Probing Racial Dilemmas in "the Bluest Eye" with the Spyglass of Psychology

Author(s): Anna Zebialowicz and Marek Palasinski

Source: Journal of African American Studies, Vol. 14, No. 2 (June 2010), pp. 220-233
Published by: Springer
Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/41819247
Accessed: 17-06-2019 06:53 UTC

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J Afr Am St (2010) 14:220-233
DOI 10.1 007/s 12111 -009-9 1 00-y

ARTICLES ~ "

Probing Racial Dilem

with the Spyglass of

Anna Zebialowicz • Marek Palasinski

Published online: 30 June 2009

© Springer Science + Business Media, LLC 2009

Abstract The aim of this paper is to help rekindle interest in the employment of
psychology as a tool for interpreting female characters' racial dilemmas found in the
Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison. Rather than questioning the already well-established
methods of analyzing them, it illustrates how modern science of the human mind can
offer extra dimensions of valuable insight, especially in terms of validating the
behavior and thoughts of such characters. Such insight might offer new angles from
which to look at them whilst showing the relevance of the issues these characters
deal with to the contemporary society. Although the limits of this article prevent the
full exhaustion of such proposed hybridization, it invites the consideration of a more
eclectic approach, whose lack of popularity appears to be unjustified in view of
potential benefits available.

Keywords Black womanhood • Bluest Eye • Psychology • Racism

"A little black girl yearns for the blue eyes of a little white girl, and the horror
at the heart of her yearning is exceeded only by the evil of fulfillment"
(Morrison 1999, p. 162).

As literary works do not exist in vacuum, they function across diverse cultural,
historical and social planes. The play of the text (both extratextuality and intratextuality),

A. Zebialowicz
Department of English and Creative Writing, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
e-mail: annazebialowicz@hotmail.com

M. Palasinski (El)
Department of Psychology, Lancaster University, Lancaster LAI 4YF, UK
e-mail: marekpalasinski@hotmail.com

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 J Afr Am St (2010) 14:220-233 221

as postulated by Wolfganf Iser, makes it

dialogue with other disciplines. Thus, our
the Bluest Eye by combining literary and
on the issue of black femininity. The cla
therefore corroborated by the employme
literary works. Our objective is to demon
can provide. We argue that psychological
depth exploration, especially in terms of
literaiy characters. In other words, such in
look at them whilst showing the relev
contemporary society. Bearing this in min
due to thorny ethical and social issues it
Khayati (1999) aptly remarks that the B
yarn weaving, comprising a powerful
analysis we argue that in many respects t
black women in the increasingly mult
progress has been made, in many respec
multicultural West. Despite ostensible to
ties, more complex, insidious and destruc
paving the way for the so called "new ra
the alleged assumption of egalitarianism
in the West modern norms and employm
discrimination illegal (Barker 1981; Cond
it also gives away social distance, whereb
blamed for their lot that is often attribute
is particularly marked by disclaimers, su
(Van Dijk 1992, p. 87).
Not only can such a pre-emptive strate
protect the individual, but it can also
ingroup. It may highlight its more positi
project a less pejorative view of a minor
culture, which is particularly preoccupie
(Etcoff 1999) the analysis of the Bluest E
blackness against the odds of prejudice a
and justified.
The novel brings to the fore the predicament of being a black female in the
predominantly white America in the 1930's and 1940's, the times that were certainly
characterized by much greater overt racial tensions than it is the case now. However,
ethnic identity and gender dilemmas are still both anecdotally and empirically linked
to a decrease in self-esteem, adaptiveness and well-being (Schafer and Herbold
1999; Birzer and Smith-Mahdi 2006). Alexander (1998) goes so far as to
metaphorically compare such suffering stemming from prejudice as being a part
and parcel of nature. He dares compare it metaphorically to the fourth face of God,
by which he means the presence of evil that allegedly coexists with Father, Son and
the Holy Ghost.
By the same token, McKittrick (2000) illustrates the great discomfort felt by the
black minority in the white-dominated society frequently denying them a sense of

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 222 J Afr Am St (2010) 14:220-233

equality and inclusion by imposing unfa

and race that become all enmeshed. Not
complexities of the tormented black sel
steps black young girls and women can
image of white beauty.
Pecóla Breedlove, a victimized black gir
the role-model for perfection in Shir
glamorization is dof the idol whose race
literature and psychological analysis, lik
showing that African American childre
black. This is reflected in the scene when
face blond hair in gentle disarray and blu
comfort" (Morrison 1999, p. 38) embodie
that she aspires to. This is particularly e
longs for blue eyes:

