An Analysis of the Cultural Roots of Pecola’ Tragedy

【Abstract】The Bluest Eye is Toni Morrisons first great masterpiece， who received the Nobel Prize. It describes the tragic fate of a black girl during the great depression， revealing the impact of the white cultural values of the United States on the soul of black people. This essay will explore the Cultural roots of the tragedy of Pocola from the two aspects： the shock of the White culture and the loss of Black culture. It revealed that only way that the blacks stick to their traditional foundation can they realize their self-value.

【Key words】Cultural roots； tragedy

I. Introduction

Toni Morrison is the most prominent African American woman writer of the 20th century， who has made the indelible contribution for the American black literature. The Bluest Eye is Toni Morrisons first work written in 1970. The story is about an 11 year old black and ugly girl in Ohio named Pecola， who desires to have a pair of beautiful bluest eyes. The novel adopts unique narrative techniques using the alternate use of the first and third person to promote the development of plots. Morrison tells Pecola's misfortune with Claudias innocent tone to increase the tragic color.

This essay will explore the Cultural roots of the tragedy of Pecola from the two aspects. The first one is the shock of the White culture and the other one is the loss of Black culture.

II. An Analysis of the Cultural roots of Pecola tragedy

2.1 The shock of the White culture

Generally speaking， there is no better distinction between culture and ethnicity in essence. However， when two or more than two kinds of culture meet in the same social contexts， it can be formed between strong and weak because of their economic， political power and influence of the society.

In The Bluest Eye， the White values and standards gradually invaded the black heart through formal education and mass media channels. The white values are considered to be the only standards and exist everywhere. In the picture-story book， Alice and Jerry have a “big blue eyes”； Shirley Temple has blond hair， blue eyes and is loved by all； The Little girl with white skin and blue eyes are printed on the candy-wrappers； The white culture and the standard of beauty are promoted in the shop windows， movies， magazines， newspapers everywhere； Even primary school textbooks are filled with the Whites sweet life style； In The Bluest Eye， God is a white man with a pair of blue eyes. So Pecola is hoping for blue eyes which are not difficult to understand. The Bluest Eye displays the damage done to Pecola when the dominant white culture erases all positive definitions of her value，and Pecola is unaware of her value of existence as a black， a woman and an American.

2.2 The loss of Black culture

The depths of the black man mind produce a kind of complex inferiority and the inferior race pain under the strong impact of the white cultural hegemony. Aesthetic of some blacks and colored race are distorted. They show their self-hatred and self-denial. At the same time， they try to meet the Whites standards. They think that only they accept the white culture. They can be accepted by American society and improve the unequal treatment of their own.

The blacks hearts have been completely lost the black values， and Pecolas tragedy arises. Pecolas painful alienation from her family begins with her mother's rejection of her at birth. She makes her daughter know how ugly she is and that she doesn't deserve love. If the mother thinks her own child is ugly， how can the daughter have a positive attitude to herself？ The relationship between mother and daughter is so distant .So Pecola hopes for blue eyes because then her mother will love her.

Pecolas mother rejects her own family and completely loses her own identity！ It is under the influence of her mother. Pecola desires to have a pair of blue eyes， which leads to her mental breakdown eventually.

III. Conclusion

In conclusion， the tragedy happened to Pecola makes everyone feel a pity and disappointed. In fact， the whole novel exposes the impact and damages done to the blacks by American white value， particularly the standards of beauty pervading in the dominant society. However， Morrison did not stay on the description of the status of the Blacks. It is obvious that Morrison expresses her deep love and concern for the black traditions. Morrison illustrates the way that only when the blacks retain their traditions can they achieve their self-value. The theme of the story is beyond the era.

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作者简介：薛妮（1980-），女，陕西商州人，西安文理学院外国语学院，助教，研究方向：英语课程与教学。