The Bluest Eye
The Bell Jar, by Sylvia Plath, explores the symbolic representation of the emotional state of being depressed and failing to find meaning in life. The Bluest Eye, by Toni Morrison, demonstrates the fact that beauty is socially constructed causing certain races to be shut off. The setting of each novel will be contrasted in terms of its influence on society, while internal conflict and symbolism will be compared.
Plath’s and Morrison’s novels occur during the same time period, ranging from the 1940s to 1950s, however their geographical location within the United States establishes the values put in place in the novel. In fact, the type of societal discrimination is contingent on the American state and generates distinctive issues based on the …show more content…
In fact, this phenomenon aggravates itself by the young girl as she substantially puts pressure on herself whilst referring to her eyes, face and body as “ugly”. “You looked at them and wondered why they were so ugly; you looked closely and could not find the source. Then you realized that it came from conviction, their conviction. It was as though some mysterious all-knowing master had given each one a cloak of ugliness to wear, and they had each accepted it without question” (Morrison, 28). This quotes illustrates that Pecola has become a master at the art of self-loathing and can only seem to find more flaws rather than strengths within …show more content…
This being said, the young girl believes having this quality will grant her with a certain charm and allow her to finally be “beautiful” To add, in her mind, acquiring blue eyes will enable her to see the world differently and in a better way, the way white-skinned children do, which includes having a loving family. “It had occurred to Pecola some time ago that if her eyes, those eyes that held the pictures, and knew the sights-if those eyes of hers were different, that is to say, beautiful, she herself would be different” (Morrison, 46).
By and large, The Bell Jar and The Bluest Eye share similarities such as internal conflict that perturb the equilibrium of the protagonists along with symbolism that embellishes the novel’s title by making correlating it to the main character’s reality. The disparity includes setting which impacts the novel’s values in two separate ways as location holds greater importance than the time
Plath’s and Morrison’s novels occur during the same time period, ranging from the 1940s to 1950s, however their geographical location within the United States establishes the values put in place in the novel. In fact, the type of societal discrimination is contingent on the American state and generates distinctive issues based on the …show more content…
In fact, this phenomenon aggravates itself by the young girl as she substantially puts pressure on herself whilst referring to her eyes, face and body as “ugly”. “You looked at them and wondered why they were so ugly; you looked closely and could not find the source. Then you realized that it came from conviction, their conviction. It was as though some mysterious all-knowing master had given each one a cloak of ugliness to wear, and they had each accepted it without question” (Morrison, 28). This quotes illustrates that Pecola has become a master at the art of self-loathing and can only seem to find more flaws rather than strengths within …show more content…
This being said, the young girl believes having this quality will grant her with a certain charm and allow her to finally be “beautiful” To add, in her mind, acquiring blue eyes will enable her to see the world differently and in a better way, the way white-skinned children do, which includes having a loving family. “It had occurred to Pecola some time ago that if her eyes, those eyes that held the pictures, and knew the sights-if those eyes of hers were different, that is to say, beautiful, she herself would be different” (Morrison, 46).
By and large, The Bell Jar and The Bluest Eye share similarities such as internal conflict that perturb the equilibrium of the protagonists along with symbolism that embellishes the novel’s title by making correlating it to the main character’s reality. The disparity includes setting which impacts the novel’s values in two separate ways as location holds greater importance than the time