Each pale yellow wrapper has a picture

whom the candy is named. Smiling whit
eyes looking at her out of a world of c
mischievous. To Pecóla they are simp
sweetness is good. To eat the candy, and
somehow to eat the eyes, eat Mary Jan

Viewed from this perspective, Peco

resemblance to Zora's admiration of w
Fleece (1911) by Du Bois. Zora's self-re
intriguing indeed, especially when, un
rises above the canons of white attractiv
Morrison and Du Bois are preoccupied w
beyond the premises of white ethnocent
concepts of race and culture. Moreover, t
psychology, arguing against any uncondi
glamorized as superior - the acquiescenc
befall Pecóla.
Her self-destructive and unrealistic expectations produce the illusion that the
fulfillment of her wish would make her beautiful, bring her respect, and thus a better
life. Literary critic Fick (1989) observes that there is much more to her wish than the
need for a cosmetic change, suggesting that it reflects her more profound need to
change the world by changing the way she beholds it. Notwithstanding the
unrealistic character of such a wish, Pecola's understanding of the social judgment
that is even today made on the basis of one's race appears to be sound.
There are empirical findings, for example, showing that even under the simplest
of social conditions categorizing people into "we" and "them" for most trivial
reasons leads to discrimination against outgroup members (Tajfel and Turner 1986).
This only highlights the significance of such categorization processes made on the
basis of more vivid criteria, like one's skin color as they have much more
momentous consequences. Social exclusion, stigma and discrimination are just a few
examples.

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 J Afr Am St (2010) 14:220-233 223

The impossibility of Pecola's wish u

particularly manifest in her needs to be
brings to the fore the fact that most f
engaged in the quest for a sense of wort
own identity. It also ties in with correlatio
social rejection and exclusion is intertwin
1995). An equally important point to str
ugliness stems from the society's judgmen
herself:

...long hours she sat looking in the mirror, trying to discover the secret of her
ugliness, the ugliness that made her ignored or despised at school, by teachers
and classmates alike... (Morrison 1990: 34)

The intensity of her feelings of shame is profound indeed. That subjective

infringement of one's self-respect, which stems from the imposed sense of
inferiority, contributes to her giving in to the cultural disregard for her own race.
Walther (1990) notes that internalizing the white standards of beauty leads Pecóla to
a state of social invisibility and worthlessness. She offers very little resistance to it
and accepts such a pejorative social judgment, submitting herself to destructive
humiliation. It also effectively staves off any potential anger that might otherwise
challenge that contempt, leading to the state of learned helplessness.
This state of pessimism is engendered by putting negative events down to
internal, stable and global factors (Seligman 1975). In other words, we have
grounds to suspect that Pecóla blames herself not others, for not being white,
remains convinced that the social contempt for the black will not change over time
and thinks that this contempt would show up in all aspects of her life. As Matus
(1998) puts it: "Everywhere the message resounds in American culture that black
cannot be beautiful; indeed, as the Breedloves' self-loathing demonstrates, the
blacker, the less beautiful" (p. 41). Morrison's novel therefore brings to the fore the
correspondence between seeing and being seen. It seems that Pecóla believes that all
the suffering and non-acceptance she experiences can be attributed to how she is
perceived by others. Eventually, as she is only able to see through the eyes of other
people, she gradually loses the capacity to make an independent assessment of
herself.
In contrast, Claudia MacTeer and her sister Frieda are not ashamed of their
blackness and resist the temptation to fall for the standards of white beauty. They are
also the only figures anticipating the safe delivery of Pecóla' baby and believing in
its beautiful blackness. Such attitude pays homage to the flexibility of the human
mind that can adapt to the hostile environment despite the odds and is not as fixed at
childhood as Freud's psychoanalysis predicts it is. Thus, to some extent at least, it
challenges the validity of psychoanalytical judgments.
The sisters' defiance might also be made sense of in light of the cognitive
dissonance theory by Festinger and Carlsmith (1959). This theory sheds light on the
feeling of mental discomfort originating in holding discordant thoughts, making one
come up with new ideas with a view to reducing the degree of that discord. Here it
means that the sisters learn to question the legitimacy of prejudice as they make
sense of the conflict between self-acceptance and the society's intolerance of their

