The Construction Of Black Cultural Identity In The Bluest Eye

Toni Morrison is the only black female winner of the Nobel Prize for literature in history. Her first novel The Bluest Eye was published in1970, in which she depicts contrasting groups of characters and their corresponding behaviors in the white culture dominated society as well as their ensuing different fates and consequences. According to Morrison, the survival of the black ethnic group cannot be guaranteed only through its possession of political rights and economic independence, but also through the retaining of their black traditional culture. This thesis, through a detailed analysis of how to construct reasonable, healthy and independent cultural identity in Toni Morrison’s novel The Bluest Eye, is meant to show that those who have adhered to their cultural tradition could preserve their cultural identity and wholeness, so they could live through the sufferings in the white society by resisting the negative influences of the white culture; however, those who have consciously or unconsciously abandoned their blackness and cultural roots and cut off the connection with the black family and community will be destined to get lost in the white society and caged in the pain of seeking their black cultural identity. In addition to an introduction and a conclusion, this thesis comprises three chapters. The introduction is about an introduction to Toni Morrison and the plot overview of The Bluest Eye, and a summary of literary criticism on the construction of black cultural identity in The Bluest Eye. Chapter One analyzes Pecola’s unreasonable yearning for blue eyes under the erosive influence of white beauty standard, whereas Mrs. and Mr. MacTeer resort to their black cultural identity. Chapter Two goes on to dig out Mr. and Mrs. Breedlove’s loss of healthy black cultural identity:Pauline’s split personality under the impact of dominant white culture; Cholly’s abandonment of blackness and distorted way to express love. Their loss of identity caused Pecola’s tragedy directly. Instead, the three whores undermine outside dominant power and each of them keeps her own culture identity and possesses personal sense of beauty and feels comfortable with what she is. Chapter Three presents the ways to construct independent cultural identity:Contrary to Geraldine and Church’s "whitening" themselves, Claudia builds her independent cultural identity by fighting the white standard. As a defender of black community, Claudia vigorously promotes black traditional culture, which makes her become a typical character constructing independent black cultural identity in Toni Morrison’s novel. Last part draws a conclusion of this thesis:Afro-Americans should defend their cultural tradition and find their ethnic culture roots, only in this way, can they liberate themselves from the hegemonic governance of white culture and get authentic equality and freedom, and finally construct reasonable, healthy and independent cultural identity.