The Bluest Eye Vs. Ugly Doll

In Toni Morrison’s novel, The Bluest Eye, focuses on society’s capacity of influencing and inferiorizing people of color, especially African Americans. Throughout the novel, the story of a young black girl named Pecola, shows the treatment and discrimination she experiences in her community. The cause of her problems is due to her ugliness, which society does not tolerate acceptable because “all the world agreed that a blue-eyed, yellow-haired, and pink-skinned” is the ideal beauty for a girl (20). Due to opposing societal standards, Pecola becomes a victim, confirming she is ugly and experiencing hardships that a child is not meant to encounter. Similar to Morrison’s message, Francisco Gabilondo Soler (a famous composer and performer known
by the name Cri Cri) instills the same message in children’s songs. One of his songs, “La Muñeca Fea” or “The Ugly Doll,” tells the story of an ugly doll rejected from society for her ugliness.
By hinting the message into a children’s song, Cri Cri teaches the children that they do not want to be expelled from society like the ugly doll. Both “The Bluest Eye” and “The Ugly Doll” suggest that lack of beauty causes societal rejection. Their rejection causes the undesirable people to feel hopeless and powerless; however, some individuals accept their looks and ignore beauty constructs.
Both of these pieces start off by showing both protagonists being ostracized from society. In the novel, “The Bluest Eye,” Morrison makes the life of Pecola miserable by mentioning that her family causes her ugliness. When introducing the Breedlove family, Pecola is described as being “concealed, veiled, eclipsed—peeping out from behind the shroud very seldom, and then only to yearn for the return of her mask” (39). The words “veiled” and “concealed” showcase Pecola’s desire to hide from society. As a result of hiding her true self, Pecola is certain she will not be victimized. The way that Pecola “yearn[s] for the return of her mask” symbolizes desire
because the word “mask” relates to changing her face features to a white person’s face. Similar to Morrison, Cri Cri presents the ugly doll who is abandoned and excluded from society. The ugly doll is introduced as “hid[ing] around the corners,/fearful of being seen” (5-6). Cri Cri shows that the ugly doll is “fearful” of being judged, and decides to remain “hid[ing]” for safety. Due to their unattractiveness, both protagonists are not able to excel from their low-rank. While Pecola’s parents continue fighting aggressively, Pecola realizes that “as long as she looked the way she did, as long as she was ugly, she would have to stay with these people” (45). By addressing her family as those “people” suggests that Pecola wishes to not be black but rather white. Since black people are categorized as “ugly,” Pecola wants to look beautiful and gain respect from society. In Cri Cri’s song, the singer describes the ugly doll “chatt[ing] with the rats,/the poor ugly doll” (7-8). By making the ugly doll interact with “rats,” Cri Cri indicates that the doll shares the same rank as a rat. Since rats are grotesque animals that everyone hates, the ugly doll shares the same value of a rat according to societal standards. Both Pecola and the ugly doll are seen as worthless because their worth is equated to the perception of their beauty.
After experiencing isolation among their community, Pecola and the ugly doll start feeling depressed from the criticism they receive from society.
In Morrison’s novel, Pecola tends to “[edge] around the circle crying … and [cover] her eyes with her hands” to avoid the bullying of the school kids (66). The description of Pecola’s action of “[covering] her eyes with her hands” proposes that Pecola cannot endure any more harassment of her physical appearance. Even though Pecola tries to act resiliently from society’s disapproval, Pecola fails to be strong and ends up “crying” for not belonging in her community. Like Morrison, Cri Cri portrays the ugly doll as “feeling forgotten, [and] we[eping]” to be a member of society (15). The actions of the ugly doll are alike Pecola because both feel misplace and wish to fit in their communities. As a result of being turned down from society, both characters hope to feel part of their communities with their flaws. Pecola attempts “to rise up out of the pit of her blackness and see the world” without hesitations and bold (174). By confronting society’s standards, Morrison speaks for the underrepresented black people, like Pecola, to stop feeling unworthy and stand out of the “pit of [their] blackness.” In Cri Cri’s song, the ugly doll reveals “her face full of soot” without minding the reactions of her community (14). Feeling disregarded from their own community, both protagonists are disappointed in society’s capacity to discriminate any
individual’s beauty.
Even if people decide to conform to society’s beauty constructs, there are certain individuals that would accept the undesirable people. In Morrison’s novel, Pecola has the opportunity to meet her savior, Soaphead Church. While Soaphead Church reflects the good deed he did for Pecola, Soaphead reprimands God for not familiarizing himself “with facts which either have escaped [his] notice, or which [he has] chosen to ignore” (175). The usage of the words “escaped” and “ignore” implies the disappointment that Soaphead feels towards God for not noticing Pecola’s sufferement. Also, Soaphead addresses Pecola’s issue as “facts” because it is indisputably true that people are rejected for their gruesome looks. Same to Morrison, Cri Cri introduces a friendly rat that approaches towards the ugly doll. The rat tells the ugly doll that her “friends are not those of the world/because they forgot you in this corner” (24-25). The rat explains to the doll that the people that follow society’s norms are not “friends” that she should interact with and trust. As long as those people from that “world” do not value the ugly doll, they would continue to “[forget her] in the [corner]” she continues to stay. The opportunity to meet selfless people that value Pecola and the ugly doll raises awareness that not all of society agrees with the beauty norms. While Soaphead Church continues to rebuke God for his ignorance, he states, “how could you leave a lass so long so lone that she could find her way to me? … I had to do you work for You” (180). The praising that Soaphead gives to himself suggests that he feels accomplish for making Pecola not feel any more “so long so lone” like God decided to do. Also by doing the “work [of God],” Soaphead decides to take the role of a protective figure for Pecola to rely on. Similar to Soaphead, the rat ensures to the ugly doll that “[he is] not like” the other people (26). While Pecola can rely on Soaphead for help, the rat is the only source that the ugly doll can trust. Soaphead Church and the rat are maverick individuals that are accepting of people who society views worthless.
After feeling accepted in society, Pecola and the ugly doll realize that they might feel love even with their flaws. Morrison makes Soaphead Church demonstrate compassion and caring towards Pecola. While continuing to brag to God of his good deed, Soaphead says, “[he] did what [God] did not, could not, would not: I looked at that ugly black girl, and I loved her” (181). The repetition of the word “not” emphasizes that society continues to ignore the unheard people and does not realize that they are missing a chance of meeting a great person. Although Pecola is an “ugly black girl” that everyone decides not to intervene with, Soaphead chooses to interact with her and becomes fond that he starts “lov[ing] her.” Resembling the same message, the rat confesses to the ugly doll that “[he], too, love[s her], and [wants her] happy” (34). Even though the rat is also disliked like the ugly doll, the rat considers the ugly doll a valuable person. Both Soaphead Church and the rat make Pecola and the ugly doll feel welcomed in society.
Through both pieces, Toni Morrison and Cri Cri speak for the victims of society that do not qualify their norms. Both speakers want to recuperate equality among society for the victims, so Pecola and the ugly doll can feel part of the community. However, all the people decide to obey society’s construct because they do not want receive judgments for opposing society. Therefore, society should not play a huge influence on the beliefs of individuals.