A Gender Studies’ Eye for A Gender Studies’ Eye for The Bluest EyeThe Bluest Eye

陳瑞欣陳瑞欣文本與論述理論課文本與論述理論課

TextText

Morrison, Toni. The Bluest Eye. Morrison, Toni. The Bluest Eye. Penguin Group Publishing, 1994.Penguin Group Publishing, 1994.

Her First Novel. (First published in Her First Novel. (First published in 1970)1970)

ThesisThesis

To discuss how African American To discuss how African American females perceive themselves in this females perceive themselves in this novel toward the dominance through novel toward the dominance through the viewpoint of gender studies. the viewpoint of gender studies.

The compare and contrast between The compare and contrast between two main characters, Claudia two main characters, Claudia MacTeer and Pecola Breedlove.MacTeer and Pecola Breedlove.

The dominance of white The dominance of white Western cultureWestern culture

The ideal family image in the prologue of The ideal family image in the prologue of the novel.the novel.

The white baby doll Claudia received on The white baby doll Claudia received on Christmas.Christmas.

Mr. Yacobowski (the candy shop keeper)Mr. Yacobowski (the candy shop keeper)

The new classmate Maureen Peal, a light-The new classmate Maureen Peal, a light-skinned wealthy girl. skinned wealthy girl.

GeraldineGeraldine

The Fishers’ house (Pauline’s work place)The Fishers’ house (Pauline’s work place)

The PowerThe Power

““ Adults, older girls, shops, magazines, Adults, older girls, shops, magazines, newspapers, window signs---all the world had newspapers, window signs---all the world had agreed that a blue-eyed, yellow-haired, pink-agreed that a blue-eyed, yellow-haired, pink-skinned doll was what every girl child skinned doll was what every girl child treasured”(20) .treasured”(20) .

““I-never-had-a-baby-doll-in-my-whole-life-and I-never-had-a-baby-doll-in-my-whole-life-and used-to-cry-my-eyes-out-for-them.Now-you-got-used-to-cry-my-eyes-out-for-them.Now-you-got-one-a-beautiful-one-and-you-tear-it-up-what’s-one-a-beautiful-one-and-you-tear-it-up-what’s-

the-matter-with-you”(21).the-matter-with-you”(21).

The Power (Geraldine & The Power (Geraldine & Pauline)Pauline)

Irigaray: “Feminine mimicry” means Irigaray: “Feminine mimicry” means that [female] is supposed to mimic the that [female] is supposed to mimic the role of the feminine in order to shore up role of the feminine in order to shore up a masculine identity that does not a masculine identity that does not recognize female difference. recognize female difference.

““Female mimicry in Female mimicry in The Bluest EyeThe Bluest Eye has has to do with the construction of a to do with the construction of a gendered and racialized class hierarchy. gendered and racialized class hierarchy.

The PowerThe Power

Jill Matus: This kind of “culture of Jill Matus: This kind of “culture of shame" displaces the focus on external shame" displaces the focus on external causes or forces. causes or forces. As a means of producing self-regulating As a means of producing self-regulating and conforming subjects, the and conforming subjects, the inculcation of shame secures dominant inculcation of shame secures dominant interests, converting and perverting interests, converting and perverting anger in other eventually to breed false anger in other eventually to breed false loves and desires (45). loves and desires (45).

Claudia MacTeerClaudia MacTeer

Independence & confidence Independence & confidence

Undergo the transformation of “the Undergo the transformation of “the conversion from pristine sadism to conversion from pristine sadism to fabricated hatred, to fraudulent love.” fabricated hatred, to fraudulent love.”

Realize the function of ideology that Realize the function of ideology that “dolls, little white girls, or even' high “dolls, little white girls, or even' high yellow' girls in [her] community are not yellow' girls in [her] community are not the ‘Enemy’ because they are not the the ‘Enemy’ because they are not the sources of power; they are only vessels sources of power; they are only vessels into which power flows”(43).into which power flows”(43).

The BreedlovesThe Breedloves

““ They lived there because they were They lived there because they were poor and black, and they stayed there poor and black, and they stayed there because they believed they were because they believed they were ugly”(38). ugly”(38).

““ [The ugliness] came from conviction, [The ugliness] came from conviction, their conviction”(39). their conviction”(39).

