Who's fault is it?

Rape. A single word that has an impeccable amount of power behind it. There are sevral questions that revolve around that word when brought up. Who's fault was it? Was it implied in anyway? Was the person lead on by the alleged victim? How did it happen? Why did it happen? Are you lying?

 Pecola was raped by her father and when she told her mother about it her mother did not believe her. She did not want to hear that her daughter was raped by her husband. She thought that Pecola was lying to her. Even when the neighborhood was talking about her one woman said that she carried the blame. She did not think that Pecola was barely eleven and would not think to have sex with her father. She did not think that her father raped her she felt as though this girl had something to do with it that she was willing. Pecola's own mother probably thought that she had something to do with her rape too and that is why she beat her. Pecola does not even called her own mother mom or mother or mama she calls her by her last name Mrs. Breedlove which shows the detachment. There are so many rapes that happen and the woman is looked at. Some how some way it is her fault. She cannot just be a victim. The way she dressed, or looked, or even conversations with him had to have had some kind of underlying meaning. A woman cannot just have been abused; no such thing. Adrienne Rich's poem Rape touches on this problem. She writes lines such as "you are guilty of the crime of having been forced". This goes to show how society puts the blame on women and make it seem as though it is her fault even when  it is not. They are always able to turn it back on the womaeven though she is the victim in the situation. Rich even goes on to say how it was "what you secretly wanted" trying to say that people think that the girls lead the man on and they secretly wanted the man to do it and they liked it. Its similar to when Pecola is talking to her imaginary friend and the friend brings up how Cholly raped her a second time asking if she likes it that time nad began to infer that she wanted it. However, it is not true Pecola did not want her father to rape her she actually became extremely gaurded once the friend brought it up and began to deny it. Pecola was left behind to bear the burden of  being raped and pregnant ;while her father ran away and escpaed society's disapproving eye.

Lightskin verse Darksin and the inbetween Brownskin

Blacks are not a united race or front. Morrison even shows that in The Bluest Eye when Geraldine says that there are colored people and niggers separating herself and her family from the rest of the race. Even today there are arguments about who is lightskin and who is dark skin and brown skin when we are all the same race. Then there is Pecola verse Maureen Peel where Maureen was accpeted easily and without question Pecola was not. Maureen had light skin because she was half black and half white and the light tone of her skin was enough for everyone to come flocking to her,while they left Pecola in the dust. The boys even responded to Maureen better than Cluadia and Frieda when they were taunting Pecola; once again showing the affects of a lightskin tone verse a darkskin tone.I find it ridiculous that we separate ourselves this way and it is why we are not able to accomplish things an united force. We have been told by society it is better to have light skin, straigh hair, and light eyes and we believe these things. On twitter I have seen "LightSkin People Be Like" and "Darkskin People Be Like"  trending, and its as if the whole entire black race is attacking its memebers. If we were to come to together as one and accept each other for who we are, we would not struggle as a race with as many issues as we do today. Instead we let our insecurities get the best of us and we desire to fit in with popular society. Soceity tells us that the lighter we are the more beautiful we are and the easier we are accepted and sadly this is true at times. We allow them to dictate how we think as a race when we should create our own standards and support one another.We yearn to be what we can not be. If we would stop fighting each other and begin to fight against racism, poverty, violence, and helping, the youth will achieve  greatness and have a proper education; we as a race would begin to evolve together. Instead we forget how our ancestors fought during the Civil Rights Act and how white people did not care how light you were if you were black you were black, therefore, beneath them. We could rise together and achieve things that have been deemed impossible for us to do.

What is beauty?