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 224 J Afr Am St (2010) 14:220-233

looks. At the same time, however, it m

plausible only if one recognizes the im
imposed white aesthetics (Moses 199
should not be underestimated when
sisters were offered.
This is clear, for instance, in their mo
black cultural values so as not to succu
white attractiveness. It also highlights
tradition and mutual support that are
(Boykin et al. 1997). The importance
Fanon (1952) who argued that cherishi
originality and decrease the feelings of
Although his psychoanalytical comp
subjugation of women may be less a
students entering university and with
heritage, the influence of Fanon 's mes
we can observe today.
However, the relevance of cultura
networks has changed rather little. Af
cultural values were found to be m
experiencing more social support and
2006). A recent interview study (Terh
needed such values are by black Amer
both cultural and social alienation in a
Claudia, who narrates the story both
looking back, in particular is perplexe
why black Americans are in awe of whi
dolls. This becomes apparent when she
be interpreted in terms of safely displ
is turned into active search for the an
solving (Bordessa 2006). Hence, Claud

I fingered the face, wondering at th

pearly teeth stuck like two piano key
turned-up nose, poked the glassy blue
not love it. But I could examine it to s
lovable. (Morrison 1990: 14)
Only with time does she recogniz
disadvantaging blacks does not come fr
of that power sustained by unfair hier
Earlier on, however, that anger provid
endowing her with a sense of control.
2000) can indeed act as an effective to
self-esteem high, thus enabling her to
Although the preference for a particu
those described by Morrison, cross-cul
people's perceptions of what is attracti

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J Afr Am St (2010) 14:220-233 225

are found to look longer at the same ph

(Langlois et al. 1990). Narrow cheekbo
chins are found to be hallmarks of a
prominent cheekbones and large chin
(Cunningham 1986).
Moreover, both men and women were f
as they evoke feelings of benevolence a
such traits are associated with populari
1992), all of which are also evaluated as
The research in this stream also debunk
on attractiveness held by whites and un
individual characteristics regardless o
and Frieda's respect for black aesthetics
This, however, does not mean that ph
offer automatic protection from bigotr
Mr. Yacobowski's shop and is confro
recognition - the glazed separateness." (

She looks up at him and sees the vacuu

something more. The total absence
separateness. She does not know wha
because he is grown, or a man, and sh
disgust, even anger in grown male eyes
has an edge; somewhere in the bottom
the eyes of all white people. The distast

Paradoxically, the common sense wo

himself an immigrant, should be abl
behavior, however cruel it may be viewe
There are studies (Major et al. 2002), fo
out-group members who manage to achi
take radical steps to appear more like t
looking down on those of their own kin
their own stigmatized outgroup disti
elucidated in light of the social reflecti
means that the contact with other ethni
imbalance and leads to greater preferenc
This phenomenon is well illustrated by
to the standards of a glamorous white fa
roots by giving her son a lesson in the s
her son, Louis, that there is a profou
niggers: "Colored people were neat a
(Morrison 1990, p. 67). She also takes act
the latter group by systematically cuttin
and lotioning his face to reduce its black
at protecting her son from his racially
relations of power that Lundgren (1
personal advancement and quality of lif

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 226 J Afr Am St (2010) 14:220-233

Nonetheless, Louis yearns to play with

wild blackness, rolling in dirt with the
unfamiliarity with prejudice and unawar
been advised by his mother of the above
ignorance of the social status that goes a
succumb to his feelings rather than the
not unnatural as emotional needs a
infrequently hold sway over cognitive
is still developing and adult self-contro
Constantly forbidden to play with them
on Pecóla and sets his sights on picking o
the common sense, however, it does not
aggression. Frustration only produces r
is mostly realized only if a particular o
relatively helpless (Rogers and Prenti
enough to trigger violence as its target o
the infliction of pain easier (Glass 1 964
steam" would calm Louis down and re
again as the hydraulic theory of aggress
tension?
Behavioral research suggests that h
intensify, as having a violent swipe is f
hostility (Grenn et al. 1975). Some sign
the same scene when Louis throws a
Pecóla of having killed it. In almost
closed, leaving only an empty, black
reflects a powerful metaphor, "suggesti
aspire to white norms may eventually
As Pecóla along with Geraldine, Paulin
established white concepts of femininity
and this in turn results in their self-loa
writes:

The authentic black self is buried so de

perception of themselves amounts to se
in those characters who are farthest from
most is being different since differen
hatred is often focused on the body as
and color... (p. 36)
Black self-loathing, however, is not on
can also result in shame of anything tha
reluctance to partake in and cherish
(Carlson and Ridder 1994). This might al
supremacism so that one's own beliefs, a
social judgment and stereotypes. Althou
label and its connotation without knowin
realize what group is meant by the label

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 J Afr Am St (2010) 14:220-233 227

a negative stance, thus leading to disres

that are low in prestige and influence are
and Wetherell 1987).
This process can be further complem
theories of prejudice (Gottfried and Phy
first by their own feelings and procliviti
of others in relation to themselves. Neve
ever irrelevant to oneself. At this early
rather than cognitions (inner qualities) t
according to whom they resemble. It is
further that they are able then to grasp t
rather than any freedom of choice.
Needless to say, such grasping alone
prejudice and having seen its ugly hea
radical steps to blend in with the privil
mother, Pauline, who embraces the Eur
look like Jean Harlow, she finds refuge
she becomes a servant. There she finds
order, but ironically this in turn separat
weak daughter-mother bond is strained
During Pecola's visit to that "white hou
floor which makes her mother angry and
her mother looks after. Pauline's resp
consoling the other girl. To make thing
father, Cholly, and lies almost unconsciou
believes what happened to her daugh
maternal denial may stem from Pauline
evil, preventing her from recognizing t
both. His hypothesis ties in with stud
strong negative correlation between
complexity, which is the capacity for ad
thathere the maternal denial affects cog
being distraught), morality (denying an
respond).
It might seem that such a traumatic event, like family rape, must have been too
harrowing to ignore. The human mind, however, is quite adept at turning a blind eye
to the information that is too inconceivable and frightening to pay attention to
(Tversky and Kahneman 1974). Rather than processing it consciously, it is all too
easy to ignore it by putting it away in a kind of "black hole of the mind" (Cohen
2002, p. 9). Thus, the meaning of the situation must fit into the existing expectations
so that any slightest hint at their disconfirmation needs to be ignored, distorted or
reinterpreted as insignificant.
In a similar fashion, human memory can reconstruct the past so as to fit the
present expectations. The conclusions drawn from research on memory suggest that
recollections of one event can be changed profoundly by other subsequent events
and their interpretation may also depend on other factors, like the mood or
evaluation of some other events (McDonald and Hirt 1997). This process may

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228 J Afr Am St (2010) 14:220-233

function as a stress-coping mechani

aftermath of rape. This can be easily s

We remembered the knuckled eye

Meringue Pie and the eyes of these sa
Or maybe we didn't remember, we jus
memory against everything and ever
broken by us, and all gestures sub
headstrong, devious and arrogant. (M

Such self-reproach by Claudia con

eventual insanity b was, at least partly,
with her experiences, leading her to g
acceptance and concepts of beauty.
Even Claudia is socialized to "love" Sh
that: "the change was adjustment wi
suggests that the 'love' has more to
acceptance of such beauty standards th
corroborated by the final words uttere

And fantasy it was, for we were not s

merely licensed... We switched habits
and called it truth, seeing the new pat
World. (Morrison 1990 163)

Such examples of self-blame led to

great extent to which black comm
divisions within black communities th
apparently lonely suffering does n
degenerates families and communities
trying to comply with the revered id
here. Claudia concludes:

All of our waste which we dumped on [Pecóla] and which she absorbed. And
all of our beauty, which was hers first and which she gave to us. All of us - all
who knew her - felt so wholesome after we cleaned ourselves on her. We were
so beautiful when we stood astride her ugliness. Her simplicity decorated us,
her guilt sanctified us, her pain made us glow with health.. .Even her waking
dreams we used - to silence our own nightmares... 4 and yawned into fantasy of
our strength... She, however stepped over into madness, a madness which
protected her from us... (Morrison 1990: 163).

The metaphorical meaning of such madness should not be underestimated here. It

might, for example, be interpreted as reflecting the phenomenon of passing for white
(Bennett 2001) that usually takes the form of shunning one's African origin and
culture, thus raising serious identity dilemmas. In Pecola's case it clearly evolves
into pathology. Her talking to her imaginary friend that others cannot see gives away
visual and auditory hallucinations that usually accompany severe psychosis. Her
belief in having blue eyes shows delusional thinking and her worry about someone
who might have even bluer eyes is a symptom of high paranoid anxiety.

