The Bluest Eye Censorship Essay
Is Censorship of literature necessary? This question has been the source of debate for many years. As adults 18 years and older censorship in literature is viewed as a complete tyranny and utterly unnecessary. However, when it comes to censorship and children this issue is not always so black and white. Many books have been challenged and banned by school officials for containing what is deemed to be inappropriate material. These novel all have one thing in common, they make some people uncomfortable. One such novel is The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison. This novel is considered to be an extraordinary work of literature and of great learning value for students. However, the novel has been a source of great controversy because of its graphic
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Pecola the main character in the novel is a victim of the times. She has a dysfunctional and tumultuous home life. She is poor, ugly, abused and filled with a strong sense of self-loathing. In an era where Shirley Temple served as the epitome of beauty, Pecola learns to equate physical beauty with love. Her greatest desire is to have blue eyes. She believes if she has blue eyes her life will change. She will be beautiful, and if she is beautiful then ultimately she will be loved. The theme of physical beauty is heavily sprinkled throughout this novel. A very specific type of beauty, white beauty. The reader views Pecola worshiping the beautiful white Hollywood icons of her generation. Pecola is not alone her fascination with white beauty, her mother Pauline also seems to worship the white icons. Pauline shares with the reader how she used to often visit picture shows due to loneliness and how she would become submerged in the fantasy world of the movies. She even attempts to wear her hair like the white actresses. This novel showcases the effect of white society and how its degrading to young black women and girls. The theme of sex is also heavily portrayed in the novel. It seems that many of the male characters featured in this novel have a sexual desire for young girls, including Cholly Breedlove, Mr.Henry, and Soaphead Church. The girls in the novel are their victims. Morrison
Pecola the main character in the novel is a victim of the times. She has a dysfunctional and tumultuous home life. She is poor, ugly, abused and filled with a strong sense of self-loathing. In an era where Shirley Temple served as the epitome of beauty, Pecola learns to equate physical beauty with love. Her greatest desire is to have blue eyes. She believes if she has blue eyes her life will change. She will be beautiful, and if she is beautiful then ultimately she will be loved. The theme of physical beauty is heavily sprinkled throughout this novel. A very specific type of beauty, white beauty. The reader views Pecola worshiping the beautiful white Hollywood icons of her generation. Pecola is not alone her fascination with white beauty, her mother Pauline also seems to worship the white icons. Pauline shares with the reader how she used to often visit picture shows due to loneliness and how she would become submerged in the fantasy world of the movies. She even attempts to wear her hair like the white actresses. This novel showcases the effect of white society and how its degrading to young black women and girls. The theme of sex is also heavily portrayed in the novel. It seems that many of the male characters featured in this novel have a sexual desire for young girls, including Cholly Breedlove, Mr.Henry, and Soaphead Church. The girls in the novel are their victims. Morrison