Has anyone ever thought of why we think people are beautiful? Is it not just how we perceive one another but there is another force driving it? Why does Hollywood get to stay who is beautfiul or not? Then we as people agree with them, are we agreeing because we believe thats what popular soceity believes also? Our perception and definition of beauty is miscontrude because if everyone  has different opinions then why do people think the stereotypical blonde, blue eyed, skinny woman is beautiful? Why does a curvy woman, who in model's eyes be fat, with thick dark hair and dark eyes not considered beautiful. Why do we put one above another when they can be equally as beautiful? In the society I live in today because I am of another race I am not as beautiful as a white woman. I am considered "beautiful for a black girl". Why can't I just be pretty period? Its almost as if they are insulting me and coplimenting me at the same time. Woman are put under great pressure to look a certain way and act a certain way. They dye their hair and participate in various weight loss programs and work out plans. If all of a sudden magazines and Hollywood thought that thick curvy woman who were not the typical blonde hair blue eyed would the rest of society agree witht them and shift their ideals? If you were to google beauty in google images the first page is all white woman with light eyes or blue and light or blonde hair. Society has driven what is deemed beautiful for so long that is has become one set type. There used to be a time when curvy women were beautiful but that time has gone and past. So what does that mean for girls that are shapely, and are not within the strict brackets that society forms for us? Are we now considered the "ugly ducklings"? We now are altering our hait and our appearance so that we may fit into these brackets instead of loving ourselves for who we are and believing in our own beauty. We must see beauty as something that is inwardly and outwwardly instead of just on the inside. We must change the standard definition of beauty as blonde and blue eyed becuase it comes in all different forms because we are only hurting ourselves and our self-esteem. In the Bluest Eye all Pecola wants is to have blue eyes so that she could be beautiful and accepted into soceity. She adorded those with blue eyes and blonde hair. The image of that type of beauty was everywhere it was on the cup she drank from, it was on the wrapper on her candy, and even her father Cholly pictured Jesus as a white man with blonde hair and blue eyes. This image was drilled into her head of what beauty was. She did not think anyone of her color was beautiful nor did she envy them. Women of color now have been altering their appearance in great lengths. They are now wearing weaves more often and getting their hair permed at a younger age. They wear contacts that change their eye color. We are attempting to look like the standard type of beauty that has been made for us instead of accepting ourslelves and our natural beauty. I dare to wear my hair natural in an unnatural world and at time I have been looked down because of it. I am always asked the question of why; why would I ever want to wear my hair in an afro or in curly waves. It is simply because I want to I would rather wear the hair I was born with and rock it and show that black people do not have just 'nappy" hair we can wear our hair natural and it still be just as glamourous. It has been been drilled into our head to appreciate beauty, our society puts such an emphasis on the worth of beauty that it is now no longer beautiful to me. It has turned and been twisted into a negative. In the book Pecola is outcasted because she is not beautiful but Maureen Peel who is pretty is easily accepted by everyone simply because she is in their eyes beautiful. It is a shame that she was treated so poorly just because of her looks and she was a sweet girl who only wanted to be accepted. There are many  Pecola's in society today who desire for their skin to be a little lighter, their hair to be straighter, and their eyes to be lighter, but we must stop chasing after this and create our own image of beauty that does not disclude anyone.

The Bluest Eye-Summer

How does Claudia describe her mother's reaction to the storm in Lorain, Ohio in 1929 and what does this say about how she views her mother?
                   Claudia describes her mother as this calm figure standing in the midst of a storm. She talks about how she was swooped up by the tornado but is still calm and smiling. This shows that Claudia looks up to her mother and thinks that she is a strong woman and that she stays calm during storms, whether they be an actual storm or a metaphorical storm. She looks up to her mother.

Read the section of dialogue on pages 187-190. What was your reaction to reading this?
             In the section these two woman are talking about how Pecola is pregnant by her father and her baby. I felt as though they were extremely judgmental because when the one woman states that "she carry some of the blame"(Morrison pg. 189) she assumed that since her father has a bad reputation that she probably liked it or wanted it. I felt as though that was very unfair and it bothered me since I know that she did not want it and she was raped. This poor little girl was taken advantage of and then made out to look like some type of "fast" girl.  When they were talking about how they hope that Pecola's baby would die because he/she was going to be ugly, it made me furious. How dare they be so superficial and put such emphasis on beauty that they wish for a pure innocent child's breath to be taken away. It just seems absolutely ridiculous. They do not feel bad for her or show any type of sympathy at all they are just out right rude about it and unconcerned about Pecola's well being. Especially since "the way her mama beat her she's lucky to be alive"(Morrison pg, 189). This also bothered me because her mother beat her for being raped and did not believe her when she said that Cholly had raped her, instead she punished her. I would expect a mother to comfort her daughter and take care of her but instead she beats her. What reason is there behind it? Is she upset that Cholly took a liking in their child and not in her? Jealousy? Misplace anger? I just do not understand why she would not believe her unless she just does not want to.

