack of support and upbringing leads him to do quite the contrary of what his last name seems intended to
As a young African American girl growing up in a community populated with less fortunate minorities, this demoralized girl is continuously labeled as ugly. From the criticism coming from her own mother to the bullies at school, She spends her time fantasizing about becoming beautiful and essentially, loved. These influences lead her to believe in the preposterous concept that if she were to achieve physical beauty, her life would improve. From the day Pecola was born, she failed to meet the expectations of the first person she came in contact with, her mother, Pauline. After the birth of Pecola, her mother exclaimed,”She looked different than what I thought [...] but Lord she was ugly”(Morrison 126). Pecola was struck with immediate rejection at the beginning of her life. During Pauline's pregnancy with Pecola she imagined what her daughter would look like (124). She would talk to Pecola while she was still in the womb (124). She would whistle to her (124) and act just how any mother would in excitement for their child to be born. Up until the actual day arrived. The fixed image Pauline had of her daughter failed to become a reality. Thus, not only defining her daughter as ugly, but displaying herself as a demeaning parent. The moment she could comprehend the lack of importance she had to others, Pecola began to live a …show more content…
The young girl was constantly curious about the idea of what love really is and questioned things as hopeless as, why people love the town’s three whores, but no one loved her. It can be agreed upon, that younger generations take after their parents in some way even if it is a negative impact left on the child. Pecola is rejected by not only her entire community, but those who are typically expected to love her. This creates a mental struggle for Pecola during her childhood and contributes to her desolated future. These circumstances are what connects Pecola to her father Cholly Breedlove.
The absence of positive parental figures and in Cholly Breedlove’s childhood leaves him a broken man. Due to Cholly’s past, the nuclear family that he has in the father role in, should theoretically work. “However [the] family is led by an individual who cannot foster love in his own home” (Andrews 142). With the last name Breedlove, it could be considered that Cholly’s family would essentially breed-love, but this man’s lack of support and upbringing leads him to do quite the contrary of what his last name seems intended to