The Bluest Eye Symbolism

Throughout many civilizations, symbols have always been a part of the human experience. Symbols create a deeper meaning of ordinary objects that portray a figurative understanding of the objects. For example, flowers were and still are a gift with a literal and figurative interpretation. Specifically, Marigolds represent passion, grief, cruelty, and jealousy. (Marigold) Because of a symbol’s significance in a culture, they have shown up in many pieces of literature. In fact, they can tell a history of a people within a novel. According to Terry Eagleton, Marxist criticism is concerned with the symbolic meanings of a story as a product of a certain history. (Eagleton, 2) In Toni Morrison’s novel The Bluest Eye, the soil and the marigolds are
One in particular was the storekeeper Mr. Yacobowski. Although he is only mentioned once in the book, his impact on the book was lasting. His thoughts and treatment of Pecola is reminiscent of the bourgeoisie “He does not see her, because there is nothing to see. How can a fifty-two-year-old white immigrant storekeeper…see a little black girl?” (Morrison, 48) His material and social wealth compared to Pecola make him better than her in societal standards. He owns a store while she owns nothing. Because he is so much higher in rank than her, he can ignore her completely. This kind of treatment of Pecola is representative of the soil that will not nurture the marigold. The soil ignores the marigold until it goes away or becomes of value. Only then will the soil acknowledge it, but only for the soil to gain nutrients from the marigolds. In other words, the social relations between people of opposite classes are based on their material life and the need for certain necessities. (Eagleton, 2) This is evident as the only time the shopkeeper acknowledges Pecola’s presence is to receive the money she is paying him for the candy. But, even then, their interaction is limited. He does not willingly accept the money from her hand; he barely touches her palm with his finger nails. In fact, his only acknowledgement of Pecola is his demeaning voice asking her what she wants and the graze of his nails on her palm. Both know that there is a significant distinction between the two classes. It is shown through the interactions between two people of opposing classes, specifically Pecola and Mr.