What sacrificial offering did Freida and Claudia render to procure the miracle, and what was the reason behind it?
                      Claudia and Frieda offered their bike money and the rest of their strawberry seed. They hoped that the by praying and singing they would produce a miracle for Pecola's baby to live. They imagined her baby beautiful in her womb and their fondness of Pecola made them want to help her. The seeds could represent the fruitfulness of Pecola. They pitied her because none of the grown ups showed any compassion for Pecola and they did.


Read pages 193-204. Who is the speaker and who is he/she speaking to? What has happened to the speaker  and why does he/she think people will not  look at he/she? And what is the speaker's fear?
                       The speaker is Pecola and she is talking to her imaginary friend. She has gone mad. She speaks to this voice in her head who tells her about her blue eyes and how pretty they are. Pecola thinks that people will not look at her because her blue eyes are so pretty and they are all jealous of her. In reality people will not look at her because she is pregnant by her father and no one dares to and because she has gone mad. She is also afraid that her eyes may not be blue enough to make her pretty. She fears that there is someone out there who has bluer eyes than her and then she will not be special anymore.

On pages 204-206 who is talking? What has happened to Pecola's baby? What does the speaker realize everyone was using Pecola for?
                      Claudia is speaking on these few pages. Pecola's baby has died and Pecola has turned completely mad. Claudia speaks of how Pecola runs wild in the streets flapping her wings trying to fly, and she feels as though she has failed her. She realizes that everyone was using Pecola to feel better about themselves. That they felt prettier in her presence, better educated, they felt as though they were above her and used her as a stepping stool. She was their scapegoat they used to throw all of their ugliness on and she absorbed it all damaging her.

The Bluest Eye-Spring

 Why was Freida crying at he beginning of the section? Why did the girls seek out Pecola? Explain the logic behind their actions.
               Freida is crying at the beginning because she thinks she is "runied". Mr. Henry had molested her when her parents were away by touching her breasts, and she ran and told her parents who threw him out. When her parents were arguing about whos fault it was that Mr. Henry was in the house Frieda over heard her mother saying that she was ruined like the "Maginot Line". She thought that she would be fat and ugly.She also thinks that she will be an outcast and mean like they are in their eyes. They seek out Pecola because they think that the whiskey is going to keep Freida from getting fat because their mother said that the reason Ms. China and Ms. Poland are not fat is because "whiskey ate them up"(Morrison pg. 101), and they assume htey can get it from her house. The girls know that Cholly is a drunk and he drinks a lot so they think that if they go over there they can get some whiskey and drink it and she will not get fat. They think that Pecola will be able to give them what they want.

When Cholly was told about Pauline's pregnancy how did he react? Were you suprised or not? Explain your answer.
               When Cholly was told about Pauline's pregnancy he was glad and supportive. "He began to drink less and come home more often"(Morrison pg. 121). Cholly turned a corner when he knew he was going to be a father. I was surprised to see him repsond that way. I assumed since he was an agry drunk that he would not be happy and see the child as an extra expense. I thought that he would be angry because money was already tight and Pauline had bought all those clothes she did not need and he needed money for alcohol. It was a nice surprise for me to see as a reader I was able to see a more sensitive side to Cholly.