““ They took the ugliness in their hands, They took the ugliness in their hands, threw it as a mantle over them, and threw it as a mantle over them, and went about the world with it”(39).went about the world with it”(39).

Pecola BreedlovePecola Breedlove

Otten: “on the verge of self-awareness, Otten: “on the verge of self-awareness, Pecola is dangerously naïve and fully Pecola is dangerously naïve and fully capable of accepting the idea that a capable of accepting the idea that a socially defined beauty alone merits socially defined beauty alone merits love”(12).love”(12). She hides behind her ugliness, “concealed, She hides behind her ugliness, “concealed, veiled, eclipsed---peeping out from behind veiled, eclipsed---peeping out from behind the shroud very seldom, and then only to the shroud very seldom, and then only to yearn for the return of her mask”(39). yearn for the return of her mask”(39).

Pecola BreedlovePecola Breedlove

Otten: “Morrison depicts Pecola more as Otten: “Morrison depicts Pecola more as victim than as genuinely tragic figure. Unable victim than as genuinely tragic figure. Unable to commit a saving sin or protect herself to commit a saving sin or protect herself against the prolonged self-hate of Cholly or against the prolonged self-hate of Cholly or Pauline or Geraldine, she falls prey to an evil Pauline or Geraldine, she falls prey to an evil beyond herself”(23).beyond herself”(23). ““ Her violent passage from innocence to Her violent passage from innocence to experience ironically results in the perpetual experience ironically results in the perpetual innocence of insanity that alone can grant her innocence of insanity that alone can grant her the blue eyes which assure her the blue eyes which assure her acceptance”(9). acceptance”(9).

ConclusionConclusion

Morrison, in her afterward of the novel, Morrison, in her afterward of the novel, speaks of how she chooses a unique speaks of how she chooses a unique situation like Pecola to “dramatize the situation like Pecola to “dramatize the devastation that even casual racial devastation that even casual racial contempt can cause”(211).contempt can cause”(211). Through the contrast between Claudia Through the contrast between Claudia and Pecola, the significance to perceive and Pecola, the significance to perceive the beautifulness of oneself by self-the beautifulness of oneself by self-judgment is acutely brought out.judgment is acutely brought out.

Thank you for your Thank you for your listening!listening!

ReferencesReferences1. Otten, Terry. “The Crime of Innocence in the Fiction of Toni 1. Otten, Terry. “The Crime of Innocence in the Fiction of Toni Morrison.” University of Missouri Press, 1989.Morrison.” University of Missouri Press, 1989.2. Matus, Jill. “Toni Morrison.” Manchester University Press, 1998.2. Matus, Jill. “Toni Morrison.” Manchester University Press, 1998.3. Furman, Jan. “Toni Morrison’s Fiction.” University of South 3. Furman, Jan. “Toni Morrison’s Fiction.” University of South Carolina Press, 1996. Carolina Press, 1996. 4. Grewal, Gurleen. “Circles of Sorrow, Lines of Struggle: The 4. Grewal, Gurleen. “Circles of Sorrow, Lines of Struggle: The Novels of Toni Morrison.” Louisiana State University Press, 1998. Novels of Toni Morrison.” Louisiana State University Press, 1998. Netlibrary. Louisiana State University Press. January 7, 2010. < Netlibrary. Louisiana State University Press. January 7, 2010. < http://www.netlibrary.com.nthulib-oc.nthu.edu.tw/Reader/ >http://www.netlibrary.com.nthulib-oc.nthu.edu.tw/Reader/ >5. Tally, Justine. "Toni Morrison’s fiction." The Cambridge 5. Tally, Justine. "Toni Morrison’s fiction." The Cambridge Companion to Toni Morrison. Cambridge University Press, 2007. Companion to Toni Morrison. Cambridge University Press, 2007. Cambridge Collections Online. Cambridge University Press. 31 Cambridge Collections Online. Cambridge University Press. 31 December 2009.<http://cco.cambridge.org.nthulib-December 2009.<http://cco.cambridge.org.nthulib-oc.nthu.edu.tw/uid=6245/extract?oc.nthu.edu.tw/uid=6245/extract?id=ccol052186111x_CCOLCCOL052186111XA002G>id=ccol052186111x_CCOLCCOL052186111XA002G>