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J Afr Am St (2010) 14:220-233 229

Davis (1982) suggests that psychic violenc

be much more destructive than physical b
mental health research (Kring et al. 2006)
with "reality" to social deprivation, discrim
Pecóla often had to deal with on her own. In
was not a single factor that brought about
to be triggered by multiple interacting fact
was not her racial dilemma or incestuous ra
sanity, although they most likely exacerba
was probably the main reason. Modern me
her downfall would have been less likely if
family or friends - the elements that can
support against great distress, serving as th
tribulations (Taylor et al. 2001).
The need for that strength is evident in
found to be compounded by an interlin
material deprivation that blacks are ex
identifies the source of such predicaments
class boundaries that bear heavily on citizen
turns out to only feed the vicious circle o
alcoholism and drug addiction (Belcher et
blacks suffer in a disproportionate way.
would necessarily have to be condemned to
life, like some readers of the Bluest Ey
possibility that she might spontaneously re
some of her symptoms might ease (Jauch
The current Western obsession with appea
prompt other cultures to toy with the idea o
this respect the critique of society the Bluest
its message of human dignity together wi
inequalities (Dittmar 1990). Doubtless, the c
in our society and is usually defined in term
an image of a slim, light-skinned woman w
say, it is hard for white women to live up
skinned. Furthermore, the notion of beauty
function as a yardstick of one's own identit
in the contemporary Western culture (Kub
politics that is often embedded in imperiali

That which was [is] 'white' (or Anglo,

extolled and infused with connotations of
that which was [is] not white (or not An
[is] debased and associated with malevolen

On the one hand, these days the racial pre

the not-so-distant past. BBC news present
races. As stores are supplied with black, La
white beauty as the ultimate embodiment o

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 230 J Afr Am St (2010) 14:220-233

the past. Black American children gro

used to in the 1940's (Porter and Wa
universities realize the stigma they wou
of the recruitment criteria. On the othe
the perceived relation between skin col
lost its full significance in the contem
Experts in advertising claim that pla
cover of a magazine still decreases its
by research exploring some of the
Glamour and Vogue. The study revealed
African American. It is also worth noti
spent three times more per capita than
(Etcoff 1999). Such pressure is also kep
recent trend of looking up to Michelle
breaking the old preconceptions. Not o
rebuffing negative stereotypes about b
the right of women in general to play
society, the factors which Fanon (1952
middle class. Thus she can be proud as
idea of double consciousness that would
others with contempt and pity (Du Bo
integrating the two concepts, whic
consciousness (2005), the inspiration sh
be underestimated.
The proverb says that beauty is only skin deep and therefore cannot account for
the true characteristics of a person. Although most people know it, few are aware of
the great extent to which the halo effect makes physical attractiveness or skin color
automatically activate the association of personality characteristics, like kindness,
creativity and intelligence (Anderson and Seidikides 1991). Consequently, when all
such positive (or negative traits, like meanness and aggressiveness in case of those
deemed as unattractive) go together, it is often realized through the self-fulfilling
prophecy (Rosenthal 1994). In other words, expectations are made about what
another person is like, which influence how the individual is treated and which cause
that individual to behave in accordance with the initial expectations.
Raising the awareness of identity dilemmas suffered by the disadvantaged appears
to be vital for any society to be fairer and more meritocratic. Such positive action
might be taken by the joint collaboration of literary scholars and psychologists. It is
recognized, however, that the current climate of general non-cooperation and
suspicion is not conducive to this endeavor to be very fruitful, at least not initially.
The differences between the two groups, which come from contrasts ranging in
approaches to epistemologa ontology or even jargon their dissimilar and complex
theories are described in, might indeed seem to be too off-putting for both sides.
Nevertheless, the two disciplines do not have to be mutually exclusive as they
might be viewed as offering distinct angles to look at similar phenomena. The
specialized language might be also broken down into more comprehensible parts
without losing meaningful details. Psychology research findings fleshed out by vivid
literary context might seem more graphic and convincing to policy makers working

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 J Afr Am St (2010) 14:220-233 231

on positive changes. In a similar fash

character's experiences or their relevan
back to the contemporary study of the
above analysis of some, but obviously no
characters in the Bluest Eye.

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