What was Cholly's childhood like?
            Cholly had a avergae childhood in the beginning. His mother had left him to die in the beginning and  his father had deserted him, leaving him scarred. He even asks who his father is and where he is, making Cholly feel as though he has no idenity. However, his Aunt Jimmy takes good care of him. He even quits school at an early age and works with Blue. Once Aunt Jimmy dies his Uncle and cousins come to the funeral and are going to take care of Cholly. They offer him security, love, and stability. However, after the funeral Cholly goes through the traumatic event of being watch while having sexual intercourse with a girl, and is afraid she impregnated her and runs to find his father, but is rejected by him. He begins to inter into adulthood fairly quickly and takes care of himself from then on. He is only 15. Cholly grew up searching for a sense of idenity, but he was loved and well taken care of by his Aunt Jimmy even though he was still hurt by the loss of his parents.His childhood is short lived.

How did Cholly feel after he saw his father's reaction? After this how did you feel towards him? Did you understand him better?
               Cholly was devasted by his father's reaction. He was so upset that he soiled himself, and was ahsmaed and ran away and cried himself to sleep missing his Aunt Jimmy. I felt bad for Cholly after this. The reader is supposed to Morrison makes Cholly into this humane character and not a completey evil person so that the reader can understand him better and feel for him. I do understand Cholly and were his hurt and anger comes from. It stems from his hurt and andger from his childhood and being rejected by both of his parents and loss of his Aunt Jimmy. It comes from having to feel as though he holds the power so he never feels what he did when the flashlight was shown on him. He also is fustrated that he does not know how to care for his children since he never had parents of his own. However, it does not excuse his drunkeness, neglecting him family, or his abusive ways.

The Bluest Eye-Autumn

How did the speaker feel about dolls? Was it the same view as grown- ups?

        The speaker does not enjoy the doll. She confesses that she was "physically revolted"(Morrison pg.20) by the doll and that it "frightened her"(pg. 20). She only wanted to dismember it and discover where the beauty everyone around her was talking about. She was fond of taking them apart and trying to harm them because of her jealousy and hatred towards them. Since all the grown-ups thought the doll was pretty and that she should take great care of it because it was special she grew even more angry questioning why they thought the white baby doll was so special and pretty and not her.

What would have been an ideal Christmas for the speaker?
         She wants her father to play the violin for her and sit on her mother's lap alone. She wants the both of them to herself and to feel secure and warm.

Read the two paragraphs found at the beginning of page 22 which starts with "But the dismembering ....without improvement" Look particularly at the last line. What does it mean?
        The two paragraphs describe the speakers create disdain toward her white barbie dolls and white girls in general. It displays her great jealousy and her inability to understand why people think so highly of the white dolls and girls. She is then disgusted and ashamed of  herself for feeling that way for allowing her anger to take control over her.So, in the last line she tries to cover it up by loving the white girls and dolls just like everyone else around her. She thinks she can hide her flaws and change them by learning to love and show affection towards them. However, her hatred is merely concealed beneath her attempt to love them and has not changed at all.

The Bluest Eye-Winter

Why do you think Pecola let Junior talk her into entering his house?
         Pecola allowed Junior to talk her into coming into his house because she was lonely. She was surprised and delighted that someone had actually wanted to play with her and talk to her because she was not used to it. When she had to enter the house he told her no one was home and so she felt safer, and thought that she would not be rejected and told to leave by Junior's parents since they were not home. The promise of kittens had also helped to persuade her she seemed to feel comfort and love when she found the cat. All she was looking for was a friend and she thought she might have found one.

What did Geraldine assume when she took one look at Pecola?
        She assumed that Pecola was a good for nothing girl. She thought that she had seen Pecola's type before and she would be trouble. She deemed that Pecola was a "nigger" girl that she was had described before and she was loud, rude, and ignorant compared to her "colored" self.

Who is Maureen Peel? Why was she so well received by everyone?
        Maureen was the new girl at school. She is accepted easily by everyone because she was white, pretty and rich. Her being so well accepted proves the point that the community puts so much emphasis on being pretty and what it is to be considered beautiful. If Maureen had been ugly and did not have as much money then she would not have been so easily and willingly accepted by everyone.