THE BLUEST EYE: PP. 38 - 5 8

AN EX AM INATION

By Melanie Bammel and Samantha Adams

PLOT OUTLINE

Setting: Shift from the Breedlove home to the apartment above

the Breedlove’s house (where China, Poland, and Ms. Marie reside)

Primary Characters: Pecola Breedlove, Sammy Breedlove, Ms.

Breedlove, Cholly Breedlove, China, Poland, and Ms. Marie (three

whores, “merry gargoyles”).

Narrative Situation: Third person omniscient – Thoughts of

multiple characters are examined throughout this section

SECTION TIMELINE

Morning time: the house is primed for a fight between Cholly and Ms.

Breedlove over retrieval of coal; Sammy and Pecola respond to fight differently;

Sammy engaged in the fighting and Pecola willed herself to disappear; to go numb

Pecola reflects on teasing in school and her wish for blue eyes; she prays every

night for blue eyes; Pecola walks to Yacobowski’s store to purchase Mary Janes;

reflects on the beauty of Mary Jane and her wish to become her

Pecola enters the apartment of Ms. Marie, Poland, and China; takes refuge in

their stories about men and love

SIGNIFICANCE OF SEASON

AND CHILD PRIMER

“HEREISTHEFAMILYMOTHERFATHERDICKAND

JANETHEYLIVEINTHEGREENANDWHITEHOUSETHEYAREVE

RYH” Indicates that the section of the book will elaborate on

Breedlove family dynamic

Ends before the word “happy”; indicates impending emotional

pain/distress within family

Autumn: signifies beginning of death; of a descent; the “primer”

before winter; foreshadows a darkened, eerie mood & narrative situation

PASSAGE ANALYSIS

Page 41: “The tiny, undistinguished days that Ms. Breedlove lived were

identified, grouped, and classed by these quarrels…”

Ms. Breedlove’s moments of satisfaction are contradictory; the unsatisfactory

behavior of others (Cholly) give her solace

Cholly’s behavior distracted her from her ugliness by focusing on his ugliness;

she could be self-promoting, improve self-esteem

Shows desperation of Breedlove family to rise transcend physical ugliness and

find comfort in pointing out emotional/behavioral ugliness

“Christ the Redeemer vs. Christ the Judge: showing favorability toward the

judgmental side of Jesus is contradictory

PASSAGE ANALYSIS

Page 50: “Each yellow wrapper has a picture on it. A picture of little Mary Jane,

for whom the candy is named. Smiling white face”

“the eyes are petulant, mischievous” Pecola ignores the possible negative

qualities of the eyes

“to her, the sweetness is good” --> Pecola consumes the master narrative

effects of candy can be compared to effects of master narrative (temporary

sweetness, long-term tooth erosion, general negative effects (cavity) eventually, the

“sweetness” of the master narrative damages Pecola’s mental state.

CONCLUSION/THEME

Conclusion: Pecola and Ms. Breedlove have different ways of

finding comfort: One looks past imperfections and the other focuses on

them.

Pauline Breedlove: Focuses on the blemishes on Cholly’s

personality

Pecola Breedlove: Looks past the mischievous quality of the eyes,

only focuses on the color; she doesn’t see any negative qualities

FINAL QUESTIONS

1. In what ways does Pecola take refuge in the stories of Miss Marie,

China, and Poland?

2. How might the definition of “love” be different from its

conventional definition in this section of The Bluest Eye and the entire

novel in general?

Which type of ugliness, in your opinion, is worse? Cholly’s ugliness

from within, or the ugly trait that the rest of the Breedloves passively

accept as their own?